Fairey Firefly: The first multi-role naval strike fighter

It was big. It was heavy. It was late. The Fairey Firefly emerged from pre-World War II British Admiralty requirements and chaos brought about by the Battle of Britain to eventually become a successful dual-seat, variable geometry (thanks to its Youngman flaps) strike fighter. It was a precursor to the Joint Strike Fighter. It was a jack of all trades. And a master of none. In a dogfight it was able to turn with a Nakajima Oscar. As an interceptor, it held its own down low. As a strike-fighter, it carried a useful load over a useful distance. As a reconnaissance fighter, it had a chance. As an anti-submarine platform, it was worthwhile. But this Griffon-engined Fleet Air Arm workhorse sat in the gap between an era when the second seat was vital if the aircraft was ever to find its carrier again, and when the warfare officer became an indispensable part of managing its arsenal.