Fairchild 24

F-24

1944 Fairchild Argus III
Role	STOL bush plane
Manufacturer	Fairchild
First flight	1932
Status	in service with private pilot owners
Produced	1932-1948^[1]
Number built	2,232^[1]

A Fairchild 24W-40 with a 165 hp Warner engine

The Fairchild Model 24 is a four-seat, single-engine monoplane light transport aircraft designed by the Fairchild Aviation Corporation in the 1930s. It was adopted by the United States Army Air Corps as UC-61 and also by the Royal Air Force. The Model 24 was itself a development of previous Fairchild models and became a successful civil and military utility aircraft.

Design and development

Fairchild Aircraft was hit hard by the Great Depression in the early 1930s as airline purchases disappeared. Consequently, the company attention turned to developing a reliable and rugged small aircraft for personal and business use. The Fairchild 22 became somewhat of a hit and led directly to the new and much improved Model 24 which gained rapid popularity in the early 1930s, noted for its pleasant handling characteristics and roomy interior. Having adapted many components from the automotive industry (expansion-shoe brakes and roll-down cabin windows), the aircraft was also affordable and easy to maintain. In production continuously from 1932 to 1948 the aircraft remained essentially unchanged aerodynamically and internally, with the simple addition of extra passenger seating and optional equipment. The first models were equipped with only two seats, but in 1933 a third seat was installed and by 1938 a fourth was added. The interior was first created for the Model 24 in 1937 by noted American industrial designer Raymond Loewy. A minor airframe revision was made in 1938 with the redesign of the vertical fin and redesignation from C8 to F24G onwards.

As an innovative concept, the aircraft was available with two powerplants, Warner's reliable Scarab and Fairchild's in-house 200 hp Ranger series in the F24 C8D, E and F. Initially the 1932 model Fairchild 24 C8B used a reliable and popular Warner 125 hp radial engine, and the Fairchild 24 C8C used the Warner 145 hp radial. American Cirrus and Menasco Pirate inline engines were also occasionally used in some earlier Fairchild 24s. Later models such as the popular 24Ws upgraded to the 165 hp Warner Super Scarab.

Designed for operations from relatively unimproved grass airfields, the sturdy undercarriage construction used a vertical oil dampened cylinder above the wheel with a pivoting strut attached to the lower fuselage. The result was a complex but undeniably solid undercarriage that could absorb large amounts of shock and was also adapted for the fitting of twin floats for water-based operations.

The sturdiness of construction of the aircraft has ensured many have survived to this day. Some suggest the massive spruce main spars can be loaded up to 10g, and while that figure is unproved, all prewar utility category aircraft were designed to withstand at least 4.1g as opposed to the 3.8g postwar design limit standard.

The Fairchild 24 built by Kreider-Reisner Aircraft, Hagerstown, Maryland, a division of Fairchild Aviation Corporation, remained in production from 1932 to 1948, essentially the same airframe but with various powerplant and configuration enhancements. In all, Fairchild constructed over 1500 Model 24s, with an additional 280 being constructed by the Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company (TEMCO) in Dallas when that company purchased the manufacturing rights after World War II.

Operational history

Australian Fairchild 24 Argus

In civil use, the aircraft was a quick sales success, with prominent businessmen and Hollywood actors purchasing the aircraft. In 1936, the US Navy ordered Model 24s designated as GK-1 research and instrument trainers. The type was also used by the US Army as a light transport and by the Coast Guard, with the designation J2K-1. The Civil Air Patrol operated many Fairchild UC-61/24s, and some aircraft were fitted with two 100-pound bombs for what became successful missions against German U-boats off the east coast of the United States in the early stages of the Second World War. The UC-61 was also procured by the US Navy as the GK-1 and by the British Royal Air Force as the Fairchild Argus.

Fairchild UC-61K supplied as an Argus III to the RAF in 1944 and sold to a civil owner in Belgium postwar

In 1941, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) placed an initial order for 163 Fairchild C-61s; however, via Lend-Lease, 161 of these were shipped abroad. Under the auspices of this program, the majority of the 525 Warner Scarab Fairchild 24s/C-61s went to Great Britain. Most of these aircraft saw service as Argus Is and improved Argus IIs and were allocated to a newly formed adjunct of the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). An additional 306 Ranger-powered Argus IIIs were also used by the ATA. In British service, the majority of the Argus type operated with the ATA ferrying their aircrew to collect or deliver aircraft to and from manufacturers, Maintenance Units (MU)s and operational bases.

