The Outdated Biplane That Sank Battleships | Fairey Swordfish

[@RexsHangar]

Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: sponsr.is/rexshangar. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch 'Thats All Brother: Saving A D-Day Legend' and other great documentaries! F.A.Q Section - Ask your questions here :) Q: Do you take aircraft requests? A: I have a list of aircraft I plan to cover, but feel free to add to it with suggestions:) Q: How do you decide what aircraft gets covered next? A: Supporters over on Patreon now get to vote on upcoming topics such as overviews, special videos, and deep dives. Q: Why do you use imperial measurements for some videos, and metric for others? A: I do this based on country of manufacture. Imperial measurements for Britain and the U.S, metric for the rest of the world, but I include text in my videos that convert it for both.

[@brokeandtired]

Even more shocking is they made over 4000 of these.

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

I’ll have to watch later. If you missed the float plane dive bomber variant I’ll be nasty to you 🤣🤣🤣

[@dretety1]

Why bother. You are very unwell.

[@RobertPentangelo]

Overall, was really only the USA that mastered anti-aircraft weaponry and tactics on land and sea? Looks like the Germans never got the hang of it and Navy wise the Soviet Union was not much involved. I am thinking the Brits were #2 and the Japanese say #3-what do you think. I am afraid the Italians were also not good at it.

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

@@RobertPentangelo I’d rate the British higher, but only by a sliver. Check Drachinifel, he did a fantastic deep dive into WW2 AA systems.

[@mryan3123]

I remember, years ago, befriending an older gentleman who was a WAG. He flew off a carrier on String Bags. I asked him one day what scared him the most. He looked me in the eye and said that it wasn't being shot down during combat. It was going on a mission, and finding out that the carrier had deviated from the location where it was supposed to be at when they returned, forcing them to ditch in the cold waters of the Atlantic.

[@quentinking4351]

Understandable

[@wbertie2604]

Even if ditching in the channel in sight of land, the chances of being rescued were quite poor.

[@larrytischler570]

I thought that was when they stationed an screen ship, boat, or plane to relay messages or guide them to their home carrier. The US did this with scout bombers that could stay a long time.

[@halo129830]

I knew a World War Two pilot who flew spitfires in the pacific. He missed out on the last six months of the war do to being shot down and landing in Australia in a coma. In the pacific he said carrier landing was one of the few things that actually unnerved him because of the carrier deviated course like the op said he had precious little time to figure out where the carrier was. Miss you grandpa

[@hazchemel]

Personally, I'd find launching a torpedo after flying maybe 100 - 200 miles in combat conditions that might cause sudden change to travel plans for both plane and carrier., the hectic and turbulent weather, often poor to none visibility, enemy fighters and AA having a go, at some distance beyond my comfort zone. My admiration for those Swordfish crew, who performed near miraculously every day.

[@BrassLock]

I'm so pleased that you've decided to do an in-depth discussion of this unlikely successful aircraft. It's always fascinated me that it survived front line service for so long.

[@connorjohnson7834]

I can't help imagining during the TSR I spin tests it going 'I don't want to spin' 'spinnings dangerous' 'I said no' 'For the last time I'm not going to spin it's dangerous' 'Right, You want to spin? Let's spin!' before throwing itself into that final flat spin

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

I had a similar thought pattern. Test Pilot: Spin! TSR1: No. Test Pilot: Spin! TSR1: No. Test Pilot: Spin! TSR1: If you insist. Test Pilot: Right stop spinning! TSR1: No. Test Pilot: Right stop spinning! TSR1: No. Test Pilot: Oh bugger... Was also highly amused that it took two goes to bail out.

[@sleeplessindefatigable6385]

Honestly, given how hard the pilot had to try to get the swordfish to spin, you've really got to wonder if the test pilot didn't have it coming.

[@AnimarchyHistory]

THATS RIGHT BABY I'M EARLY LIKE A FAIREY!

[@Black.Templar_002]

gotta have multiple children with those dad jokes

[@indigohammer5732]

#cringe

[@Black.Templar_002]

@@indigohammer5732 dont insult the goat of anime warships

[@Jedi.Toby.M]

Your more Blackburn in looks my friend, but fly like a spitfire! Cheers

[@TheJackHood]

More Eagle Day videos when?

