Designed by Marcel Lobelle, the prototype Fairey Day Bomber, as it was then known, originated as the company's submission to Specification P.27/32 for a two-seat single-engine monoplane bomber capable of carrying 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of bombs for 1,000 miles (1609 km) at 200 mph (322 km/h) which was ordered as a prototype on June 11, 1934. Provision for a radio operator/air gunner was made later, to man a Lewis or Vickers 'K' dorsal machine-gun.This performance was to be bettered by Fairey's aircraft, which was competing against design proposals from Armstrong Whitworth, Bristol and Hawker, but only the Armstrong Whitworth's A.W.29 joined Fairey's prototype in receiving orders. Fairey's contender won the competition, but a first production contract for 155 aircraft, to the revised Specification P.23/35, had been placed in 1935 even before the prototype had flown. The Battle had accommodation for a crew of three comprising pilot, bomb-aimer/observer, and radio operator/gunner. The first production aircraft was built, like the prototype, at Hayes and flew from the Great West Aerodrome (now part of Heathrow Airport), on 14 April 1937. It was used for performance trials during which it achieved 243 mph (391 km/h) at 16,200 ft (4940 m). A range of 1,050 miles (1690 m) was flown with maximum bomb load.

The second and subsequent production aircraft came from a production line established at a new purpose-built factory at Heaton Chapel, Stockport, and it was for the Battle that Rolls-Royce received its launching order for the famous 1,030 hp (768 kW) Merlin I engine, which powered the first 136 Fairey-built aircraft.

The aircraft's light alloy and stressed skin construction was a 'first' for Fairey, and the Battle proved to be extremely robust. In general it proved popular with the test pilots at the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath, and at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. It was said to be very easy to fly but the elevator was heavy on take-off; on the other hand the Royal Aircraft Establishment considered the elevator over-light at low speeds. Engine-off stall was described as 'innocuous', but the accommodation came in for some criticism: although the pilot's cockpit was considered to be roomy and comfortable with reasonable forward vision, it could sometimes become extremely hot. The rear gunner, behind the pilot, had his own problems: the screen intended to protect him from the slipstream was badly designed and it shape deflected a downdraught into his face, while the rear vision was described as 'poor'. 

By the end of 1937, Fairey had built 85 Battles, and the first squadron to receive the new bomber in May 1937 was No.63 at Upwood, Huntingdonshire, where it replaced the Hawker Audax. Other squadrons which re-equipped that year were Nos. 52, 88, 105 and 226.

As new orders for Battles were placed, production sub-contracts were awarded to Austin Motors at Longbridge, Birmingham. Meantime, the last 19 Battles of the initial Fairey order for 155 were provided with Merlin II engines, and these were fitted also to the Austin-built aircraft. The first Battle from the Longbridge factory flew in July 1938, and 29 had been completed there by the end of the year. By March the following year Austin was producing more than 30 Battles a month, but even then the programme was running late. After 60 Austin-built Battles had been completed, the Merlin II engine was introduced on the production line.

By the outbreak of World War II more than 1,000 Battles had been delivered, and aircraft of No. 226 Squadron were the first to be sent to France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force. It was here that the Battle's inability to defend itself against enemy fighters became obvious. On armed daylight reconnaissance missions the type occasionally tangled with Bf 109s, and although one of the latter was destroyed by a Battle's rear gunner in September 1940, the light bombers invariably suffered heavy casualties.

As the period of the so-called 'phoney war' came to an end, the Battle squadrons were thrown in on 10 May 1940 to try to stop the advancing German ground forces. Without fighter escort, and attacking from a height of only 250 ft (76 m) with delayed-action bombs the Battles came under heavy ground fire, losing 13 of the 32 aircraft sent on the mission, while all the others were damaged. The next day seven out of eight were lost, and on 12 May five Battles of No.12 Squadron, flown by volunteer crews, attacked two vital road bridges over the Albert Canal. In the face of extremely heavy ground fire the attack was pressed home and one bridge seriously damaged, but at a cost of all five aircraft. The first RAF Victoria Crosses of World War II were awarded posthumously to Flying Officer D.E. Garland and his observer, Sergeant T. Gray, who led the formation.

Further heavy losses came on 14 May, when 35 out of 63 Battles failed to return from attacks against bridges and troop concentrations. These losses marked the end of the Battle's career as a day bomber, and although a few remained in front-line service until late 1940 the survivors were mostly diverted to other duties. The most important of these was for training, and 100 were built as dual-control trainers with separate cockpits, while 266 target-towing variants were also supplied.

