Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Two/three-seat carrier-borne torpedo bomber

Power Plant:

One 515 kw (690 hp) Bristol Pegasus III M3 nine-cylinder supercharged air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

Armament:

One 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Vickers machine gun firing forward; one Lewis or Vickers machine gun of similar calibre firing aft; one 45.72 cm (18 in) torpedo; one 680 kg (1,500 lb) mine or up to 680 kg (1,500 lb) of bombs

History:

The Fairey Swordfish had its genesis in 1932 when the Fairey Aviation Company built a two-seat torpedo bomber/three-seat spotter reconnaissance biplane as a private venture. Flown for the first time from Harmondsworth airfield in Middlesex on 21 March 1933, it was fitted with a 466 kw (625 hp) Armstrong Siddeley Panther VI radial engine, but in June that year a 474 kw (635 hp) Bristol Pegasus II engine was installed. The aircraft was lost in an accident on 11 September 1933.

Subsequently an Air Ministry Specification was issued and, after some re-design, the prototype Swordfish (K4190) powered by a 515 kw (690 hp) Bristol Pegasus II M3 engine flew on 17 April 1934.

An initial order for 86 aircraft was placed in 1935, the first entering service in February 1936 with the Royal Navy (RN). Known affectionately as the “Stringbag”, the Swordfish was a single-bay biplane with folding wings, construction being of welded steel tube with fabric covering. Further orders were received, the 559 kw (750 hp) Pegasus XXX engine being fitted to the Mk III.

In all 26 Royal Navy squadrons operated the type and they saw extensive service throughout the war on board British aircraft carriers such as the ‘HMS Ark Royal’, ‘HMS Eagle’, etc, as well as escort carriers. Others were placed on board battleships and launched by catapult. In addition to sinking a number of U-boats, the Swordfish was used on Russian convoys and was involved in the sinking of the Kriesgmarine battleship ‘Bismarck’. The last Swordfish was delivered in August 1944, some 2,391 being built by Fairey and Blackburn, 105 being supplied to Canada.

Three have been airworthy: LS326 and W5856 with the Royal Navy Historic Flight; HS554 in Canada; and NF389 under restoration in the United Kingdom. However, in 2005 some corrosion was found in the wings of a couple and this entailed expensive repair work, this work being completed in 2015.

Although never formally operated by the RAAF, RNZAF or the RAN, at least six and perhaps up to a dozen were operated by Headquarters Flight and Nos 14 and 25 Squadrons RAAF from Pearce, WA in 1942. These aircraft had been destined for service in the Far East by the Royal Navy but, after the fall of Singapore, were off-loaded in Perth, WA. The aircraft arrived in crates at Bullsbrook Railway siding, Western Australia, after being off-loaded at Fremantle, WA. It was thought they were Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawks, which were much in demand at the time, but were in fact believed to be destined for service in Singapore.

As Australian units were short of suitable aircraft the Swordfish were assembled and used by the two Australian squadrons, with detachments to Busselton, Cunerdin and Carnarvon. All of these Swordfish were built by Blackburn Aircraft Company in 1941 and included serials V4688, V4689, V4692, V4693 and V4694. They were used as general squadron hacks and transports, in the latter role being used, it was said, by elements of No 77 Squadron. RAAF pilot John Bailey reported that the Fairey Swordfish aircraft were used to patrol shipping in Gage Roads and on anti-submarine work, and that they were flown consistently on this work.

However, by April 1942 RAAF hierarchy found there were no spares or equipment to maintain these machines for any length of time and ordered their return to the Royal Navy dismantled and placed in crates. On return to the Royal Navy they were shipped to Nairobi in Kenya and saw service with Royal Navy units.

Another Swordfish had an Australian connection. This aircraft, serial K8849, was part of the consist of ‘HMS Warspite’ when visiting Australia and after sustaining some damage was conveyed to No 2 Aircraft Depot (AD) at RAAF Richmond, NSW, where it was overhauled in early 1942 before being returned to the aircraft carrier.

A full scale fibreglass and wood non-flying replica of a Fairey Swordfish was completed and placed on display at the MOTAT museum in Auckland, New Zealand, to commemorate the service of New Zealand personnel in the European Theatre during World War II, this aircraft being constructed by former members of the Fleet Air Arm. Eventually the replica was removed from display, taken to Tauranga and placed on display in the children’s playground at the Classic Fighters Museum there.