[@rlauder7210]

The Swordfish has a special place in my heart. My Grandfather was in the fleet air arm in WW2, patching up all sorts of aircraft that got dropped off at his RN land station just outside Alexandria in Egypt. Towards the end of the war it was getting difficult to get hold of luxuries in Egypt, so my Grandfather and his pilot chum took a newly repaired Swordfish on a "test flight" across to Cypress, where wine and cigarettes were much cheaper and easier to get hold of. They stuffed the fuselage of the Stringbag' with as much booze 'n fags as they could fit. They also *apparently* were offered a really good deal on a piano... which they lashed to the underside of the plane in place of a torpedo and then chugged back across the Med', test flight successful 😂 I don't know how much truth there is to this story, but I loved hearing it as a kid.

[@raymondtonns2521]

it is likely true!

[@ShaunieDale]

I can’t imagine that many pianos were ever tested for their aerodynamic properties.

[@tonyking3125]

Crazy enough to be true. Cool story.

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

If they had spotted any enemy vessels on the return flight, would they have dropped the piano on it? 😂

[@casperslaststandme5991]

Sounds feasible, most piano's can be broken down for transportation, as for the fans and booze, yes thats very believable, my own father served at a force 136 signals base in India, they were meant to have a compliment of at least one hundred and twenty officers, but rarely had more than fifty at one time, however they never got around to cancelling the alcohol rations for the missing officers, strange that lol, this came in handy later on, when driving back to base after a weekend pass somewhat worst for wear, promptly drove off the side of a Bailey bridge and into a river, after having trudged back to base, they were informed the next morning that there was to be a major inspection in readiness for a visit by mountbatten, my father and chums went to the nearest American airfield and purchased another station wagon from as my father put it "the most American man' he had ever seen who was in charge of the stores dept, for several cases of gin, not only did the guy deliver said station wagon, but also had it painted in the correct colours and markings, when mountbatten arrived he apparently drove straight in and parked outside the officers mess, had a couple of drinks snd drove straight out again.

[@Lensman864]

In the early 90s I was in Liverpool and I watched the 'Battle of the Atlantic' commemoration that took place along the river Mersey. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were on HMS Britannia which was moored by the Liver Building at the Pier Head. Amongst many other wonderful aircraft, 3 Swordfish flew up the river in close formation and over Britannia. The highlight was a Harrier that flew very slowly up the Mersey, reached Britannia at a walking pace, turned 90 degrees to face the Queen, dipped its nose in salute and then accelerated away!

[@WelBike1967]

fun fact, a swordfish was the first aircraft to land on Ascension Island South Atlantic, after discovering the newly and secretly built US airfield (the same airfield used by the RAF to bomb Port Stanley in 1982). the US army did try and shoot it down as they were not expecting any visitors, and nobody was meant to know about the airfield.

[@MM22966]

I guess it is hard to compute the lead on an aircraft when it can just stop and turn around in its own body-length before the bullets arrive.

[@johnhallett5846]

@@MM22966 i have heard it was claimed that the reason the bismark did not shoot any down was because they went to slow for the aiming system

[@peterbrazier7107]

You could land your Swordfish at an airfield, unhook your Bicycle from the Torpedo or bomb rack and ride away.

[@geordiedog1749]

You could also land your seaplane variant on a carrier and take off again. No wheels required.

[@SennaAugustus]

You can also fish up a Swordfish floatplane that has ran out of fuel back onto your battleship without having to slow down.

[@jakublulek3261]

That is what Biggles would do, chum!

[@kellytolliver2390]

AWESOME FUCKING AWESOME 😂😅

[@paulsara9694]

@@jakublulek3261 He was WW1. Sopwith Camel.

[@wlewisiii]

Every Swordfish crew member that went up against the Channel dash should have gotten a VC just for doing so. That made Torpedo 8 look like a picnic.

[@marckyle5895]

The Devastator and Stringbag were only a year apart in first flight and purchase orders for squadron service. Can't think of contemporaries for the same role that look so dissimilar as these two.Did any Stringbag crew survive the Dash?

[@AndrewGivens]

The Devastator at Midway and the Swordfish during the Channel Dash prove conclusively that any and all torpedo bombers were hideously vulnerable to fighter interception. There were no exceptions to this rule. It was fighter escort or horrific losses where enemy CAP was present. Any type of torpedo bomber. Any at all. The hogwash about the Devastator's losses being down to any notion of 'obsolescence' is pure victim blaming.

