The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during World War II. Affectionately known as the Stringbag by its crews, it was outdated by 1939, but achieved some spectacular successes during the war, such as the destruction of the Regia Marina (the Italian Navy) in Taranto and the famous crippling of the German battleship Bismarck. It was operated primarily as a fleet attack aircraft, however, during its later years it was also used as an anti-submarine and training craft. Designed in the 1930s, Swordfish remained in frontline service through to the end of the war in Europe in 1945.

History

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The Swordfish was based on the Fairey Private Venture (PV), a proposed solution to the Air Ministry requirements for a Spotter-Reconnaissance plane - Spotter referring to observing the fall of a warship's gunfire. A subsequent Air Ministry specification added the torpedo bomber role. The prototype TSR II (Torpedo-Spotter-Reconnaissance), the PV was the TSR I, first flew on April 17, 1934. It was a large biplane with a metal frame covered in fabric, with folding wings for carrier use. An order was placed in 1935 and the aircraft entered service in 1936, replacing the Fairey Seal in the torpedo bomber role. By 1939 the Royal Navy had thirteen squadrons equipped with the Swordfish Mark I.

Combat history

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The primary weapon was the torpedo, but the low speed of the biplane and the need for a long straight approach made it difficult to deliver against well defended targets. However, Swordfish flying from HMS Illustrious made a very significant strike, on November 11, 1940, against the Italian navy at Taranto, Italy during the Battle of Taranto and in May 1941 a Swordfish strike was vital in damaging the German battleship Bismarck. The low speed of the attacking aircraft may have acted in their favour, as the planes were too slow for the fire-control predictors of the German gunners. This successful attack may have given inspiration or confidence to the Japanese who would later attack Pearl Harbor. Swordfish also flew anti-shipping sorties from Malta.

The problems with the aircraft were starkly demonstrated in February 1942 when a strike on German battlecruisers during the Channel Dash resulted in the loss of all attacking aircraft. With the development of new torpedo attack aircraft the Swordfish was soon redeployed successfully in an anti-submarine role, equipped with depth-charges or ten 60 lb (27 kg) RP-3 rockets and flying from the smaller escort carriers or even Merchant Aircraft Carriers with RATO. Its low stall speed and inherently tough design made it ideal for operation from the MAC carriers in the often severe mid Atlantic weather. Swordfish equipped units accounted for 14 U-boats destroyed. The Swordfish was meant to be replaced by the Fairey Albacore, also a biplane, but actually outlived its intended successor. It was, however, succeeded by the Fairey Barracuda monoplane torpedo bomber.

The final Swordfish had been delivered in August, 1944, the last of 2,392 aircraft; the last operational squadron was disbanded on 21 May, 1945, after the fall of Germany, and the last training squadron was disbanded in the summer of 1946.

Variants

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The Mark II and Mark III variants were both introduced in 1943. The Swordfish Mark II had metal lower wings to allow the use of rockets and the Swordfish Mark III added a large centrimetric radar unit. Production ended in 1944 with the Swordfish Mark IV, which had an enclosed cabin for use by the RCAF, and the aircraft was withdrawn from active service on May 21, 1945. Almost 2,400 had been built, 692 by Fairey and 1,699 in Sherburn by the Blackburn Aircraft Company, which were sometimes dubbed the "Blackfish". The most built version was the Mark II, of which 1,080 were made.

Operators

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• Canada, United Kingdom (Royal Air Force, Royal Navy),

Specifications (Fairey Swordfish)

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Related content

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British bomber aircraft 1930-1939 | British bomber aircraft 1940-1949 | Carrier-based aircraft

Fairey Swordfish | ソードフィッシュ (雷撃機) | Fairey Swordfish | Fairey Swordfish | Fairey Swordfish