Fairchild Aircraft
Ranger Engines Division |
Fairchild was an American aircraft and
History
Early aircraft
The company was founded by
A series of related designs beginning with the
A Fairchild FC-2 was used by Richard E. Byrd during his Antarctic Expedition.[5]
World War II
During World War II, Fairchild produced PT-19/PT-23/PT-26 (Cornell) and AT-21 Gunner trainers, C-82 Packet transports and drones. The Fairchild AT-21 Gunner, a twin-engine trainer, was manufactured at a former rayon mill in Burlington, North Carolina. Also large numbers of the Fairchild 24 (C-61/Argus) were produced for the military (principally as the Argus for the Royal Air Force), and continued production after the war for the civilian market. Fairchild ranked 73rd among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts.[6]
Postwar
The C-82 Packet led to the C-119 Flying Boxcar, another U.S. military transport aircraft. The C-119 could carry cargo, personnel, stretcher patients and mechanized equipment with the ability to make "paradrops" of cargo and troops. The first C-119 made its initial flight in November 1947, and by the time production ceased in 1955, more than 1,100 C-119s had been built for use in the USAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force and others. Many were converted into waterbombers after being retired from military service.
In 1949, the
In 1964, the company purchased Hiller Aircraft, changing its name to Fairchild Hiller and producing the FH-1100, until 1973 when the helicopter division was sold back to Stanley Hiller. In 1965, the company acquired the Republic Aviation Company.
Following the death of its founder, Fairchild changed its name to Fairchild Industries in 1971. This was a merger of Fairchild-Hiller Corporation, division and subsidiaries: Fairchild Aircraft Marketing Company, Fairchild Aircraft Services Division, Fairchild Republic Division, Fairchild Space and Electronics Division, Fairchild Stratos Division, Burns Aero Seat Company, Inc., Fairchild Arms International, Ltd., Fairchild Aviation (Asia) Ltd., Fairchild Aviation (Holland) N.V., Fairchild-Germantown Development Company, Inc. and S.J. Industries, Inc. Before 1971, Fairchild Industries was a term used to include many of the companies of its founder
After the name change, the company purchased Swearingen and manufactured the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner, a successful commuter aircraft that gained orders from the U.S. military as the C-26 Metroliner. In 1971, the company began developing the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II in Germantown, Maryland,[8] which prevailed over the rival Northrop YA-9 in the A-X competition for an eventual production run of 716 aircraft.
The company developed the T-46 jet trainer to replace the elderly Cessna T-37 Tweet trainer, but it was not accepted by the Air Force because of performance problems.
Their association with Boeing continued into the 1980s as they built wing control surfaces for 747s and 757s.
Aircraft production was ended in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1984.
After the company took over
In December 1999, Fairchild Aerospace Corporation was acquired by German insurer Allianz A.G. and the United States investment group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Inc. for $1.2 billion.[9]
In 2003, the assets of Fairchild were purchased by M7 Aerospace and the new company was moved to San Antonio.
On December 15, 2010, M7 was purchased by the United States subsidiary of the Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems.[10] M7 Aerospace does not manufacture aircraft, but focuses on aerospace parts and support services.
