Fairey Fulmar

The Fairey Fulmar is a British carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter that first flew in January 1940 – the same month a Soviet submarine hit a Swedish mine in the Sea of Aland, leading to the loss of 50 crew. Remarkably, the wreck wasn’t to be emptied of munitions until as late as 2012. The Fulmar was designed to replace the ageing Fairey Battle light bomber and it proved to be a reliable platform with a range of approximately 780 miles. I believe that this is the only known example of a Fulmar and it’s located at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, at Yeovilton. In July 1940 a squadron of Fulmars was involved in the hunt for the Bismarck. The type was also deployed to Malta, where it protected both convoys and Swordfish torpedo bombers. The type was to be replaced as faster aircraft came onto the scene, such as the Supermarine Seafire and the Grumman Martlet. The Fulmar was to be withdrawn from frontline service in February 1945, the same month to fire-bombing attacks were made on Dresden.

Which is your favourite Fleet Air Arm piston aircraft of the war?