United Kingdom's Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bomber1
Fairey Swordfish:
Fairey Swordfish:
Fairey Swordfish:
Fairey Swordfish:
Fairey Swordfish dropping a depth charge:
Fairey Swordfish Mk I:
Fairey Swordfish Mk II cockpit:
Design
The bi-plane had an open cockpit.1 The frame was fabric covered and was very resilient to damage.1 The pilot used "Gosport tubes" to communicate to the other crew.1
The 7.7 mm Vickers in the front was synchronized to fire through the propeller.1
Prototype
The prototype, known as the T.S.R. II, was flown on April 17, 1934.1
Production
Between 1934 and 1944 2,391 Swordfish were produced.1 Blackburn constructed 1,699 Swordfish.1
Variants
- Swordfish Mk I:
- Swordfish Mk II:
- Swordfish Mk III: Had a radar scanner between the mainwheels.1
- Floatplane: Had floatplanes, but the drag and weight reduced its speed a lot.1
Usage
Entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1936 and was known as the "Stringbag."1
At the start of the war there were 13 squadrons in the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.1
The first U-Boat sunk by the Fleet Air Arm was made by the Swordfish on April 13, 1940.1
Swordfish sank more ships than all the Royal Navy's battleships combined.1
Taranto
Twenty one Swordfish were used in the attack against the Italian fleet at Taranto on November 11, 1940.1 They took off from the HMS Illustrious.1 Two battleships, a cruiser, and a destroyer were sunk.1
The End
On May 21, 1945 the last Swordfish squadron was disbanded.1
| Fairey Swordfish Mk II1 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Torpedo-bomber1 Reconnaissance1 |
| Crew | 2-31 Pilot, radio operator/gunner1 |
| Engine (Type) | Bristol Pegasus XXX piston1 |
| Cylinders | Radial-91 |
| Cooling | |
| HP | 7501 |
| Propeller blades | 31 |
| Dimensions | |
| Span | 45'1 13.87 m1 |
| Length | 36'1 10.87 m1 |
| Height | 12'1 3.76 m1 |
| Wing area | 607 ft2 1 56.39 m2 1 |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 4,690 lb1 2,132 kg1 |
| Loaded | 7,493 lb1 3,406 kg1 |
| Performance | |
| Speed | 138 mph1 222 kph1 |
| Climb | |
| Service ceiling | 10,690'1 3,260 m1 |
| Range | 1,028 miles1 1,658 km1 |
| Armament | |
| Fuselage | 1: 7.7 mm Vickers MG1 |
| Rear cockpit | 1: 7.7 mm Lewis or Vickers K MG1 |
| Torpedo | 1: 1,600 lb1 1: 730 kg1 |
| OR | |
| Depth charges | |
| OR | |
| Mines | |
| OR | |
| Bombs | 1,500 lb1 680 kg1 |
| OR | |
| Rockets | 81 |
| Production |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
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