Technical data needed: Fairey Hamble Baby

Volker_Nemsch · 22 February 2003, 03:32 AM

Hello all!

I´m looking for the following technical data and some bits of history of the FAIREY HAMBLE BABY

Ceiling ?
Armament ? (Vickers or Lewis?)
Engine ?

How did this little aircraft differ from the Sopwith Baby?

Thank you very much for your help!

Intrepid · 22 February 2003, 04:04 AM

The Fairley Hamble Baby had a redesigned tail unit, Fairly main floats and tail float positioned closer to undersurfaces of fuselage. The fabric was secured to the ribs of the wings by chordwise halfround battens instead of string stitching.

Schneider aand Baby wingspan : 25ft 8 in.
Hamble Baby wingspan : 27ft 9.5 in.

Baby length 23.0 ft
Hamble Baby: 23ft 4 in.

Baby height : 10.0 ft.
Hamble Baby: 9ft 6 in.

Baby wing area: 240 sq. feet
Hamble Baby wing area: 246 sq. feet.

The first production run of 10 aircraft had a 110hp Clerget.

The second production run of 10 aircraft had the 130hp Clerget.

The third and final production run of 30 aircraft had the 130hp Clerget.

I only have the figures of an absolute ceiling of 9,300 feet for a 130 hp Clerget Baby.

One synchronized and fixed Lewis with occasional second Lewis on the centre section. Two 65 lb bombs or four 16 lb bombs.

Marlon Schultz

Volker_Nemsch · 22 February 2003, 04:58 AM

Hello Marlon!

Thank you for your quick answer!

Up to now I believed that the synchronised gun was always a Vickers gun while the unsynchronised ones (and those for the observers) were Lewis guns. Additionally other guns were used by the observers.

A synchronised Lewis, is that true?

Additionally, my figures told me that about 180 Hamble Babies were produced.
???

Thanks again!

Intrepid · 22 February 2003, 05:35 AM

Hello Volker,

Glad I was able to help. Parnall, another contractor built 30-130 hp Clerget Hamble Baby aircraft.

From Parnall's last production run N1986-N2059 were delivered as Hamble Baby converts.

I would imagine these were also 130hp Clerget.

Marlon Schultz

MikeW · 22 February 2003, 07:14 AM

Sorry to contradict Marlon, Hi Marlon, but the most, the absolute most, significant thing about the Fairy Hamble Baby was it was the first aircraft to have a re-configurable wing section - in effect it had trailing edge flaps to change the lift characteristic of the wings.

Mike

Intrepid · 22 February 2003, 08:59 AM

Hi Mike,

You are of course, correct.

Marlon

Intrepid · 22 February 2003, 04:58 PM

* Jack Bruce also noted that externally the Parnall Hamble Baby differed from the Fairey model in that Parnall retained Sopwith design fin and rudder.

* He also noted the main floats looked generally similar to the Sopwith design but must have been larger.

* He goes on to note the Air Deptment deemed it necessary to send out Admiralty Air Letter 12930 of Aug 15 1917 which gives specific instructions for the ordering of required parts; Fairey parts only on Fairey Hamble Baby ; Parnall parts only on Parnall Hamble Baby

* The same document also notes that on some Hamble Babies the angle of incidence was twice that of others.

* * * * * * * * * Marlon Schultz

MikeW · 23 February 2003, 11:32 AM

I have in the back of my mind that Macchi (or another Italian manufacturer) made yet another variant of the Sopwith Baby.

I can't find it in my library, so I must have stored it away in the loft - I keep thinking it must be in a Windsock magazine. Can anyone confirm or deny an Italian variant before I go looking for it?

Mike

Intrepid · 23 February 2003, 12:49 PM

Quote:

I have in the back of my mind that Macchi (or another Italian manufacturer) made yet another variant of the Sopwith Baby.

I can't find it in my library, so I must have stored it away in the loft - I keep thinking it must be in a Windsock magazine. Can anyone confirm or deny an Italian variant before I go looking for it?

Mike

* Hi Mike,

* * *They were built by SA Aeronautica Gio Ansaldo of Turin.

* *As the vast majority of the Ansaldo Babies were delivered in 1918, they were mostly used for training.

The 1/48 scale Eduard Sopwith Baby model kit includes the parts to build the Ansaldo Baby.

* * * * * *Marlon Schultz

Volker_Nemsch · 24 February 2003, 02:23 AM

Hello MikeW and Marlon!

Thanks a lot for the loads of additional informations concerning the Hamble Baby.

But there is still one question left:

I always thought that the synchronised gun was always a Vickers gun while the unsynchronised ones (and those for the observers) were Lewis guns. Additionally other guns were used by the observers. Right or wrong, that is the question!