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The Fairey Swordfish was a biplane torpedo bomber, designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. Originating in the early 1930s, the Swordfish, nicknamed "Stringbag", was principally operated by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy .
The design evolution that led to the Fairey Swordfish began with Fairey's submission to Air Ministry specification S.9/30 for a two-seat fleet spotter-reconnaissance aircraft. [1] The company were awarded funds for a prototype in August 1931. The resulting aircraft, which did not fly until 22 February 1934 was known only by its specification ...
The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Middlesex and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Cheshire that designed important military aircraft, including the Fairey III family, the Swordfish, Firefly, and Gannet. It had a strong presence in the supply of naval ...
Parts of Blenheim, Hotspur, Oxford; Master modifications Blackburn Aircraft Ltd. Abbotsinch, Sherburn: Repair Blackburn Shark, Blackburn Skua, Fairey Swordfish; parts of Firebrand, Short Sunderland; Skua mods Boulton & Paul Aircraft Ltd. Wolverhampton: Repair Wellington; parts of Blackburn Roc; Wellington modifications Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.
A Fairey Swordfish aircraft lands on Ark Royal ' s flight deck, whilst a Blackburn Skua circles overhead. Photograph taken from Kelvin after the attacks on the Italian Fleet off Sardinia Having reduced the possibility of a French challenge in the Mediterranean, Force H prepared for attacks on Italian targets, and sailed from Gibraltar on 8 July ...
Her Fairey Swordfish float-plane sank the German U-boat U-64 with 250 lb bombs, becoming the first aircraft to sink a U-boat in the war. [52] The Swordfish continued to provide accurate spotting reports during the early afternoon which were, arguably, more important to the course of the battle than the Warspite's guns. [53]
It was initially equipped with Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, along with, Fairey Seafox, a reconnaissance floatplane and Fairey Swordfish seaplane variant, a torpedo bomber aircraft. The squadron trained pilots in operating seaplane aircraft and provided a pilot reserve for Fleet Air Arm catapult squadrons.
From March to November 1936 it was equipped with Fairey Seals passed on from 821 Squadron, soon replaced by Blackburn Sharks, to carry out a Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance role. In August 1937 the squadron received Fairey Swordfish aircraft, which it continued to operate from Furious until February 1939, when the squadron was re-allocated to ...