[@roscoewhite3793]

@@marckyle5895 Five of the eighteen crew survived.

[@DidMyGrandfatherMakeThis]

@@AndrewGivenswell, it’s like saying the swordfish was obsolete and it evidently wasn’t. So maybe it was the type of warfare that was reaching obsolescence?

[@wilsonj4705]

VT-8 from Hornet lost 29 out of 30 crew at Midway. 97% KIA Picnic?

[@error52]

"I hope you brought snacks", he says. My brother, I prepared dinner, ate it, then got peckish again an ate a snack, all in the while watching this video. Not complaining, though. 10/10 would watch the next hour long episode.

[@emmgeevideo]

Long, detailed videos are Rex's brand for sure. This was a real challenge to watch, however. Not sure we need all of the exhausting detail, down to the serial numbers of various airplanes.

[@musewolfman]

I'm a little less than halfway done right now, and I've made and eaten dinner. I'll probably have a little ice cream before it's done.

[@planecheck5998]

Every time I hear Rex's engine spluttering and settling into idle, I know I'm in for a treat.

[@JeffBilkins]

When I fall asleep on some other KZbin I wake up on this sound at ~like 0300 at night.

[@SephirothRyu]

I miss his original outro music. It was paired with some videos of early aircraft taxiing around and it just had a feeling of "the planes are so happy!"

[@mpersad]

Like you Rex, I have a real soft spot for the "Stringbag". Love an underdog that has it's day. Terrifically researched and produced video. A fitting tribute to a great aircraft.

[@gyrene_asea4133]

Rex's presentations are the absolute apex of Aviation contributors. I try to never miss 'em.

[@EbenBransome]

The Swordfish was obsolete in its designed role but was then an early approach to the hunter/killer helicopter. Incidentally - stringbags (literally made from knotted string) were extremely common in the UK in WW2 and for years after due to rationing. They squished up enough to fit in a handbag or trouser pocket, and if a shop had something desirable in, the string bag made it possible to buy it and take it home, whether it was fresh vegetables or clothes. If the purchase was dirty, the bag was easy to clean. My mother still had one in the early 1950s "just in case". They persisted in the Soviet Union right up to its end. The Swordfish did not resemble a string bag in any way except for its adaptable carrying capacity.

[@clive373]

I've used string bags, they should be recognised as a bit of iconic design.

[@geoffhusband6594]

That's what people miss. It could stay on station - it didn't need to be fast - spotting a sub it could turn on a sixpence and be back over it - and like a helecopter it was practically VTOL in any kind of headwind - it doesn't matter that it wasn't competitive with other carrier planes re performance. If the Ark Royal had been equipped with Avengers in 1941 they'd never have got off the deck in those conditions to cripple the Bismarck.

[@uingaeoc3905]

incredible development history - from a torpedo carrier to a RATO launched, Radar equipped with UG Rockets and searchlights subhunter! I mean 'Steampunk, eat yer heart out'!

[@drcovell]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@Zach_Hazard]

Not content with building the beautiful Swordfish Biplane, Fairey later went on to design the Gannet, the intensely gorgeous contra-rotating, propeller carrier-borne aircraft. I will not take any further questions or criticisms.

[@seavixen125]

Agreed, the gannet is a stunner (as long as we ignore the AEW.3)

[@kitronkid]

I like fat birds too…

[@emmgeevideo]

"Beautiful" and "Swordfish" are rarely found in the same sentence. "Only a mother could love" is what comes to my mind.

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

@@kitronkid I've got one at home 🙂. Love her dearly.

[@mudcrab3420]

Fairey have never made an ugly aircraft.

[@DornishVintage]

1:16:29 it pleases the Fabricator-General that Rex acknowledges the rites and hymns for optimal performance.

[@oli24yt]

The Aviation Museum in Shearwater, Nova Scotia has a Swordfish in beautiful condition in their collection - and cool fact, it was actually temporarily restored to flying condition for a one-time special commemorative trip to get it there to its permanent home! Several of the tour guides at the museum were personally involved in the restoration project and it's wonderful to hear them talk passionately about it (and about how stressful that final flight was lol). Much bigger plane than I would have intuitively expected, I guess my brain thinks biplane=small. Shearwater Aviation Museum is an excellent little facility that is simply crammed with fascinating aircraft from Canada's military history and their associated artifacts, staffed by knowledgeable and enthusiastic people, I highly recommend it to anybody who happens to come by!

