Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Commercial amphibious flying boat

Power Plant:

One 597 kw (800 hp) Pratt & Whitney S3E-G fourteen-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

History:

The Fairchild 91 was a single-engined amphibian accommodating a crew of two and eight passengers in two cabins built from 1936 by the Fairchild Engine & Airplane Corporation of Hagerstown, Maryland. Of all-metal stressed skin construction it could be fitted with the Pratt & Whitney S3E-G or Wright Cyclone engine. Known as the ‘Baby Clipper’ only seven were built.

The prototype NC14743 (c/n 9401) was used for demonstration purposes and was later sold to the Spanish Republicans for operations in the Spanish Civil War. The ship on which it was being delivered, ‘Mar Contabrico’, was captured by the Nationalists and the Fairchild 91 later served with them in the maritime role along the Basque coastline carrying the name ‘Virgen de Chamorro’. It was withdrawn from service in 1938.

Pan American Airways ordered six for operations in China. In the event two NC14744 (c/n 9402) and NC19592 (c/n 9403) were operated by Panair do Brazil as PP-PAP and PP-PAT, the order for the other four being cancelled. PP-PAP was impressed by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in North Africa as HK832, and was used by the British American Ambulance Corps, named ‘Wings of Mercy’. It struck a floating object and sank off Benghazi on 17 May 1943. PP-PAT is thought to have remained in Brazil and was withdrawn from service in 1945.

Two NC16359 (c/n 9404) and NC19130 (c/n 9406) were sold in Japan, the first in May 1936 and the second in September 1937, becoming known as the Type F Amphibious Transport. They were used as VIP transports. One crashed at Nanking due to engine trouble in 1939. The other may have been damaged in a major accident as extensive spares, including a new wing, were shipped to Japan for it in December 1937. One Fairchild 91 NC16990 (c/n 9405) was built for Gar Wood of Detroit, Michigan, he being an industrialist who had an interest in using an aircraft as an executive transport.

One example came to Australia. This machine was purchased by Dr Richard Archbold, an American mammologist, who made a couple of expeditions to Papua New Guinea, on one occasion using a Consolidated Catalina. On this occasion he was interested in observing and collecting flora and fauna in regions of Papua, about which little was known, on behalf of the American Museum of Natural History. This Fairchild 91 NR777 (c/n 9407) named ‘Kono’ was to be used as an exploration vehicle.

The aircraft was fitted out with bunks, food and equipment lockers, a chute for the launching of supply parachutes, and a Fairchild K-3B aerial mapping camera operated either manually or by remote control from the cockpit. It was shipped to Brisbane, QLD where it was assembled and flown to New Guinea, being based in Daru. However, on 2 July 1936, shortly after its arrival, it developed a leak in one of the floats during a thunderstorm at night whilst at anchor in Fairfax Harbour, Port Moresby, turning over and sinking. Derricks and winches from the Orient liner ‘Orama’ then in port salvaged the aircraft on 9 July 1936 and it was taken to a safe mooring for salvage but due to the extensive damage occasioned to the aircraft it was later taken to sea and sunk.

The owner only had Australian Government approval to import the aircraft on the understanding that after it completed its work in the region of the Fly River it would be returned to the United States. As the machine was badly damaged, and to avoid paying Customs Duty, all parts and equipment worth salvaging were removed and the aircraft was towed to deep water and sunk. In 2004 a vessel, whilst raising its anchor in Port Moresby harbour, found it was caught on the wreckage of the aircraft. No efforts have been made to salvage the wreck.