The Fairchild 71 was an American high-wing monoplane passenger and cargo aircraft built by Fairchild Aircraft and later built in Canada by Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) for both military and civilian use as a rugged bush plane.
The Fairchild Aircraft Company undertook a progressive development of the Fairchild FC-2W2 light transport. Its first improvement was the FC-2, whose several improvements included slightly swept-back wings; wingspan increased to 50 feet; engine power nearly doubled; and interior changes to improve passenger comfort.
The FC-2W was a further development, featuring: Camera bay for vertical aerial photography; Low-cut aft windows for oblique aerial photography. The FC-2 and FC-2W continued the use of fabric-covered welded steel tubing for fuselage and empennage construction, and strut-braced wooden-structure fabric-covered wings.
The FC-2W, later known as the Model 71, was built in the United States between 1928 and 1930. In 1929 Fairchild formed a company in Canada (Fairchild Aircraft Limited) at Longueuil, Quebec in 1929 to support the Canadian operators of Fairchild aircraft. The Canadian company also set up a factory production line for the Model 71, developing a variant for the Canadian military. The Canadian-built aircraft differed from the US version in that all the passenger-comfort features were removed, and the craft were built specifically for aerial photography. Harold Skaarup web page last update: 2021-09-07 15:28:41Known Squadron Assignments:
Known Squadron Assignments: 8
Used for photographic surveys from Fitzgerald Lake, Alberta, in 1930. Also seen at Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba. Later became RCAF 629.Renumbered from G-CYUW. Used at Winnipeg, Manitoba. Detached, on skiis, to do winter surveys north of Lake Superior, Operation Kenora, in January 1935. Operated by No. 8 (GP) Squadron, RCAF Stations Winnipeg, Manitoba or Rockcliffe, Ont., 1936 to 1939. Category B damage at Port Hope on 11 February 1937.Known Squadron Assignments: 5
Fuselage was made in USA. Company number reported as 767/4 by Griffin (767 is Fairchild US fuselage, 4 is Fairchild Aircraft Canada number for complete aircraft). Converted to 71C by Fairchild Canada in 1932. Later became RCAF 630.Was G-CYVE; converted to 71C on 26 September 1932. Operated by No. 5 (FB) Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS in 1936, mostly on RCMP patrols.Known Squadron Assignments: 1TC; 3TC
Fuselage made in USA (company number 766). Used at Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba. Later became RCAF 631.Known Squadron Assignments: 1TC; 3TC
Was G-CYVO. Category C damage on 13 October 1932, at Kingston, Ontario. Operated from RCAF Station Trenton, June 1940.Fuselage made in USA, company number 765. Category C crash at Kingston, Ontario on 13 October 1932. Later became RCAF 632.Known Squadron Assignments: 6; 5; 4; 13
Fuselage made in USA, company number 764. Based at RCAF Rockcliffe, Ont. Accompanied Vedette G-CYWS on long survey expedition over Canadian Arctic, July to August 1930. Returned to Rocklciffe on 1 October 1930. With No. 6 Photo Detachment, detached to northern Quebec, when it searched for 2 missing forest rangers in June 1931. Later became RCAF 633.Was G-CYVX. Operated by No. 5 Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS. Flew this squadron's first patrol on behalf of the RCMP on 17 April 1934. Later with No. 4 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Jericho Beach, BC. To Western Air Command in 1940. Served with No. 13 (OT) Squadron, RCAF Stations Sea Island or Patricia Bay, BC, 1940 to 1941.Known Squadron Assignments: 7; 112; T&DE
Entirely made in USA. Was G-CYVY. Later became RCAF 634. Operated by No. 7 (GP) Squadron, RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ont., 1936 to 1939. Visited Montreal in May 1937. With No. 112 Squadron at Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1940. With the Test and Development Establishment at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario, dates unknown. To civil register as CF-BVH, registered to F. H. Wheeler of St. Jovite, Quebec on 8 October 1941. Rebuilt in August 1942 following fire, as a Model 71C. Sold December 1942 to the US Army, became UC-96, possibly s/n 42-88617.Known Squadron Assignments:
Was G-CYVZ. Used for photo surveys around Oskelaneo, Quebec in 1931. Also used at Gaspe, Quebec, dates not known. Later became RCAF 635.Known Squadron Assignments: 5
