In the post World War I period and beyond Fleet Air Arm aircraft tended to be a compromise, and were called on to perform a variety of functions. A classic example was the Fairey Swordfish that entered carrier service in 1936 with 825 squadron; and by the end of 1938 Swordfish had replaced the ageing Baffins, Seals and Sharks in all squadrons.
Into Service
Its origins dated back to 1933 when the Fairey TSR (torpedo, spotter, reconnaissance) first flew. The prototype was lost in an accident but its successor the TSR 2 was the forerunner of the production Swordfish. By the outbreak of war in 1939 there were 25 squadrons equipped with the venerable biplane. That figure was retained from the first to the last days of the war.
The ‘Stringbag’, as it was universally named was quite a large biplane with a wingspan of 45 feet. A 700hp air-cooled Pegasus gave a maximum speed of 130 mph; this dropped to around 100mph when fully loaded with either bombs or a torpedo. But the Swordfish had the ability to make deck landings almost at a walking pace while still under total control. These qualities were a source of confidence for the pilot; particularly when making a landing on a rolling, pitching carrier.
Norway and Taranto
From the outset the Swordfish units were engaged in convoy protection. They saw no actual fighting until the opening of the Norwegian campaign in April 1940 where they provided air cover for the military landings. By a tragic mischance, on its return voyage to England the carrier Glorious encountered the battle cruiser Scharnhorst. Glorious was sunk with heavy loss of life.
A more positive result was at Oran in July 1940 following the French capitulation. Swordfish from Ark Royal made the first successful attack on a capital ship when they immobilised the French battle cruiser Dunquerque.
The Mediterranean was the arena of many of the Swordfish activities. Their crowning achievement was the attack on Taranto; where for the first time an enemy fleet was taken out by carrier aircraft; the significance of the action did not go un-noticed by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The attack took place on the night of 11 November 1940. It began with a strike of 12 aircraft from Illustrious, steaming 180 miles to the southeast. Despite intensive anti-aircraft fire they pressed home their attack. All Swordfish registered hits on their targets for the loss of one aircraft. One hour later a second strike of 9 Swordfish made a successful attack, again for the loss of one of their own.
Photo/reconnaissance on the following day showed the extent of the damage. Three battleships were severely damaged; one cruiser and 2 destroyers were hit, plus oil storage tanks that were knocked out. It was a crippling blow for the Italian navy and one that drastically altered the naval balance in ‘Mare Nostrum’, as Benito Mussolini likened the Mediterranean.
Bismarck and the Esmonde Operation
Following the disastrous sinking of HMS Hood in May 1941 Swordfish were involved in the dramatic hunt for theBismarck. In the foulest of weather the carrier Ark Royal despatched a flight of Swordfish from 818 Squadron. They delivered a torpedo attack that crippled Bismarck’s steering, enabling the Home Fleet to intercept and sink her with gunfire and torpedoes.
The Swordfish also gained enduring fame in February 1942 when six aircraft made their attack on Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen during the German flotilla’s Channel dash. All aircraft were lost and a posthumous VC was awarded to the leader, Lt.Cdr. Eugene Esmonde.
The End of Hostilities
In 1943 a Mark 2 version of the Swordfish came into service, featuring main planes stressed for carrying rocket projectiles. The modification gave a new lease of life to the ageing Swordfish, which was proving too vulnerable in the classic torpedo attack. During the final years of the war the new Avengers and Barracudas replaced the Swordfish in fleet carriers. They continued to operate successfully from the smaller escort carriers in the anti-submarine role.
In January 1945 nine Swordfish squadrons were still engaged in front-line duties. It was a visible tribute to an elderly biplane that was approaching obsolescence at the outbreak of war; and thus ended the fighting career of one of the most remarkable aircraft in air warfare.
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