View source for Fairchild FC-2

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{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
 |name= FC-1, FC-2, and Models 51 and 61
 |image= File:FC-2L.jpg
 |caption= RCAF FC-2L "Razorback"
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
 |type=Civil utility aircraft
 |manufacturer=[[Fairchild Aircraft|Fairchild]]
 |builder= [[Canadian Vickers]] (under license)
 |designer=
 |first flight=14 June 1926
 |introduced=
 |retired=
 |status=
 |primary user=
 |more users=
 |produced=
 |number built=c. 180
 |variants with their own articles=
}}
|}

The '''Fairchild FC-1''' and its derivatives are a family of light, single-engine, high-wing utility monoplanes produced in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. The aircraft was originally designed to provide a camera platform for [[Sherman Fairchild]]'s aerial photography and survey business, [[Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada)|Fairchild Aerial Surveys]].

==Design and development==
Fairchild had approached a number of aircraft builders with specifications for what he considered to be an ideal aircraft for this type of work, with which he hoped to replace the variety of types that his firm then operated. Believing the quotes he received to be excessive, Fairchild opted to produce the aircraft in-house, purchasing facilities at [[Farmingdale, New York]] for the purpose. The design was for a conventional high-wing, strut-braced [[monoplane]] with a fully enclosed cabin and tailwheel undercarriage. The wooden wings were able to be folded back against the tail for storage.<ref>Straub, Robert. "Oshkosh Air Venture 2001." ''Skyways: The Journal of the Airplane 1920-1940 (Publisher: Leonard E. Opdycke),'' October 2001, p. 25. ISSN 1051-6956.</ref> To facilitate its intended role, the cabin was extensively glazed, offering plenty of vantage points for photographers.

The FC-1 was designed by Norman McQueen and Alex Klemin, featuring oleo and spring landing gear with foot activated brakes. Besides photography, the aircraft specifications include usage for carrying passengers, mail and advertising.<ref name="hlp">{{cite book |last1=Puckett |first1=H.L. |title=Sherman Fairchild's PT-19: Cradle of Heroes |date=1980 |publisher=Flambeau Lith Corporation |page=10}}</ref>

The prototype '''FC-1''' flew in June 1926, and initial testing found its original [[Curtiss OX-5]] engine to be inadequate. A [[Wright J-4]] with double the horsepower was soon substituted and the aircraft was redesignated '''FC-1A'''. This was felt to have commercial potential, and in a slightly revised form, was put into production as the '''FC-2'''.

==Operational history==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-06192, Berlin, Ankunft der Weltumflieger (cropped).jpg|thumb|The FC-2W of Collyer and Mears at Berlin in 1928]]
[[File:EL-2001-00366.jpg|thumb|right|Cockpit view from an FC-2W2]]
The production aircraft differed from the prototype by having increased cabin volume, and was offered with a choice of powerplants. Other options included a choice of wheeled, ski, or float undercarriage.<ref name="Taylor">Taylor 1989, p. 353.</ref> Early production aircraft fitted with only three longerons in the rear fuselage gave this batch of aircraft a "Razorback" appearance leading to its nickname.  Later production series eliminated this distinctive feature. Designed with aerial photography in mind, the FC-2L featured an enclosed and heated cabin with extra windows to allow for an improved downward view. The [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] initially procured the type for this role, before utilizing the aircraft primarily as a light transport.<ref name="Razorback">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405220150/http://www.canadianwings.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?FC-2L-RAZORBACK-251 "Fairchild FC-2L Razorback."]}}  ''canadianwings.com.'' Retrieved: 5 November 2011.</ref>

