Book Review of
Fleet Air Arm Legends, no. 2
Fairey Swordfish
Author: Matthew Willis
Morton Books Ltd./Tempest Books
ICBN: 9781911658498
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $24.50
ICBN: 9781911658498
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $24.50
HISTORY:
The Fairey Swordfish is 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. It was also used by the Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as several overseas operators, including the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
It was initially operated primarily as a fleet attack aircraft. During its later years, the Swordfish was increasingly used as an anti-submarine and training platform. The type was in frontline service throughout the Second World War.
Despite being obsolete by 1939, the Swordfish achieved some spectacular successes during the war. Notable events included sinking one battleship and damaging two others of the Regia Marina (the Italian navy) during the Battle of Taranto, and the famous attack on the German battleship Bismarck, which contributed to her eventual demise.
Swordfish sank a greater tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft during the war. The Swordfish remained in front-line service until V-E Day, having outlived some of the aircraft intended to replace it.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 3 - pilot, observer, and radio operator/rear gunner (observer's position frequently replaced with auxiliary fuel tank)
Length: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Wingspan: 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
Width: 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m) wings folded
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 607 sq ft (56.4 m2)
Airfoil: RAF 28[60]
Empty weight: 4,195 lb (1,903 kg)
Gross weight: 7,580 lb (3,438 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Pegasus IIIM.3 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 690 hp (510 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed metal fixed-pitch propeller
Maximum speed: 143 mph (230 km/h, 124 kn) with torpedo at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg) and 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
Range: 522 mi (840 km, 454 nmi) normal fuel, carrying torpedo
Endurance: 5 hours 30 minutes
Service ceiling: 16,500 ft (5,000 m) at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg)
Rate of climb: 870 ft/min (4.4 m/s) at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg) at sea level
690 ft/min (210.3 m/min) at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg) and 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
Guns: ** 1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun in upper right fuselage, breech in cockpit, firing over engine cowling
1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis or Vickers K machine gun in rear cockpit
Rockets: 8 × "60 lb" RP-3 rocket projectiles (Mk.II and later)
Bombs: 1 × 1,670 lb (760 kg) torpedo or 1,500 lb (700 kg) mine under fuselage or 1,500 lb total of bombs under fuselage and wings.
THE BOOK:
Morton Books Ltd./Stratus Books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 150 pages in 7” x 8 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Swordfish that is diving on a German battleship through gun bursts. It is overall white, with a British roundel, followed by a black 5G and a vertical red, white and blue fin flash. It is carrying a torpedo that is overall bare metal with a black nose.
The back cover has a color side profile of a Swordfish that is white with a dark grey spine and rudder, red cowling front edge and white spinner. It has a British roundel followed by a black 4A and a vertical red, white and blue fin flash. It carries an all dark grey torpedo.
Below it there are 2 black and white photos of Swordfish’s. One is in flight. It is overall white with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. The other is of a Swordfish coming in for a landing aboard a carrier, with a ground crew-man guiding her down.
It says the book contains full colour artwork. Rare photographs. Detailed history.
Few aircraft encompass as many contradictions as the Fairey Swordfish – the legendary “Stringbag” naval torpedo bomber was approaching antiquation at the start of WWII, yet struck mortal blows against some of the most powerful battleships in the Axis fleets.
Naval aviation historian Matthew Willis explores how modern technology, such as radar, kept the Swordfish effective in the early years of the war and enabled it to find and hit the Italian fleet at Taranto, and the Bismarck in the Atlantic, in circumstances no other aircraft could have succeeded.
When it was finally superseded in its main role with the fleet, the Swordfish fulfilled vital roles protecting convoys from the U-boat menace. The story of the Swordfish’s service across the majority of theatres of the war, from the hunt for the Graf Spee to the beaches of Normandy, is told here with never before published accounts from veteran aircrews. It includes dozens of historic photographs and full colour profile artworks.
There are 97 black and white photos, including the back cover.
These photos show 30 of Swordfish’s in flight, 2 are carrying torpedos, 3 carry bombs, 2 are shown in a factory, shown flying in formations are groups of 5, 6 & 7 Swordfish’s, 7 are shown on airfields, 1 on a catapult, 4 on a carrier, 2 on pontoons, one is in the water with pilot next to it, 1 is shown dropping its torpedo, 4 are shown crashed and destroyed, 3 photos are of the cockpit interior, there are aerial photos of the HMS Illustrious, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Chaser, 2 of the HMS Battler and 4 of the HMS Activity.
The book holds 16 color side profile illustrations.
1.The prototype TSB II. It is overall white with a white spinner and red cowling front lip. RAF roundel, black fuselage serial no. K4190 followed by small black serial no. F.2038 and black K4190 repeated on the rudder flap.
