FAIREY ALBACORE MK.I

The Fairey Albacore is a British metal torpedo and reconnaissance biplane with a fixed undercarriage. The crew cabin was covered. It housed the pilot, observer, and gunner. The flight of the prototype took place on December 12, 1938, and the entry to the line took place in 1940. To facilitate the basing on aircraft carriers, the Albacore aircraft uses a hydraulic device that allows both wings to be folded back to the fuselage walls. The Albacore was powered by a 1085HP Bristol Taurus XII 14-cylinder radial engine. The first unit to receive the new aircraft was the 826th squadron of the RAF, which received them in March 1940. The plane gained its combat spurs during the retreat of British troops from Dunkirk and during the fight against German shipping on the English Channel. Later, it was primarily used in the Mediterranean Sea in fighting Italian and German convoys, as well as during the defense of Malta and the landings in Sicily in July 1943. 800 Fairey Albacore were built, and the aircraft was decommissioned in 1946. Technical data: Maximum speed: 259 km / h, maximum ceiling 6310 m, maximum range: 1497 km, armament: fixed-2 or 3 Vickers 7.7mm machine guns, an underslung torpedo weighing 760 kg or 908 kg of bombs.