Products
Aircraft
Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Fairchild FC-1 |
1926 | 1 | Four passenger cabin monoplane |
Fairchild FC-2 | 1926 | 118 | Four passenger cabin monoplane |
Fairchild 71 | 1926 | 111 | Eight passenger cabin monoplane |
Fairchild 42 | 1927 | 8 | Three passenger cabin monoplane |
Fairchild 21 | 1927 | 2 | Two-seat touring low-wing monoplane |
Fairchild KR-34 | 1928 | >73 | Two-seat biplane |
Fairchild 100 |
1930 | 27 | Nine passenger airliner |
Fairchild 22 | 1931 | 127 | Two-seat parasol monoplane |
Fairchild 24 | 1932 | 2,232 | Four passenger cabin monoplane |
Fairchild 91 |
1935 | 4 | Flying-boat airliner |
Fairchild Model 45 |
1935 | 17 | Cabin monoplane |
Fairchild F-46 | 1937 | 1 | Cabin monoplane |
Fairchild PT-19 | 1939 | 6,397 | Trainer |
Fairchild AT-21 Gunner | 1943 | 175 | Trainer |
Fairchild BQ-3 | 1944 | 2 | Assault Drone |
Fairchild C-82 Packet | 1944 | 223 | Military transport |
Fairchild M-84 | 1945 | 1 | Four-Five place family aircraft |
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar | 1947 | 1,183 | Military transport |
Fairchild XNQ | 1949 | 2 | Trainer |
Fairchild C-123 Provider | 1949 | 307 | Military transport |
Fairchild XC-120 Packplane | 1950 | 1 | Military transport |
Fairchild Hiller F-27, FH-227 | 1958 | 206 | Turboprop commuter airliner |
Fairchild VZ-5 | 1959 | 1 | Experimental VTOL |
Fairchild 228 | 1968 | 2 | Regional jet airliner |
Fairchild-Swearingen Merlin |
1965 | Turboprop corporate | |
Fairchild FH-227 |
1956 | 79 | Turboprop airliner |
Fairchild-Hiller FH-1100 |
1966 | 253 | Turbine helicopter |
Fairchild AC-119 | 1968 | 52 | Ground-attack conversion of C-119 |
C-26 |
1968 | 600 | Turboprop airliner |
Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker | 1971 | 35 | Counter-insurgency aircraft |
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II | 1972 | 716 | Close air support |
Fairchild T-46 | 1985 | 3 | Trainer |
Fairchild-Dornier 328JET |
1991 | 110 | commuter jet |
Fairchild-Dornier 428JET |
2001 (plan.) | 0 | Cancelled regional jet |
Fairchild-Dornier 728JET |
2002 (plan.) | 0 | Prototype commuter jet |
Missiles
- AUM-N-2 Petrel
- SAM-N-2 Lark
- XSM-73 Goose
- SD-5 Osprey
Spacecraft
See also
- Fairchild Industries
- Fairchild Corporation
- Fairchild Semiconductor
- Fairchild Camera and Instrument
- Ranger/Fairchild Engines
- List of aircraft engines
References
- ^ Donald M. Pattillo. A History in the Making: 80 Turbulent Years in the American General Aviation Industry. p. 11.
- ^ Kaske, Kristine L. "Fairchild Industries, Inc. Collection." Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine National Air and Space Archives, 2003.
- ^ Donald 1997, p. 382.
- ^ "Wide Area Is Mapped From Air By Giant Ten Lens Camera." Popular Mechanics, October 1935. (Editors have stated Fairchild Aircraft in hand written comment to left of archived article.)
- ^ Puckett, H.L. (1980). Sherman Fairchild's PT-19: Cradle of Heroes. Flambeau Lith Corporation. p. 10.
- ^ Peck, Merton J. & Scherer, Frederic M. The Weapons Acquisition Process: An Economic Analysis (1962) Harvard Business School p.619
- ^ "Flying Jeep." Popular Mechanics, September 1952, p. 44.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ "Fairchild Aerospace is sold for $1.2 billion." The New York Times, 29 December 1999. Retrieved: 28 July 2011.
- ^ "Elbit Systems U.S. Subsidiary Completes Acquisition of M7 Aerospace for $85 Million". Elbit Systems. December 15, 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2016.[permanent dead link]
Sources
- Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5.
External links
- Referenceforbusiness.com: History of Fairchild Aircraft, Inc. and associated companies
- Fairchild Industries Collection, National Air and Space Archives Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine PDF — includes corporate history and chronology.
- Fairchild Controls Corporation company website
- M7 Aerospace company website
- Airfields-freeman.com: — WWII Fairchild trainer production at Greensboro N.C.
- Planesandchoppers.com: Photos of Fairchild aircraft
- Hagerstown Aviation Museum website — in Hagerstown (Maryland), headquarters of Fairchild Aircraft from 1931-1984, and "Home of the Flying Boxcar."
- The Fairchild Corporation
- Fairchild Corporation History
- Fairchild Semiconductor History
- Fairchild Fasteners sold for 657 Million