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The Firebrand was designed as a carrier fighter powered by a Napier Sabre engine, but because of engine unreliability and poor handling it was unacceptable. It was then redesigned to become a fast strike aircraft carrying a large torpedo, and powered by a Bristol Centaurus radial. The bulky Firebrand was a failure. Still it had a service life from 1946 to 1953.
| General characteristics Firebrand Mk.IV | |||
| Primary function | Fighter / torpedo bomber | ||
| Power plant | One Bristol Centaurus IX two-row radial radial engine | ||
| Thrust | 2,520 HP | 1,853 kW | |
| Wingspan | 51.3 ft | 15.63 m | |
| Length | 38.75 ft | 11.81 m | |
| Height | 13.25 ft | 4.04 m | |
| Wingarea | 383 sq ft | 35.58 sq m | |
| Weight | empty | 11,457 lb | 5,197 kg |
| max. | 16,700 lb | 7,575 kg | |
| Speed max | 342 mph | 550 km/h | |
| Initial climb rate | 2,600 ft/min | 792 m/min | |
| Ceiling | 34,580 ft | 10,539 m | |
| Range | 746 mi | 1200 km | |
| Armament | 4x 20mm machine gun (200 rounds each); torpedo 840 kg or 2x 454 kg bomb or 6-8 rockets | ||
| Crew | One | ||
| First flight | Prototype Mk.I 27.2.1942 | ||
| Date deployed | 17.5.1945 | ||
| Number built | 221 (all versions incl. postwar) | ||
Jirka Wagner
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