A version optimized for cargo carrying was produced as the '''FC-2W''' with a [[Pratt & Whitney Wasp]] [[radial engine]] and increased wingspan.<ref name="Taylor"/> Two of this latter version were destined for fame: ''City of New York'', flown by [[Charles Collyer]] and [[John Mears]] for the overland portions of their record-breaking around-the-world trip in June–July 1928, and ''Stars and Stripes'' (Serial No. 140), an '''FC-2W2''' taken by [[Richard Evelyn Byrd]] on his [[Antarctic]] expedition of the same year. Byrd's aircraft was preserved at the [[Virginia Aviation Museum]], on loan from the [[National Air and Space Museum]]. When the [[Virginia Aviation Museum]] was closed in 2016, ''Stars and Stripes'' was moved to the [[National Air and Space Museum]]'s [[Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center]] in [[Chantilly, Virginia]], where it is now on display.<ref>[http://www.vam.smv.org/exhibits.html "Historic Aircraft."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203053200/http://www.vam.smv.org/exhibits.html |date=2011-12-03 }} ''Virginia Aviation Museum.'' Retrieved: 5 November 2011.</ref><ref>[http://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/ "Fairchild FC-2W2 Stars and Stripes{{!}}url=http://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/fairchild-fc-2w2-stars-and-stripes/nasm_A19720533000] Retrieved: 6 February 2021.</ref>

FC-2Ws flown by Canadian bush pilots Duke Schiller and Romeo Vachon, the Canadian Transcontinental Airways Company's Chief Pilot, were also prominently used in the 1928 rescue of the crew of the aircraft ''[[Bremen (aircraft)|Bremen]]'' in Canada.<ref>Hotson 1998, pp. 104, 111.</ref>

[[File:FAM4 First Flight 1927.jpg|thumb|Cover carried in the Fairchild FC-2 "La Niña" on the first southbound flight of FAM-4]]
On 19 October 1927, an FC-2 configured as a floatplane made the first contract Air Mail flight operated by [[Pan American Airways]]. When unable to begin its service over Foreign Air Mail Route #4 (FAM-4) between [[Key West]], Florida, and [[Havana]], [[Cuba]], on that date (as required under its contract) because heavy rains had delayed completion of the new runway at Key West needed to accommodate the company's [[Fokker F.VII#Variants|Fokker F.VIIa/3m]] type tri-motor transports, PAA chartered (cost: $145.45) the FC-2 ''La Niña'' (NC-1654, c/n 15) piloted by Cy Caldwell and belonging to West Indian Aerial Express, a company which would be acquired by Pan Am a year later. {{#tag:ref|Pan American was finally able to inaugurate daily service over the route nine days later with the Fokker F.VIIa/3m ''General Machado'' (NC-53).|group=N}}<ref>Coates, Ed. [http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac3/Airline/West%20Indian%20Aerial%20Fairchild%20FC-2.html "Fairchild FC-2."] ''edcoatescollection.com.'' Retrieved: 5 November 2011.</ref>

Due to a Royal Canadian Air Force requirement to standardize engines, the basic FC-2 design was re-engineered with a 215&nbsp;hp [[Armstrong Siddeley Lynx]] radial engine and redesignated as the FC-2L. In this form, the type flew with RCAF units, primarily in northern operations. A further version for the RCAF, known as the FC-2V, was also developed.<ref name="Razorback"/>

The basic FC-2 design was further evolved into the model 51 and 71.<ref name="Razorback"/> The '''Model 51''' was a modernized version of the FC-2 produced in 1930 to compete with new transports in the marketplace, the most significant single change being the fitting of a more powerful [[Wright Whirlwind|Wright J-6]] engine again. A few examples were converted from FC-2s. The RCAF Model 51 aircraft had light bomb racks under the fuselage and were used for practice bombing at Camp Borden.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405220154/http://www.canadianwings.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?51-116 "Fairchild 51."]}} ''canadianwings.com.'' Retrieved: 5 November 2011.</ref> The '''Model 61''' also had the J-6 engine, but included a redesigned cabin to add another two passenger seats. Only three of these were built, modified from FC-2W2s, but the cabin modification was retained in the [[Fairchild 71|Model 71]]. The RCAF used the Model 71 as both a rugged, reliable and highly useful light transport and due to its camera bay for vertical photography and low rear-door windows to permit oblique photography, useful in the aerial survey role.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Skaarup |first1=Harold A. |title=Canadian Warplanes 2: Fairchild FC-2, Fairchild FC-2L, Fairchild FC-2W, Fairchild KR-34C |url=https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/canadian-warplanes-2-fairchild-trainers-transports-and-utility-aircraft |website=Military History Books by Harold a Skaarup |publisher=silverhawkauthor.com |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref>