2. Another all white Swordfish, with white spinner and cowling front lip. Long black narrow bar down fuselage with British roundel on it. Followed by black serial no. K5561, which is repeated on the sides of the rudder. It is carrying an all black torpedo
3. In identical colors of the 2nd one. On all white pontoons, with an all black torpedo. Fuselage British roundel, followed by black serial no. K5662 that is repeated again on the rudder.
4. One that is all white with a black spine and red and black cowling, on white pontoons. It has a wide diagonal yellow section on its sides under the rear seat, with large black B10 on it, followed by the British roundel and Black serial no. K8351, that is repeated on the rudder.
5. One that is light grey with a dark grey spine and rudder and top of cowling. Cowling has red front lip. White spinner, carrying an all black torpedo. British RAF roundel, followed by black 4A, followed by black serial no. I 2979 and red. white and blue fin flash.
6. One in same scheme as no. 5, carrying a bomb. British RAF roundel, followed by red 5G outlined in white. Red, white and blue fin flash.
7. One in same scheme as no. 6.black serial no. P4127. Large red, white and blue fin flash with large black 4F outline in white on it.
8. One that is overall dark grey, with red cowling front lip, white spinner. British RAF roundel, followed by black ser. no. P4154 on a white background. White 4M on the rudder with red, white and blue fin flash. Carrying an all dark grey torpedo.
9. One that is in a wave pattern of two shades of green over a tan undercarriage, Carrying a similarly schemed torpedo, White spinner, red front cowling lip. British RAF roundel on sides, followed by black ROYAL NAVY over black ser. no. V4367 and red. white and blue fin flash.
10. One in a dark grey spine over white undercarriage scheme. Everything else is the same as previous ones. With British RAF roundel, followed by black ser. no. W5985. Carrying overall black. torpedo.
11. One that is all white with black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. White spinner, red cowling front lip. British RAF roundel, followed by large black letter B, followed by black Royal Navy over HS 545 and a red. white and blue fin flash.
12. One that is overall white with a black spine, white spinner, red cowling front lip, British RAF roundel, followed by black HA, followed by Royal Navy over LS 226 and a red, white and blue fin flash.
13. One in an identical scheme as no. 11. With black Royal Navy over LS 454, narrow band of black across base of rudder and red. white and blue rudder flash.
14. One that is overall white with a black spine, red cowling front lip, British RAF roundel, followed by yellow 51, followed by black Royal Navy over NE 951 and a red, white and blue fin flash.
15. An all black one, with a red cowling front lip. Carrying a bomb. British RAF roundel and large letter F. red, white and blue fin flash.
16. An overall navy blue one, with white rudder. Red cowling front lip, white fuselage code G-ANH.
This is a neat book on the Swordfish. It will be of great interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Morton. Tempes Books can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The Fairey Swordfish is 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. It was also used by the Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as several overseas operators, including the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
It was initially operated primarily as a fleet attack aircraft. During its later years, the Swordfish was increasingly used as an anti-submarine and training platform. The type was in frontline service throughout the Second World War.
Despite being obsolete by 1939, the Swordfish achieved some spectacular successes during the war. Notable events included sinking one battleship and damaging two others of the Regia Marina (the Italian navy) during the Battle of Taranto, and the famous attack on the German battleship Bismarck, which contributed to her eventual demise.
Swordfish sank a greater tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft during the war. The Swordfish remained in front-line service until V-E Day, having outlived some of the aircraft intended to replace it.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 3 - pilot, observer, and radio operator/rear gunner (observer's position frequently replaced with auxiliary fuel tank)
Length: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Wingspan: 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
Width: 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m) wings folded
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 607 sq ft (56.4 m2)
Airfoil: RAF 28[60]
Empty weight: 4,195 lb (1,903 kg)
Gross weight: 7,580 lb (3,438 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Pegasus IIIM.3 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 690 hp (510 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed metal fixed-pitch propeller
Maximum speed: 143 mph (230 km/h, 124 kn) with torpedo at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg) and 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
Range: 522 mi (840 km, 454 nmi) normal fuel, carrying torpedo
Endurance: 5 hours 30 minutes
Service ceiling: 16,500 ft (5,000 m) at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg)
Rate of climb: 870 ft/min (4.4 m/s) at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg) at sea level
690 ft/min (210.3 m/min) at 7,580 lb (3,438 kg) and 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
Guns: ** 1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun in upper right fuselage, breech in cockpit, firing over engine cowling
1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis or Vickers K machine gun in rear cockpit
Rockets: 8 × "60 lb" RP-3 rocket projectiles (Mk.II and later)
Bombs: 1 × 1,670 lb (760 kg) torpedo or 1,500 lb (700 kg) mine under fuselage or 1,500 lb total of bombs under fuselage and wings.
THE BOOK:
Morton Books Ltd./Stratus Books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 150 pages in 7” x 8 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Swordfish that is diving on a German battleship through gun bursts. It is overall white, with a British roundel, followed by a black 5G and a vertical red, white and blue fin flash. It is carrying a torpedo that is overall bare metal with a black nose.