The last production aircraft, Austin-built, was a target tug, and it was delivered on 2 September 1940. It brought total Battle production to 2,185 including the prototype, 1,156 being built by Fairey and 1,029 by Austin Motors.

Canada used a large number of Battles for training and target towing in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the first being supplied to the Royal Canadian Air Force at Camp Borden in August 1939. They were the vanguard of 739 of these aircraft, this total including seven airframes for instructional purposes. Under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), Australia took delivery of 366 of the type between June 1940 and December 1943 consisting of four British-built Battles and 360 assembled in Australia, including 30 target tugs, while other export customers were Belgium (18), Turkey (28), South Africa (161) and Eire (Ireland), where an RAF aircraft which landed at Waterford in 1941 was interned and later taken over by the Air Corps.

A number of Battles were used as test-beds for such engines as the Napier Dagger and Sabre; Bristol Hercules and Taurus; Rolls-Royce Merlin X and the 1,280 hp (955 kw) Merlin XII with chin radiator; and the Fairey Prince. Other Battles were used for experiments with various types of propellers.

Variants

Battle B.Mk I - First production type with one Rolls-Royce Merlin I 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled piston engine with a single stage, single speed supercharger and rated at 890 hp (656 kW) for take-off at sea level using 87 octane fuel, and developing a maximum power rating of 1,030 hp (768 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 16,250 ft (4940 m) for short periods using 87 octane fuel driving a three bladed dual pitch airscrew. 136 aircraft built.

Battle B.Mk II - Identical to the Battle Mk I but fitted with one Rolls-Royce Merlin II 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled piston engine with a single stage, single speed supercharger and rated at 880 hp (664 kW) for take-off at sea level, and developing a maximum power rating of 1,440 hp (1074 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 5,500 ft (1680 m) for short periods using 87 octane fuel driving a three bladed dual pitch airscrew. The Merlin II replaced the unsatisfactory ramp type of cylinder head with a Kestrel style flat combustion chamber. 78 aircraft built.

Battle B.Mk III - Identical to the Battle Mk II but fitted with one Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled piston engine with a single stage, single speed supercharger and rated at 880 hp (664 kW) for take-off at sea level, and developing a maximum power rating of 1,440 hp (1074 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 5,500 ft (1680 m) for short periods using 87 octane fuel driving a three bladed dual pitch airscrew. The Merlin III was adapted for the use of a constant-speed propeller and a constant-speed unit.

Battle B.Mk IV - Identical to the Battle Mk III but fitted with one Rolls-Royce Merlin IV 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled piston engine with a single stage, single speed supercharger and rated at 1,030 hp (768 kW) for take-off and 1,440 hp (1074 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 5,500 ft (1680 m) for short periods using 87 octane fuel driving a three bladed dual pitch airscrew. This mark of Merlin engine differs by using a pressurised 70 percent water and 30 percent ethylene-glycol mixture for engine cooling.

Battle B.Mk V - Identical to the Battle Mk IV but fitted with one Rolls-Royce Merlin V 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled piston engine with a single stage, single speed supercharger and rated at 1,030 hp (768 kW) for take-off and 1,440 hp (1074 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 5,500 ft (1680 m) for short periods using 87 octane fuel driving a three bladed dual pitch airscrew.

Battle TT.Mk I - Last production variant for use as target tug, with hydraulic winch on port side of fuselage and drogue stowage box below rear fuselage. Production started in February 1940 with all being built by Austin Motors and using Rolls-Royce Merlin III engines. 200 built by Fairey and 66 by Austin.

Battle TT - Battles that were converted to target tugs. Number unknown.

Battle T - After the Fairey Battle was retired from frontline service, several training units used the type unmodified, but rear-seat visibility was inadequate leading to the development of a special dual-control trainer. This designation includes converted dual-control trainers as well. Numbers unknown.

Battle T.Mk I - Starting in 1939 a special dual-control trainer with similar tandem cockpits was produced. 200 built by Austin.

Battle IT - Fairey Battle's modified to carry a Bristol Type I single-gun dorsal turret in place of rear cockpit. Two prototypes were tested in UK and another 204 aircraft were converted in Canada.

Battle IIT - A single RCAF aircraft with a Bristol Type I single-gun dorsal turret and fitted with a Wright GR-1820-G3B Cyclone 9-cylinder radial engine using 91 octane fuel rated at 875 hp (652 kW) for take-off with a normal power rating of 840 hp (626 kW) at 8,700 ft (2650 m).