The Argus I was a Warner Scarab-equipped aircraft identified by its wind-driven generator located on the starboard struts, and was equipped with a black-painted propeller. The Argus II was also a Scarab-powered aircraft, usually with a transparent cabin roof. This mark was certified for heavier operational weight than the Mark I and was identified by its yellow propeller. The Argus III was equipped with the six-cylinder inverted inline Ranger engine.

Postwar

The aircraft was used by small air charter operators for short-distance taxi work and many were acquired by private pilot owners. It served with military forces as diverse as Finland, Thailand, Israel, Canada, the United States and Australia.

The last "new" Fairchild 24 was assembled in 1948 from a large inventory of leftover parts in Winfield, KS.^[1]

Ten Fairchild F24R aircraft operated for Comair (South Africa) during the period after the Second World War.^[2]

Civilian models

Civilian models^[1]
Year produced	Model	Number built	Engine	Notes
1932	F-24 C8		95-hp American Cirrus	Gross wt 1,600 lb, Cruise 90 mph. Cost $3,360
1933	F-24 C8A	25 (includes C8)	125-hp Warner Scarab	Gross Wt. 1,800 lb, Cruise 95 mph, Cost $3,850
1933	F-24 C8B	2	125-hp Menasco	Cost $3,990
1934	F-24 C8C	125	145-hp Warner Super Scarab	Gross Wt. 2,400 lb. Cost $5,000
1935	F-24 C8D	10	145-hp Fairchild Ranger
1936	F-24 C8E	50	145-hp Warner Super Scarab	New cantilever tail. Cost $5,390
1936	F-24 C8F	40	145-hp Fairchild Ranger	Cost $5,390
1937	F-24 G	100	145-hp Warner Super Scarab	Cost $5,290
1937	F-24 H	25	150-hp Fairchild Ranger	Cost $5,590
1938	F-24 J	10	145-hp Warner Super Scarab	Gross Wt. 2,550 lb. Increased size. Cruise 115 mph
1939	F-24 K	60	145-hp Fairchild Ranger	Increased size. Cruise 125 mph. Cost $6,500
1939	F-24R9	35	165-hp Fairchild Ranger
1939	F-24W9	30	145-hp Warner Super Scarab
1940	F-24R40	25	175-hp Fairchild Ranger	Cost $7,230
1940	F-24W40	75	145-hp Warner Super Scarab	Cost $6,290
1941	F-24W41	30	165-hp Warner Super Scarab
1941	UC-61	640	165-hp Warner Super Scarab	Same as model W41
1942-43	UC-61A	364	165-hp Warner Super Scarab
1944	UC-61K	306	200-hp Fairchild Ranger	Gross Wt. 2,562 lb. Same as model R40
1946	F-24R46		175-hp Fairchild Ranger	Cruise 118 mph. Price $8,875
1946	F-24W46	280 (includes R46)	165-hp Warner Super Scarab	Cost $8,500

Military variants

A UC-61

UC-61 Argus: Military version of the Fairchild Model F24W-41 powered by a 165hp R-500-1, 161 built.
UC-61A Argus: Military version of the Fairchild Model F24W-41 with radio and 24-volt electrical system, 509 built and three impressed civilian aircraft.
UC-61B: One impressed Model 24J powered by a 145hp Warner Scarab radial.
UC-61C: One impressed Model 24R9.
UC-61D: Three impressed Model 51As.
UC-61E: Three impressed Model 24Ks.
UC-61F: Two impressed Model 24R9s.
UC-61G: Two impressed Model 24W-40s.
UC-61H: One impressed Model 24H powered by a 150hp Ranger 6-410-B.
UC-61J: One impressed Model 24-C8F two-seater, powered by a 150 hp Ranger 6-390-D3.
UC-61K Forwarder: Final production variant powered by a 200 hp L-440-7, 306 built.

A UC-86

UC-86: Nine impressed Model 24R-20s powered by 175 hp L-410.

