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Britain's Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber / dive bomber^1,2,3

Fairey Barracuda Mk II torpedo bomber:

Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber:

Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber:

Design

The Fairey Barracuda was to meet requirements put forth in 1937 and to replace the Albacore.^1,2,3

The Barracuda was to have the Rolls-Royce Exe engine, but when the engine was abandoned the fuselage had to be altered to fit the Merlin.^1,2 This delay and the decision that the Firefly was more urgent delayed the entry into service of the Barracuda.^1,2 The Barracuda became the Fleet Air Arm's first monoplane torpedo bomber.^2,3

The Barracuda was of all-metal construction.³

Tail

The tail plane was initially mounted low in the prototype, but due to turbulence caused by the Youngman flap/dive brake it was mounted higher in the production aircraft.²

Prototype

On December 7, 1940, the Barracuda prototype was first flown.^1,2,3 The second Barracuda prototype flew on June 29, 1941.³

Production

The first production aircraft to fly was in May 1942.² Production went until early 1946.²

• Prototypes: 2²
• Barracuda Mk I: 23^1,2, 25³
• Barracuda Mk II: 1,635^1,2
  • Fairey¹: 225¹
  • Blackburn¹: 700¹
  • Boulton Paul¹: 692¹
  • Westland¹: 18¹
• Barracuda Mk III: 912^1,2
• Barracuda Mk V: 30²
• Total: 2,572³, 2,602²
  • Manufacturer: Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd.³, Blackburn³, Boulton Paul³, Westland³

Variants

• Prototype: Had low mounted tail plane.²
• Barracuda Mk I:
• Barracuda Mk II: Had a ASV Mk IIN radar.¹ First flew on August 17, 1942.³
• Barracuda Mk III: Had ASV Mk X radar.^1,2,3
• Barracuda Mk V: Intended for use in Pacific.² Had a radar in a pod on the port wing.² The structure was changed.² The tail fin was made taller.²

Usage

First Use

The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) received delivery of the Barracuda in January 1943.^1,2,3

There were 17 squadrons equipped with the Barracuda.²

Salerno

The landing in September 1943 at Salerno was the Barracuda's debut in combat.^2,3

Tirpitz

On April 3, 1944 42 Barracudas were used in the strike on the Tirpitz.^1,2,3 The Barracudas achieved 15 direct hits dive bombing.^2,3 Only two aircraft were lost.²

The Barracudas were launched from the HMS Victorious and Furious.³ Hellcats, Seafires, Wildcats, and Corsairs escorted.³

Pacific

In 1944 and 1945 the Barracuda was used extensively in the Pacific.¹

Post War Use

Some Barracudas served until 1953 in the British Fleet.³

	Fairey Barracuda Mk I2,3	Fairey Barracuda Mk II1,2,3	Fairey Barracuda Mk III2	Fairey Barracuda Mk V2
Type	Torpedo bomber2, Dive bomber2	Torpedo bomber2,3, Dive bomber2	Torpedo bomber2, Dive bomber2	Torpedo bomber2, Dive bomber2
Crew	2 - 32	2 - 32, 31,3	2 - 32	2 - 32
Engine (Type)	Rolls-Royce Merlin 302,3	Rolls-Royce Merlin 32 piston1,2,3	Rolls-Royce Merlin 321,2	Rolls-Royce Griffon 372
Cylinders	V 122	Inline1, V 123		V 122
Cooling		Liquid3
HP	1,2601,3, 1,3002	1,6401,3, 1,6452	1,6401, 1,6452	2,0202
Propeller blades	32,3	42,3	42	42
Dimensions
Span	49' 2"2 14.99 m2	49' 2"1,2,3 14.99 m1,2	49' 2"2 14.99 m2
Length	40' 3"2 12.27 m2	39' 9"1,3, 40' 3"2 12.11 m1, 12.27 m2	40' 3"2 12.27 m2
Height	15' 1"2 4.6 m2	15' 1"1,2,3 4.6 m1,2	15' 1"2 4.6 m2
Wing area		367 ft2 1 34.09 m2 1
Weight
Empty	8,700 lb2 3,946 kg2	9,350 lb1, 9,407 lb2 4,241 kg1, 4,267 kg2
Loaded	13,500 lb2 6,124 kg2	13,500 lb3, 14,100 lb1,2 6,396 kg1,2
Performance
Speed @ 1,750'		228 mph3
Speed @ 1,750' / 533 m		228 mph2 367 kph2
Speed @ 1,750' / 535 m		228 mph1 367 kph1
Cruising speed		172 mph2 277 kph2
Climb		950'/minute2 290 m/minute2
Climb to 5,000' / 1,525 m		6 minutes1
Service ceiling		16,600'1,2,3 5,060 m1,2
Range		1,150 miles1,2 1,850 km1,2
Range with full load		686 miles2,3 1,104 km2
Armament		2: MG3
Rear cockpit	2: 0.303" MG2	2: 7.7 mm Vickers "K" MGs1	2: 0.303" MG2
Torpedo	1: 18"2 1: 2,610 lb2 1: 46 cm2 1: 1,184 kg2	1: 18"2 1: 1,610 lb3, 1,620 lb1, 2,610 lb2 1: 46 cm2 1: 735 kg1, 1,184 kg2	1: 18"2 1: 2,610 lb2 1: 46 cm2 1: 1,184 kg2
OR
Depth charges	2,000 lb2 907 kg2	4: 450 lb1 2,000 lb2 4: 204 kg1 907 kg2	2,000 lb2 907 kg2
OR
Bombs	2,000 lb2 907 kg2	6: 250 lb1 2,000 lb2 6: 113 kg1 907 kg2	2,000 lb2 907 kg2
OR
Mines	2,000 lb2 907 kg2	2,000 lb2 907 kg2	2,000 lb2 907 kg2

Sources:

1. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
2. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
3. World War II Airplanes Volume 1, Enzo Angelucci, Paolo Matricardi, 1976

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