The back cover has a color side profile of a Swordfish that is white with a dark grey spine and rudder, red cowling front edge and white spinner. It has a British roundel followed by a black 4A and a vertical red, white and blue fin flash. It carries an all dark grey torpedo.
Below it there are 2 black and white photos of Swordfish’s. One is in flight. It is overall white with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. The other is of a Swordfish coming in for a landing aboard a carrier, with a ground crew-man guiding her down.
It says the book contains full colour artwork. Rare photographs. Detailed history.
Few aircraft encompass as many contradictions as the Fairey Swordfish – the legendary “Stringbag” naval torpedo bomber was approaching antiquation at the start of WWII, yet struck mortal blows against some of the most powerful battleships in the Axis fleets.
Naval aviation historian Matthew Willis explores how modern technology, such as radar, kept the Swordfish effective in the early years of the war and enabled it to find and hit the Italian fleet at Taranto, and the Bismarck in the Atlantic, in circumstances no other aircraft could have succeeded.
When it was finally superseded in its main role with the fleet, the Swordfish fulfilled vital roles protecting convoys from the U-boat menace. The story of the Swordfish’s service across the majority of theatres of the war, from the hunt for the Graf Spee to the beaches of Normandy, is told here with never before published accounts from veteran aircrews. It includes dozens of historic photographs and full colour profile artworks.
There are 97 black and white photos, including the back cover.
These photos show 30 of Swordfish’s in flight, 2 are carrying torpedos, 3 carry bombs, 2 are shown in a factory, shown flying in formations are groups of 5, 6 & 7 Swordfish’s, 7 are shown on airfields, 1 on a catapult, 4 on a carrier, 2 on pontoons, one is in the water with pilot next to it, 1 is shown dropping its torpedo, 4 are shown crashed and destroyed, 3 photos are of the cockpit interior, there are aerial photos of the HMS Illustrious, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Chaser, 2 of the HMS Battler and 4 of the HMS Activity.
The book holds 16 color side profile illustrations.
1.The prototype TSB II. It is overall white with a white spinner and red cowling front lip. RAF roundel, black fuselage serial no. K4190 followed by small black serial no. F.2038 and black K4190 repeated on the rudder flap.
2. Another all white Swordfish, with white spinner and cowling front lip. Long black narrow bar down fuselage with British roundel on it. Followed by black serial no. K5561, which is repeated on the sides of the rudder. It is carrying an all black torpedo
3. In identical colors of the 2nd one. On all white pontoons, with an all black torpedo. Fuselage British roundel, followed by black serial no. K5662 that is repeated again on the rudder.
4. One that is all white with a black spine and red and black cowling, on white pontoons. It has a wide diagonal yellow section on its sides under the rear seat, with large black B10 on it, followed by the British roundel and Black serial no. K8351, that is repeated on the rudder.
5. One that is light grey with a dark grey spine and rudder and top of cowling. Cowling has red front lip. White spinner, carrying an all black torpedo. British RAF roundel, followed by black 4A, followed by black serial no. I 2979 and red. white and blue fin flash.
6. One in same scheme as no. 5, carrying a bomb. British RAF roundel, followed by red 5G outlined in white. Red, white and blue fin flash.
7. One in same scheme as no. 6.black serial no. P4127. Large red, white and blue fin flash with large black 4F outline in white on it.
8. One that is overall dark grey, with red cowling front lip, white spinner. British RAF roundel, followed by black ser. no. P4154 on a white background. White 4M on the rudder with red, white and blue fin flash. Carrying an all dark grey torpedo.
9. One that is in a wave pattern of two shades of green over a tan undercarriage, Carrying a similarly schemed torpedo, White spinner, red front cowling lip. British RAF roundel on sides, followed by black ROYAL NAVY over black ser. no. V4367 and red. white and blue fin flash.
10. One in a dark grey spine over white undercarriage scheme. Everything else is the same as previous ones. With British RAF roundel, followed by black ser. no. W5985. Carrying overall black. torpedo.
11. One that is all white with black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. White spinner, red cowling front lip. British RAF roundel, followed by large black letter B, followed by black Royal Navy over HS 545 and a red. white and blue fin flash.
12. One that is overall white with a black spine, white spinner, red cowling front lip, British RAF roundel, followed by black HA, followed by Royal Navy over LS 226 and a red, white and blue fin flash.
13. One in an identical scheme as no. 11. With black Royal Navy over LS 454, narrow band of black across base of rudder and red. white and blue rudder flash.
14. One that is overall white with a black spine, red cowling front lip, British RAF roundel, followed by yellow 51, followed by black Royal Navy over NE 951 and a red, white and blue fin flash.
15. An all black one, with a red cowling front lip. Carrying a bomb. British RAF roundel and large letter F. red, white and blue fin flash.
16. An overall navy blue one, with white rudder. Red cowling front lip, white fuselage code G-ANH.
This is a neat book on the Swordfish. It will be of great interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Morton. Tempes Books can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.