A GK-1

GK-1: Thirteen Model 24W-40 impressed by the United States Navy.
J2K-1: United States Coast Guard version of the Model 24R, two built.
J2K-2: As J2K-1 with detailed changes, two built.
Argus I: Royal Air Force designation for the Model 24W-41 (UC-61), 118 under Lend-Lease
Argus II: Royal Air Force designation for the Model 24W-41A (UC-61 and UC-61A), 407 under Lend-Lease
Argus III: Royal Air Force designation for the Model 24R (UC-61K), 306 under Lend-Lease

Operators

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force

Brazil

NAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira

Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakian Security Aviation Unit

Israel

Italy

Italian Air Force operated 4 Fairchild UC-61K Argus received from Royal Air Force from 1947 until 1951^[3]

Finland

Finnish Air Force

Sweden

Swedish Air Force

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force

United States

Surviving aircraft

Converted military aircraft became popular postwar as personal transports and many survive to this day. Extremely solidly built, the aircraft survives in reasonably large numbers. Primarily, this popularity is probably due to affordability. Prices for low hour examples of the aircraft typically range between US $50,000 to US $90,000 (2006 values) and some of the most pristine examples can be seen annually at the Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Aircraft museums worldwide are restoring examples for display (such as G-AIZE at the Royal Air Force Museum at RAF Cosford).

Fairchild 24R-40 NC4841 - 1940 military variant is on display at Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum.

Accidents and incidents

Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Hockey player Bill Barilko and his dentist Henry Hudson disappeared on August 26, 1951, aboard Hudson's Fairchild 24 floatplane, flying from Seal River, Quebec. On June 6, 1962, helicopter pilot Ron Boyd discovered the wreckage about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Cochrane, Ontario, about 35 miles off course. The cause of the crash was deemed to have been a combination of pilot inexperience, poor weather and overloaded cargo.^[4]

Specifications (UC-61)

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: three passengers
Length: 23 ft 10 in (7.27 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 4 in (11.08 m)
Height: 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m)
Wing area: 193 sq ft (17.9 m²)
Empty weight: 1,813 lb (822 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2,882 lb (1,307 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Ranger L-440-5 6-cyl. inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine, 200 hp (150 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 108 kn (124 mph; 200 km/h)
Range: 404 nmi (465 mi; 748 km)
Service ceiling: 12,700 ft (3,900 m)

Notes

1 2 3 4 Sport Flying Magazine. Challenge Publications, Canoga Park, CA. February 1968. The Fairchild's Tractable 24, Roscoe Deering.
↑ http://www.saamuseum.co.za/index.php/digital-books.html
↑ aeroflight
↑ Hornby, Lance. "The legend of Bill Barilko". The Toronto Sun, April 20, 2011.

External links

Media related to Fairchild 24 at Wikimedia Commons

Aircraft produced by Fairchild Aircraft, subsidiaries, and successor companies

Manufacturer
designations

21
22
24
41
42
45
46
51
61
62
71
72
77
78/78
79
80
81
82
84
91
100
105
107
110
135
140
150
164
203
205
224
473
484
538

By role

Experimental	VZ-5 XC-120 XBQ-3 XH-26
Passenger transports	FC-1 FC-2 21 22 24 41 42 45 46 51 71 72 81 82 91 92 100 135 140 150 228 PC-6
Military trainers	AT-21 PT-19 PT-23 PT-26 XNQ
Military transports	AU-23 C-26 C-82 C-119 C-123

Fairchild (Canada)

Fairchild-Dornier

Fairchild Hiller

Fairchild Republic

A-10
T-46

Fairchild Swearingen

American Helicopter

XA-5
XA-6
XA-8

See also: Ranger/Fairchild aeroengines

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41/A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47/T C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70/A/B/C/D C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77/B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97/KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-118 C-119 C-120 C-121/F C-122 C-123/A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130/J C-131 C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135/KC-135 C-136 C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7/B C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20A-D/F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27/J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36 C-37A/B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880
¹ Not assigned See also: AC-47 • AC-119 • AC-130 • DC-130 • EC-130 • HC-130 • KC-130 • LC-130 • MC-130 • WC-130 • CT-39 • CT-43

USN/USMC utility aircraft designations 1935–1955

Utility

Fokker	JA
Noorduyn	JA
Beechcraft	JB
Curtiss-Wright	JC
Douglas	JD
Bellanca	JE
Grumman	JF J2F J3F J4F
Stearman-Hammond	JH
Fairchild	JK J2K
Columbia	JL
Martin	JM
Lockheed	JO
Fairchild	JQ J2Q
Ford	JR
Waco	JW J2W

Utility transport

Beechcraft	JRB
Cessna	JRC
Grumman	JRF JR2F
Nash-Kelvinator	JRK
Martin	JRM JR2M
Sikorsky	JRS JR2S

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USN/USMC transport (single-engined) designations 1939-1941
Beechcraft	GB
Howard	GH
Fairchild	GK
Stinson	GQ