Fairey III The Fairey Aviation Company Fairey III was a family of British reconnaissance biplanes that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and seaplane variants . First flying on 14 September 1917 , examples were still in use during the Second World War . Development and design . The prototype of the Fairey III was the N . 10 floatplane , which was designed and built in 1917 by Fairey Aviation ( along with the smaller N . 9 ) to meet Admiralty Specification N . 2 ( a ) for a carrier - based seaplane for the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War . N . 10 , also known by its constructor ' s number F . 128 was a two - bay biplane with folding wing s and powered by a 260 hp ( 190 kW ) Sunbeam Maori engine . It first flew from the Port Victoria seaplane station on the Isle of Grain , Kent on 14 September 1917 . Following tests both as a floatplane and with a conventional wheeled undercarriage , production orders were placed for two versions both powered by the Maori , the IIIA and IIIB , with 50 and 60 aircraft planned , respectively . The Fairey IIIA was a reconnaissance aircraft intended to operate from aircraft carrier s , and as such was fitted with a wheeled or skid undercarriage , while the IIIB was intended as a floatplane bomber , with larger span ( increased from 46 ft 2 in / 14 . 19 m to 62 ft 9 in / 19 . 13 m ) upper wings and a bombload of three 230 lb ( 105 kg ) bombs . While all 50 IIIAs were built , only 28 of the IIIBs were completed as intended , as a new improved bomber / reconnaissance floatplane , the Fairey IIIC was available , of which 36 were produced , which reverted to short equal - span wings like the IIIA but was powered by the much more powerful and reliable 375 hp ( 280 kW ) Rolls - Royce Eagle VIII engine and could still carry a useful bombload . Many of the IIIBs were completed as IIICs . The first major production model was the IIID , which was an improved IIIC , with provision for a third crewmember and capable of being fitted with either a floatplane or a conventional wheeled undercarriage . It first flew in August 1920 , powered by a Rolls - Royce Eagle , and initial production for the Fleet Air Arm , together with aircraft produced for Australia and Portugal retained the Eagle , while later aircraft were powered by the more powerful Napier Lion . The naval variants were usually three - seaters ; pilot , observer and gunner and the wings would could be folded back parallel to the fuselage for storage aboard ship . In floatplane configuration , carrier - borne Fairey IIIs would be launched from the deck using a trolley and would land on the water upon their return . The Fairey III floatplane could also be catapult - launched from a ship . The IIID had a wooden , fabric - covered fuselage and usually a wooden , two - blade , fixed - pitch propeller . One IIID was built with metal wings and floats . A total of 207 IIIDs were produced for the Fleet Air Arm and RAF ( Royal Air Force ) , with a further 20 being built for export . A Fairey III floatplane ( " G - EALQ " ) with a 450 hp Napier Lion was entered into the Air Ministry Commercial Amphibian Competition of September 1920 . The most prolific and enduring of the Fairey IIIs was the final model , the IIIF , which was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification 19 / 24 for a three - seat spotter / reconnaissance aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm and a two - seat general purpose aircraft for the Royal Air Force . The IIIF , which first flew on 20 April 1926 , had a more streamlined engine installation and initially a fuselage of mixed metal and wooden construction , with similar wings to the IIID , although later production aircraft were fitted with an all - metal fuselages and wings . Over 350 IIIFs were operated by the Fleet Air Arm , making it the most widely used type of aircraft in Fleet Air Arm service between the wars . In fact , of the British military aircraft in the inter - war years , only the Hawker Hart family was produced in greater numbers . Three IIIFs were modified as a radio - controlled gunnery trainer , known as the Fairey Queen . The Fairey IIIF was also the basis for development of the Gordon and Seal . Operational history . Early versions . The IIIA and IIIB saw limited service towards the end of the war , with some IIIBs being used for mine - spotting duty from the seaplane station at Westgate - on - Sea . The IIIC entered service in November 1918 , but did not carry out any combat patrols owing to the Armistice ending hostilities with Germany . Seven IIICs were deployed to Arkhangelsk in 1919 by the seaplane tender in support of the North Russian Expeditionary Force . They were used to carry out bombing attacks against Bolshevik shipping and rail communications . IIID . The IIID was operated by the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm as well as the air force s of Portugal ( 11 aircraft ) and Australia . Australia received six IIIDs , the first being delivered in August 1921 . In 1924 , the third of the Australian IIIDs , designated " ANA . 