Was G-CYWA. Later became RCAF 636. Wrecked in a gale, 17 September 1939. Operated by No. 5 Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS.Known Squadron Assignments: T&DE
Was G-CYWB. Flew Ottawa to St. Hubert and return on 9 March 1937. Later became RCAF 637. With the Test and Development Establishment at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario in October 1939. Sold to M&C Aviation when struck off.Known Squadron Assignments: 7; 13
Was G-CYWC. Became RCAF 638. Operated from RCAF Station Trenton on floats, pre war. Operated by No. 7 (GP) Squadron, RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ont., 1936 to 1939. Later with No. 13 (OT) Squadron, RCAF Stations Sea Island or Patricia Bay, BC, 1940 to 1941. Sold to Canadian Airways Ltd. when struck off.Known Squadron Assignments: 5
Was G-CYWD. .Used by No. 5 (FB) Squadron at Dartmouth, NS (with RCAF serial number?). Became RCAF 639.Known Squadron Assignments: 5; 8
Was G-CYWE. Used by No. 5 (FB) Squadron at Dartmouth, NS, and by No.8 Squadron at Rockcliffe, Ontario, and / or Winnipeg, Manitoba (with RCAF serial number?). Became RCAF 640. To No. 10 Repair Depot, Calgary, Alberta, October 1941 for sale. Sold post war to Austin Airways as CF-BVI. Using wings and tail of CF-BVY (ex RCAF 627), was converted to Model 51/71 in 1948. Still with Austin Airways when it crashed during down wind take off at English Lake, Ontario on 17 July 1949.Known Squadron Assignments: 7; 4
Was G-CYWF. Operated by No. 7 (GP) Squadron, RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ont. Visited No. 7 GP Detachment base at Lake Osisko, Ontario in July 1936, on inspection visit from Rockcliffe. With No. 4 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Jericho Beach, BC, late 1930s. Category C damage at English Bay, BC on 14 July 1939. Visited RCAF Detachment Bella Bella on 17 July 1940. Later became RCAF 641.Known Squadron Assignments: 1WS
Was G-CYWG .Later became RCAF 642. Served at No. 1 Wireless School in 1939. In use as training aid at Cartierville, Quebec when struck off and sold to Gray Rocks Air Service. Had 1,520 airframe time when sold.Known Squadron Assignments: 8
Was G-CYWH. Used at Halcrow Lake. Later became RCAF 643. Operated by No. 8 (GP) Squadron, RCAF Stations Winnipeg, Manitoba or Rockcliffe, Ont., 1936 to 1939. To No. 10 Repair Depot, Calgary, Alberta, October 1941 for sale to Wings Ltd. Became CF-BVJ, registered to Canadian Pacific Airlines in 1942, but not taken up. To H. A. Hennessy of Toronton on 24 August 1944. Re-engined with Wasp SC-1 at that time. Crashed at Collins Lake, Ontario on 27 October 1944. Stalled while attempting forced landing due to carburettor ice on take off..Known Squadron Assignments: 7; 8; T&DE; 112
Used at Winnipeg, Manitoba. Detached, on skiis, to do winter surveys north of Lake Superior, Operation Kenora, in January 1935. Later became RCAF 644.Known Squadron Assignments: 5
Renumbered from 113. Used by No. 5 (FB) Squadron on East Coast (probably after re-numbering). Renumbered as 645 c.1932.Known Squadron Assignments: Ottawa
Re-marked from 182. Became 646, date unknown.Known Squadron Assignments: 5; 111; 13
Re-marked from 183. Became 647, date unknown. Operated by No. 5 Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS, in late 1930s. Operated by No. 111 (AC) Squadron, RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC, 1940. Later with No. 13 (OT) Squadron, RCAF Stations Sea Island or Patricia Bay, BC, 1940 to 1941. Converted to 71C, February 1944. To civil register as CF-BXG with Canadian Airways Ltd.Known Squadron Assignments:
Known Squadron Assignments: T&DE
Civil registration CF-AUT reserved in 1936, not clear if ever marked. At RCAF Station Rockcliffe with the Test and Development Flight in 1937. Still there in 1939. Used at Camp Borden, later at RCAF Trenton, Ont. Was to be converted to ambulance, but not known if this was carried out.
last update: 2024-July-20Known Squadron Assignments: T&DE; 7
Used by the Test Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Assigned to No. 7 General Purpose Detachment in western Canada in 1937 at time of crash. Pilot's body found a quarter of mile from crash site, 3 days after crash. Reason for this still unknown. Some parts at Western Canada Aviation Museum, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Reported in 1970s that they would be combined with parts from a civil Super 71 to restore one aircraft.
last update: 2024-July-20Known Squadron Assignments: