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 Fairey Swordfish was a 1930s torpedo bomber biplane that served as a frontline attack aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy. Hardly faster than the old WW I SPADs and Nieuports, it was already obsolete by the time it entered service in 1936.

Feb 12, 2022 · Swordfish pioneered the use of ASV radar to attack ships and surfaced U-boats in 1940. It could detect a submarine up to five miles away and larger vessels up to 25. Operating from Malta, the RAF and Fleet Air Arm created havoc among convoys supplying the Italian and German armies in North Africa.

Jul 18, 2023 · While outdated by 1939, the Swordfish went on to have an impressive wartime record, including sinking a larger tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft and famously playing a role in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck.

Off the rain-soaked deck lifted a flight of 15 Fairey Swordfish torpedo planes. They would catch the German battleship in the growing darkness under a gray scud of clouds. Two torpedoes slammed home. One of them just barely hit the ship’s huge rudder, jamming it hard to port.

Aug 5, 2024 · Looking like a holdover from the First World War, this flimsy, antiquated, and slow biplane was all Great Britain had to throw against the mighty German Battleship in one of the greatest sea chases...

Mar 25, 2024 · The Fairey Swordfish was a British biplane torpedo bomber operated by the Royal Navy. It was first built in the 1930s and was already considered outdated by World War Two. If one was ever old was gold, then that was true of the Swordfish (although they weren't old so much as of a basic, slow, and antiquated design).

Nov 13, 2018 · The Fairey Swordfish, affectionately known as the ‘Stringbag’ by its crews, was the British Fleet Air Arm’s primary torpedo strike aircraft of the early years of World War Two. It looked like something left over from the First World War but in fact had only been introduced into service in 1936.

May 26, 2024 · From the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, the Swordfish played a crucial role in the Allied war effort, sinking enemy ships, protecting convoys, and boosting morale. In this article, we‘ll explore the history and significance of this remarkable aircraft, drawing on expert research and first-hand accounts from the brave pilots who flew it.

Designed in the 1930s, the Swordfish remained in frontline service through to the end of the war in Europe in 1945. The Swordfish was based on a Fairey Private Venture (PV) design; a proposed solution to the Air Ministry requirements for a Spotter-Reconnaissance plane - Spotter referring to observing the fall of a warship's gunfire.