How the Fulmar stopgap became a wartime commitment

The Fulmar was ordered as a stopgap because the Skua looked more convincing as a bomber than as a fighter and an anticipated Supermarine naval fighter appeared close to service. War turned that temporary bridge into a long commitment, showing how emergency purchases could outlast the assumptions behind them. The aircraft named in this account appears to be the Supermarine Sea Fang, although that identification conflicts with the Sea Fang's later chronology. A Merlin installation promised commonality with the expected Supermarine fighter but competed with urgent Hurricane and Spitfire engine demand, while the Taurus alternative carried its own reliability risks. The Fulmar needed a lighter airframe and roughly 1,500 horsepower to have a better chance of meeting its intended role. Its performance depended on production capacity and fleet logistics as much as engine specifications.