Role Light bomber
Manufacturer Fairey Aviation
Designer Marcel Lobelle
First flight January 3, 1925 (Mk.I)
Introduction June, 1926 (Mk.I)
Retired 1945 Swiss Air Force [1]
Primary users Royal Air Force
Belgian Air Force
Air Force of Peru
Operators BelgiumBelgian Air Force
PeruPeruvian Air Force
Peruvian Navy
SwitzerlandSwiss Air Force - Switzerland received 2 Fox VIR for evaluation.[37]
United KingdomRoyal Air Force
No. 12 Squadron RAF
General characteristicsCrew: 2
Length: 30 ft 9 in (9.38 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 11 in (11.56 m)
Height: 11 ft 6½ in (3.52 m)
Wing area: 362 ft² (33.7 m²)
Empty weight: 2,920 lb (1,327 kg)
Loaded weight: 5,170 lb (2,350 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12 Ybrs liquid-cooled V12 engine, 860 hp (640 kW)
PerformanceMaximum speed: 224 mph (195 knots, 361 km/h) at 13,100 ft (4,000 m)
Range: 634 mi[38] (551 nmi, 1,020 km)
Service ceiling: 32,800 ft (10,000 m)
Climb to 16,400 ft (5,000 m): 6.5 min
Climb to 19,700 ft (6,000 m): 8.35 min
ArmamentGuns: 2 × forward firing machine guns and 1 × rear gun
Bombs: 220 lb (100 kg)
VariantsFox I
Mixed construction light bomber for RAF. Powered by 450 hp (338 kW) Curtiss D-12 engine (also known as Fairey Felix). 25 built (including prototype).[22][23]
Fox IA
Fox I powered by 490 hp (366 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine. Three built as new plus 8 conversions.[22][23]
Fox IIM
Metal construction light bomber powered by 480 hp (358 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB. One prototype.[17]
Fox II
Production version of IIM for Belgium. Supercharged Kestrel IIS engine.[17] 12 built by Fairey in Britain, and a further 31 under licence by Belgian Avions Fairey at Gosselies (including two Fox IIS dual control aircraft).[24][25]
Fox III
Designation used for British built, Kestrel powered demonstrator (later designated Fox IV) and for Belgian built dual control trainer (also Fox Trainer) powered by 360 hp (270 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Serval engine.[24][26]
Fox IIIS
Fox Trainer converted with Kestrel IIMS. Five additional production aircraft by Avions Fairey.[27]
Fox III
Kestrel IIS and two forward firing machine guns. 13 built at Gosselies.[27]
Fox IIIC
(C for Combat) - Bomber/reconnaissance version for Belgium powered by Kestrel IIS, with provision for underwing bombs, two forward firing machine guns and enclosed cockpit.[28] 48 built in Belgium, including one Fox Mk IIICS dual-control trainer. Last few fitted with 600 hp 448 kW) Kestrel V engine.[27]
Fox IV
Used for British built demonstrator (ex Fox III).[27]
Fox IV
Fox II converted with Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine. First flew 31 January 1934.[27]
Fox IV
British built floatplane (Fox Floatplane). Six were produced for the Peruvian Air Force to serve during the Colombia-Peru War of 1933, but by the time they had been delivered (in October 1933),[29] the war was over.[30] They later (with the floats removed) carried out observation duties in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian war in 1941.
Fox VIR
Reconnaissance version powered by 860 hp (642 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs engine. 24 built for Belgium and two for Switzerland.[28][31]
Fox VIC
Two-seat fighter version of VIC. 52 built.[32]
Fox VII
Single-seat fighter version of the Fox Mk.VIR (also known as the Mono-Fox or Kangourou[33] Provision for six machine guns. Only two aircraft were built. One converted back to Fox VI standard and one used as personal aircraft by Willy Coppens.[32][34] One article printed from information from Fairey even stated that the Fox VII was a "flying fort" and had four machine guns and a cannon! [35]
Fox VIII
Final production version ordered as a result of international tensions in 1938. Based on VI but with three-bladed propeller and provision for four underwing guns. 12 built, with final aircraft completed 25 May 1939.[24][36]