Fairey Swordfish
Description
Role	Carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber
Crew	3
First Flight	April 17, 1934
Entered Service	July 1936
Manufacturer	Fairey, Blackburn
Dimensions
Length	35 ft 8 in	10.87 m
Wingspan	45 ft 6 in	13.87 m
Height	12 ft 4 in	3.76 m
Wing area	542 ft²	50.4 m²
Weights
Empty	4,195 lb	1,900 kg
Loaded	7,720 lb	3,500 kg
Maximum takeoff	lb	kg
Powerplant
Engines	1 x Bristol Pegasus IIIM.3 or XXX radial
Power	690 hp (IIIM.3) 750 hp (XXX)	510 kW 560 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	138 mph at 5,000 ft	222 km/h at 1,500 m
Combat range	546 miles	879 km
Ferry range	1,025 miles	1,650 km
Service ceiling	19,250 ft	5,870 m
Rate of climb	1,220 ft/min	370 m/min
Wing loading	14.2 lb/ft²	69.4 kg/m²
Power/Mass	0.089 hp/lb	0.15 kW/kg
Armament
Guns	0.303 in Vickers machine gun in engine cowling 0.303 in Lewis or Vickers machine gun in rear cockpit	7.7 mm Vickers 7.7 mm Lewis gun
Bombs	1,670 lb torpedo or 1,500 lb mine	760 kg torpedo or 700 kg mine
Rockets	8 x 60 lb (30 kg) rocket projectiles (Mk.II and later)

The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during World War II. Affectionately known as the Stringbag by its crews, it was outdated by 1939, but achieved some spectacular successes during the war. It was operated as a primary attack aircraft into 1942, and not retired until 1945.

The Swordfish was based on the Fairey PV and was offered to the Royal Navy to fulfill a reconnaissance and torpedo attack role. The prototype TSR II first flew on April 17, 1934. It was a large biplane with a metal frame covered in fabric, with folding wings for carrier use. An order was placed in 1935 and the aircraft entered service in 1936. By 1939 the Royal Navy had thirteen squadrons equipped with the Swordfish.

The primary weapon was the torpedo, but the low speed of the biplane and the need for a long straight approach made it difficult to deliver against well defended targets. However, Swordfish flying from HMS Illustrious made a very significant strike, on November 11, 1940, against the Italian navy at Taranto, Italy and in May 1941 a Swordfish strike was vital in damaging the German battleship Bismarck. Swordfish also flew anti-shipping sorties from Malta.

The problems with the aircraft were starkly demonstrated in February 1942 when a strike on German cruisers in the English Channel resulted in the loss of all attacking aircraft. With the development of new torpedo attack aircraft the Swordfish was soon redeployed in an anti-submarine role, equipped with depth-charges or ten 27 kg rockets and flying from the smaller escort carriers or even Merchant Aircraft Carriers with RATO. The Swordfish was meant to be replaced by the Fairey Albacore, also a biplane, but actually outlived its intended successor. It was, however, succeeded by the Fairey Barracuda monoplane torpedo bomber.

The Mark II and Mark III variants were both introduced in 1943. The Mark II had metal lower wings to allow the use of rockets and the Mark III added a large centrimetric radar unit. Production ended in 1944 with the Mark IV, which had an enclosed cabin for use by the RCAF, and the aircraft was withdrawn from active service on May 21, 1945. Almost 2,400 had been built, 692 by Fairey and 1,699 in Sherburn by the Blackburn Aircraft Company, which were sometimes dubbed the "Blackfish". The most built version was the Mark II, of which 1,080 were made.

Related content
Related Development	None
Similar Aircraft	Fairey Albacore
Designation Series	Swordfish - Battle - Seafox - Fulmar - Albacore
Related Lists	List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm

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