Fairey Swordfish

FAIREY SWORDFISH

Fairey Swordfish, Duxford 2012 ©Nigel Key

ROLE
Torpedo-bomber.

FIRST FLIGHT
17 April 1934.

The Swordfish is a 'Torpedo-Spotter-Reconnaissance' biplane designed by the Fairey Aviation Company.

The TSR II prototype was manufactured from a metal frame and covered in doped fabric. It was designed with folding wings to enable ease of storage when in service on aircraft carriers.

The main weapon of the Swordfish was the aerial torpedo which had to be released at a height of 18 feet and a maximum range of 1,500 yards but ideally 1,000 yards from the target.

The anti-submarine Swordfish were equipped with depth charges or eight 60lb rockets. Its tough design, lift and manoeuvrability made the Swordfish ideal for launching from a MAC Ship and continued its sorties well into 1945.

The Swordfish was given the nickname 'String bag' due to the amount of equipment the aircraft was cleared to carry with the crews feeling the aircraft could almost carry anything!

In 1935 the Fleet Air Arm, at the time part of the RAF, placed an order for the Fairey Swordfish and they entered service in 1936 as a torpedo bomber.

PRODUCTION
The Fairey Swordfish was produced from 1936 to 1944, with 2,391 built.

ENGINE
Bristol Pegasus XXX engine, producing 750 hp.

ARMAMENT
2 x Browning 0.303” machine gun
1 x 18” Torpedo or
1,500 lb (680 kg) MIne/Bomb/Rocket load

By 1939 the Fleet Air Arm was under the control of the Royal Navy and had 13 Squadrons of Swordfish Mk I, with 3 flights of Swordfish equipped with floats for use off catapult fitted warships.

The slowness of the swordfish and the need for a straight approach made the Swordfish vulnerable against the increasingly heavily defended targets so the Swordfish was redeployed as anti-submarine aircraft aboard 'MAC Ships' or small carriers.