Fairey Long-Range Monoplane

Long-range Monoplane
K1991 the World's Long Distance Record aircraft
Role	experimental aircraft
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Fairey Aviation
First flight	14 November 1928
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	2

The Fairey Long-range Monoplanes were a pair of British experimental aircraft of the late-1920s and early 1930s. They were single-engine, high-wing aircraft with fixed tail skid landing gear.

The first aircraft was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification 33/27; it was issued by the Directorate of Technical Development (DTD) in December 1927 after the failure of three attempts by the RAF to break the absolute distance world record flying Hawker Horsley bombers. According to a Ministry spokesman in the House of Commons, this aircraft was to be constructed not just "for a specific record," but as a serious study into methods of increasing the range of aircraft. In order to soothe the anxieties of the Treasury, the aircraft started life as the Postal Aircraft. The sharp, pointed nose and sleek lines of the prototype gave rise to the nickname "Eversharp," after the maker of pens and mechanical pencils.

Although other configurations were studied, after wind tunnel testing, a high wing was chosen, allowing a gravity feed from the fuel tanks. The wing spars were of wood and the wing used a pyramid system of internal bracing with fabric covering. The fuel capacity was 1,043 Imp gals (4,742 L) and the system used a gravity feed and mechanical fuel pump in sequence; a wind-driven, emergency back-up pump was also provided. There were other features dedicated to the long-range function; there were two parallel oil filter circuits, allowing one filter to be removed and cleaned while the other remained in operation. The aircraft was even equipped with a pneumatic bed for a reserve pilot. After extensive testing using a Fairey IIIF and a DH.9A, the Napier Lion XIA of 570 hp (430 kW) was selected, late in the gestation of the machine.

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