Belgian Battle - Sixteen Fairey Battles ordered for the Belgian Aéronautique Militaire in 1938, and assembled by Avions Fairey at Gosselies from Stockport built components and equipped with the Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine. They differed from the British Battles by having the radiator placed further forward. Based in Evère-Bruxelles with the 5e Escadrille, Groupe III, 3e Regiment, they took part in a single mission against bridges over the Albert Canal in May 1940.

Experimental - This category includes many one-off experimental aircraft used for testing various engines and propellers. Engines tested include the Napier Dagger and Sabre, the Bristol Hercules (fixed down and faired in undercarriage) and Taurus, the Rolls-Royce Merlin X and XII with chin radiator and the Fairey P.24 Prince.

Specifications (Fairey Battle Mk I)

Type: Three Seat Light Bomber, Target Tug & Gunnery Trainer

Accommodation/Crew: Pilot, Bomb-aimer/Observer, and Wireless Operator/Gunner.

Design: Design Team lead by Marcel Lobelle

Manufacturer: The Fairey Aviation Company Limited based in Hayes, Middlesex with production facilities in Heaton Chapel, Stockport (Cheshire). A shadow factory was established at Austin Motors Limited in Cofton Hackett, Longbridge (Birmingham) building aircraft to Specification 32/36. 16 aircraft were assembled by Avions Fairey in Gosselies, Belgium.

Powerplant: One Rolls-Royce Merlin I piston engine rated at 890 hp (664 kW) for take-off at sea level, and developing a maximum power rating of 1,030 hp (768 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 16,250 ft (4940 m) for short periods. A three-bladed Hamilton Standard (de Havilland built) dual pitch propeller was standard. Settings were fully fine or fully coarse even though they were only 20º apart. At altitude, selecting fully coarse cut the Merlin's rpm in half. When 100 Octane fuel became available it enabled the boost pressure to double from 6 lbs/square inch to 9 - 12 lbs/square inch allowing the same engine to make a maximum power rating of over 1,300 hp (970 kW).

Performance: Maximum speed 257 mph (414 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6100 m); cruising speed 210 mph (338 km/h); service ceiling 25,000 ft (7620 m); initial climb rate 920 ft (280 m) per minute.

Fuel Capacity: 212 Imp gal (254,6 US gal), plus 45 Imp gal (54 US gal) in fuselage tank, plus 33 Imp gal (39.6 US gal) in wing tank.

Oil Capacity: Unknown.

Range: 1,000 miles (1609 km) at 16,000 ft (4875 m) at 200 mph (322 km/h) with 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of bombs.

Weights & Loadings: Empty 6,647 lbs (3015 kg) with a maximum take-off weight of 10,792 lbs (4895 kg).

Dimensions: Span 54 ft 0 in (16.46 m); length 42 ft 1 3/4 in (12.85 m); height 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m); wing area 422.0 sq ft (39.20 sq m); wing aspect ratio 6.91.

Defensive Armament: One forward firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine-gun in in the starboard wing with a 400 round magazine and combat ciné camera and one rearward firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Vickers 'K' machine-gun in the rear cockpit with 485 rounds. Early aircraft had a 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Lewis machine-gun until replaced by the Vickers 'K' machine-gun. During the Battle for France, crews often hastily added a ventral gun below the fuselage just aft of the wing. This gun was aimed by the third crew member using a mirror sight.
Disposable Ordnance: Up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of bombs carried internally in four inner wing bomb cells. The internal wing bomb cells had racks that were lowered and attached to the bombs and then hydraulically raised the bombs into their cells. These hydraulic racks could also be extended below the wing for dive bombing attacks. A single 250 lbs (114 kg) bomb could be carried externally under each wing at the expense of range.

• 4 × 250 lbs (114 kg) bombs in the wing bomb cells, and
   

• 2 × 250 lbs (114 kg) bombs on underwing racks (with reduced range)

Variants: Battle B.Mk I, B.Mk II, B.Mk III, B.Mk IV, B.Mk V, TT.Mk I.

Equipment/Avionics: R.1082 radio and T.1083 transmitter.

History: First flight (prototype), 10 March 1936; production Mk I June 1937; final delivery January 1941; withdrawn from service 1949.

Operators: United Kingdom (RAF), Canada (RCAF), Australia (RAAF), South Africa (SAAF), Belgium (18), Turkey (28), Ireland (1), Greece (12), Poland (1 - never delivered).