3 " ( or " Australian Naval Aircraft No . 3 " ) , flown by Stanley Goble ( later Air Vice Marshal ) and Ivor McIntyre was awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club for circumnavigating Australia in 44 days . The IIID remained in Australian service until 1928 . Portugal ordered its first IIIDs in 1921 . Its first aircraft , modified as the F . 400 and named " Lusitânia " , was used for an attempt to fly across the South Atlantic and demonstrate the new aerial navigation system devised by Gago Coutinho , the navigator . The voyage started on 30 March 1922 ( Flyers Day in Portugal ) , stopping at Las Palmas , São Vicente , Cape Verde and achieving the main navigation goal of Saint Peter and Paul Rocks , where it was lost during refuel . The journey was finished using another two standard aircraft ( the second of which was immediately lost in the sea ) , completing the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic , 72 days after their departure from Lisbon . The last aircraft , " Santa Cruz " , is currently displayed at the Museu de Marinha , in Portugal . The IIID entered Fleet Air Arm Service in 1924 , operating from shore bases , aircraft carriers and floats until replaced by the IIIF in 1930 . The RAF Cape Flight used four IIIDs to carry out a long distance formation flight from Cairo to Cape Town and back in 1926 , the first long range formation flight by the RAF and the first RAF flight to South Africa . Fleet Air Arm IIIDs were used to defend British interests in Shanghai against rebel Chinese forces in 1927 . IIIF . The IIIF entered service with the RAF in Egypt and with Fleet Air Arm Catapult flights in 1927 , and with the Royal New Zealand Air Force shortly after . The RAF used the IIIF to equip general - purpose squadrons in Egypt , Sudan , Aden and Jordan , where its ability to operate from both wheels and floats proved useful , while the contemporary Westland Wapiti carried out similar roles in Iraq and India . As such IIIFs were used for colonial policing as well as taking part in further long distance flights . The RAF also used the IIIF to finally replace the Airco DH . 9A in the home based Day - Bomber role , and , in the absence of sufficient long range flying boat s for maritime patrol duties by 202 Squadron from Hal Far Malta . In the Fleet Air Arm , the IIIF replaced the IIID as a spotter - reconnaissance aircraft , operating on floats from the Royal Navy ' s cruiser s and battleship s , and with wheels , from the aircraft carriers , , , and . The IIIF remained in front line service well into the 1930s , with the last front line RAF squadron , 202 Squadron , re - equipping with Supermarine Scapa s in August 1935 , and the final front line Fleet Air Arm squadron , 822 Squadron retained the IIIF until 1936 . The IIIF remained in use in second line roles , and despite being declared obsolete in 1940 , some were still in use as target tugs as late as 1941 . Civil use . The first prototype III was purchased back by Fairey in 1919 , fitted with new , single bay wings and a Napier Lion engine and entered into the 1919 Schneider Trophy race , on 10 September . The race was abandoned due to fog , however . Four IIICs were civilianized , some with an extra cockpit between the two standard ones and sometimes with an enlarged rear cockpit . One carried five passengers , one in the extra cockpit and four in the rear . One three seat civilianized IIIC ( " G - EBDI " ) was part of a " Daily News " sponsored multi - aircraft round the world flight in 1922 , with Norman Macmillan , W . T . Blake and cine - photographer G . H . Malins . The aircraft , with Macmillan and Malins aboard was finally lost between Lakhidia Char and Chittagong , but the crew were rescued . A small number of civil operated IIIDs and IIIFs were used for survey duties in the 1920s and 30s , while in October 1934 a single IIIF was entered into the MacRobertson Air Race , reaching the finishing line in Melbourne but too late to be classed as completing the race . Survivors . A single example of the Fairey III is preserved in Portugal ' s " Museu de Marinha " ( Naval Museum ) . This is the airplane that finished the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic . The British Fleet Air Arm Museum has a fuselage .