Your favorite biplane British WW2 Torpedo plane begining with S

[King Kurt]

A new thread to allow full and frank discussion on everybody's favourite biplane British WW2 Torpedo plane begining with S - the magnificent Swordfish - the most important plane in WW2.

The Swordfish was responsible for
1) Sinking the Bismark - which meant that the surface German Navy spent the rest of the war in port.
2) The attack on Taranto - an attack which not only effectively neutered the Italian navy in the Med, but was also the inspiration for the attack on Pearl Harbour, thus causing Japan and therefore the US entering the war.
3) Was a major part of the air power that effectively won the Battle of the Atlantic - the only battle the British and therefore the Allies could not afford to loose.

So this remarkable plane could arguebly be the saviour of civilisation as we know it.....and thus deserves a thread of its very own.

[rotorgun]

It is with great satisfaction, that I join in with such a witty fellow to sing the praises of this post WWI (can I say that?) aircraft.

How about the scintillating specifications of this sleek machine used in such a sanguine way?

* Crew: Three (pilot, observer, and radio operator/rear gunner)
* 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)
* Empty weight: 4,195 lb (1,900 kg)
* Loaded weight: 7,720 lb (3,500 kg)
* Powerplant: 1× Bristol Pegasus IIIM.3 or XXX radial engine, 690 hp (510 kW) (750 hp (560 kW) for Pegasus XXX)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 138 mph (222 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
* Range: 546 mi (879 km)
* Ferry range: 1,025 mi (1,650 km)
* Service ceiling: 19,250 ft (5,870 m)
* Rate of climb: 1,220 ft/min (6.2 m/s)

Armament

* Guns: * 1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun in 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

Wkikipedia

I wonder if the maximum speed was with or without the Torpedo?

[King Kurt]

Nisssssssse to see so many S's

The Swordfish was painfully slow - I remember reading an account of one of the battles in the Med where a flight of Swordfish were chasing the Victoria Venetto - the Italian Battle ship - who was making over 35 knots into a strong head wind. Apparently the combination of the wind and the speed of the ship made it difficult for the Swordfish to catch up!!

She could only be effective when there was no fighter opposition, but she was an amazing weapon platform when that was the case.

[rotorgun]

Nisssssssse to see so many S's

The Swordfish was painfully slow - I remember reading an account of one of the battles in the Med where a flight of Swordfish were chasing the Victoria Venetto - the Italian Battle ship - who was making over 35 knots into a strong head wind. Apparently the combination of the wind and the speed of the ship made it difficult for the Swordfish to catch up!!

She could only be effective when there was no fighter opposition, but she was an amazing weapon platform when that was the case.

Have you seen that old classic film Sink the Bismark? The scenes of the Swordfish taking off from the HMS Ark Royal show what looks like a take off run of about 15 to 20 feet. I don't know how the Swordfish pilot's could manage to land on such a pitching deck, as one of a carrier in the North Atlantic must ptich like a bucking horse, but they must have had an amazing slow stall speed.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The slow speed was part of the success factor -- lots of time to line up the shot. Moreover, being an old-school bipe with "fabric" wings, it was actually a bit harder to knock down with flak than you would expect -- certainly it wasn't any MORE vulnerable than all of the other torp bombers.

It's only realy failing was range.

[rotorgun]

The slow speed was part of the success factor -- lots of time to line up the shot. Moreover, being an old-school bipe with "fabric" wings, it was actually a bit harder to knock down with flak than you would expect -- certainly it wasn't any MORE vulnerable than all of the other torpedo bombers.

It's only real failing was range.

I just can't for the life of me figure out how the German anti aircraft gunners on board the Bismark could have missed. Didn't the Germans excel in gunnery optics and range direction? Captain Lindemann should have kicked the gunnery officers rear end, and fired a few Petty Officers after the first attack. Sheeesh!

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PS: Slightly off topic remark warning.