==Variants==
[[File:American Airways Fairchild FC-2.jpg|thumb|Fairchild FC-2 with [[Wright J-5]] engine, in [[American Airways]] markings.]]
[[File:Fairchild FC-2W2 NASA GPN-2000-001395.jpg|thumb|Fairchild FC-2W2 N13934, NACA's first aircraft]]
* '''FC-1''' - prototype with [[Curtiss OX-5]] engine (one built)
** '''FC-1A''' - prototype modified with [[Wright J-4]] engine (one converted)
* '''FC-2''' - production version with [[Wright J-5]] engine (118 built, plus 12 built by [[Canadian Vickers]] under license)
** '''FC-2C''' (for "Challenger") - version with [[Curtiss Challenger]] engine for [[Curtiss Flying Service]] (six built)
** '''FC-2L''' (for "Lynx") - version with [[Armstrong Siddeley Lynx]] engine for Royal Canadian Air Force (three converted)<ref name="Razorback"/>
** '''FC-2W''' (for "Wasp") - version with Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine (14 built)
*** '''FC-2W2''' - definitive production version of FC-2W
**** '''UC-96''' - designation given to three FC-2Ws impressed into USAAF service
**** '''Model 61''' - FC-2W2s with enlarged cabin (three converted)
** '''Model 51''' - FC-2s refitted with Wright J-6 engine (31 built)
** '''XJQ-1''' (later '''RQ-2''') - single FC-2 purchased by [[United States Navy]] for evaluation. Redesignated '''XJQ-2''', later redesignated again as the '''XRQ-2'''.

==Operators==
;{{flag|Canada|1921}}
*[[Royal Canadian Air Force]]
*[[Canadian Colonial Airways ]]
;{{CHI}}
*Línea Aeropostal Santiago-Arica(LAN Chile)
;{{USA}}
*[[American Airlines]]
*[[Capital Airlines (United States)|Clifford Ball Inc.]]<ref>[http://www.tubecityonline.com/almanac/entry_340.php The Tube City Almanar, Flying the Nostalgic Skies]</ref>
*[[Pan American Airways]]
*[[NACA]]

==Specifications (FC-2)==
[[File:Fairchild_FC_2_3-view_NACA_Aircraft_Circular_No.58.jpg|thumb|Fairchild FC-2 3-view drawing]]
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = imp
|crew=one pilot
|capacity=four passengers "or" 820 lb (372 kg) freight
|length m=9.45
|length ft=31
|length in=0
|span m=13.41
|span ft=44
|span in=0
|height m=2.74
|height ft=9
|height in=0
|wing area sqm=26.9
|wing area sqft=290
|empty weight kg=980
|empty weight lb=2,160
|gross weight kg=1,633
|gross weight lb=3,600
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Wright J-5]]
|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->149
|eng1 hp=<!-- prop engines -->200
|max speed kmh=196
|max speed mph=122
|range km=1,127
|range miles=700
|ceiling m=3,500
|ceiling ft=11,500
|climb rate ms=2.9
|climb rate ftmin=565
}}
<!--==See also==-->
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|related=<!-- related developments -->
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==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist|group=N}}
;Citations
{{Reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
* Hotson, Fred W. ''The Bremen.'' Toronto, Ontario: Canav Books, 1998. {{ISBN|978-0-921022-02-2}}.
*[[Larry Milberry|Milberry, Larry]]. ''Aviation In Canada''. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. {{ISBN|0-07-082778-8}}.
* Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. ''Canadian Aircraft Since 1909''. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. {{ISBN|0-920002-11-0}}.
* Taylor, Michael J.H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation''. London: Studio Editions, 1989. {{ISBN|0-517-10316-8}}.
* ''World Aircraft Information Files''. London: Bright Star Publishing, File 894, Sheet 03.

{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Fairchild FC-2}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGs794az6sE Film of an RCAF Fairchild FC-2 floatplane in Vancouver 1928 and 1936 ]
* [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/misc/fc-2l/index.php?name=FC-2L%20Razorback Fairchild FC-2L Razorback]
* [http://www.aerofiles.com/_fair.html aerofiles.com on Fairchild]

{{Fairchild aircraft}}
{{USAF transports}}
{{USN transports}}
{{USN utility aircraft}}
{{Canadian Vickers aircraft}}
{{Aircraft manufactured in Canada}}

[[Category:Fairchild aircraft|FC-2]]
[[Category:1920s United States civil utility aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:High-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1926]]
[[Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear]]