United States' Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder, Argus transport¹

Design

The Fairchild UC-61 was based on the Model 24 Forwarder that was appeared in 1932.¹

Prototype

 

Production

Production of the UC-61 started in 1941.¹

• UC-61: 163¹
  • Argus Mk I: 161¹
• UC-61A: 512¹
  • Argus Mk II: 364¹
• UC-61B / Argus Mk III: 306¹
• GK-1: 13¹
• Total: 994¹

Variants

• GK-1: Similar to UC-61A.¹ Bought by United States Navy in 1940.¹
• UC-61 / Argus Mk I:
• UC-61A / Argus Mk II: Installed better radio equipment.¹
• UC-61B: Conversions of fourteen Fairchild 24s.¹
• UC-61K / Argus Mk III: Installed Ranger engine.¹

Usage

Australia, Britain, Canada, Finland, and the United States used the UC-61.¹

Start of World War II

With the start of World War II many of the civilian Fairchilds were pressed into military service in Australia, Canada, and Finland.¹

Britain

Britain received 831 UC-61s via Lend Lease which was a majority of the UC-61s produced.¹

Many Flights and Communications Units received the Argus.¹ The No 173 in Heliopolis in Egypt was the only regular Royal Air Force squadron to be equipped with them.¹

	Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder, Argus1	Fairchild UC-61A Forwarder, Argus1	Fairchild UC-61K Forwarder, Argus1
Type	Transport1 Communications1
Crew	11
Passengers	31
Engine (Type)		Warner R-500 Scarab1	Ranger L-440-71
Cylinders		Radial 71	Inverted 6 inline1
Cooling
HP		1651	2001
Propeller blades		31	31
Capacity
Dimensions
Span			36' 4"1 11.07 m1
Length			23' 10"1 7.26 m1
Height			7' 8"1 2.34 m1
Wing area
Weight
Empty			1,813 lb1 822 kg1
Loaded			2,882 lb1 1,307 kg1
Maximum load
Performance
Speed	130 mph1 209 kph1
Cruising speed	112 mph1 180 kph1
Climb	700'/minute1 213 m/minute1
Service ceiling	12,700'1 3,870 m1
Range	465 miles1 748 km1
Maximum range	720 miles1 1,159 km1
Armament

Sources:

1. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998

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