[@magellantv]

We loved every second of this.

[@Boxghost574]

50:35 The Maltese swordfish. A famous sub-species of swordfish known for its taste for metal and German and Italian ships.

[@DidMyGrandfatherMakeThis]

Fairey had a little plan, A two-winged little strutter And everywhere the swordfish went The axis crews did suffer.

[@danielseelye6005]

Very nice! 😁👍🏻

[@Mountain-Man-3000]

Never thought I'd find a historical military specific channel that would have longer features than Drachinifel, but here we are!

[@notshapedforsportivetricks2912]

I remember that Drach once did a 2 1/2 hour one on the Zero, but that was a joint production.

[@TexJester-no8th]

As a guy who's loved the American Corsair for some 5 decades now, I've had a soft spot for the Swordfish after seeing the shorter video (thanks, Rex!!). Thanks for this long video on it!

[@Scottagram]

17:16 minutes into a video about plane and suddenly hearing "it all went wrong on September the 11th" really swung my head around

[@Sugarmountaincondo]

Excellent Documentary and I want to say Thank you for using real historical maps and pictures instead of cartoonish graphics of video game reenactments like so many wannabe You Tubers use in an attempt to be considered as a real "Historian". You obviously put a ton of effort into this presentation, and it shows 👍👍 I even screen shot some of the pictures you used as I had never seen them before after 50 years of my WW2 studies. You earned my subscription and thumbs up easily 😛❤💯

[@Badgersj]

In proper, grammatical English too!

[@Dave5843-d9m]

Swordfish was a heavy lift STOL contemporary with Hawker Hurricane. It was the only type capable of operating off carriers heaving over North Atlantic swells. Its use unescorted against the Sharnhorst Channel dash was absolutely criminal.

[@Drakuer11]

I really love flying this plane in naval battles in war thunder, sneaking around hilly islands torpedoing boats.

[@whitewolf-xf9ui]

need a wingman?

[@pdwcave]

Another book I would recommend would be 'To War in a Stringbag' by Charles Lamb. It covers his operations in the Med and the Taranto raid before become a POW. A great read.

[@drstevenrey]

Swordfish: A very pleasant aircraft to fly. Very forgiving even if you are slightly stupid with it. It's big though. Really big. I flew G-BMGC a few times at Old Warden in the UK in exchange for delivering the Desoutter G-AAPZ back from some detail work in Switzerland. Now I am nearly deaf thanks to the Desoutter.

[@Deepthought-42]

20:11 Slight irony that the BAC “namesake” (sic.abbreviation )TSR2 flew thirty years later in 1964 (Sept) which is now 60 years ago. When considering the latter, it is amazing how much aviation advanced in those 30 years.

[@wbertie2604]

1903 to 1963 - huge progress. It's been relatively relaxed in comparison, 1964-2024!

[@gar6446]

The Brits trolled their enemies. The Swordfish, totally obsolete, but sank a huge amount of shipping, helped defeat the uboat threat, used early airborne surface search radar, and outlasted its supposed replacement. The Mosquito, made of wood, virtually uncatchable and drove Göring nuts . Plus the Walrus "Jeez, someday the Brits will learn how to design a plane", yet did sterling service, not least in the air sea rescue role, sometimes so overloaded, they had to boat back to blighty.

[@guidor.4161]

It's actually huge for a biplane and even compared to most WW2 single engined aircraft. I have a 1/32 scale model kit patiently waiting in my stash.

[@jesperlykkeberg7438]

Love the 1/32 scale so much. Having the Bf108 from Eduard and the Mosquito from Revell waiting in line. Wish I could afford the Dragon Rapide from Lukgraph.

[@richardlong3745]

Even though I'm not British I've always thought the Swordfish was one of the neatest looking biplanes ever built and yes, I know it was late to the biplane era and it was slower than slow it had marvelous looking body design and a distinctive robust biplane look to her. I would have loved to fly one in peacetime but those that flew these planes into combat had to be the bravest of the brave, kudos to these fighting men.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

The Fairey Swordfish were designed & built in Britain from 1935 onwards, originally for the Greek navy, But when trialled prior to delivery they were seen to be so capable that the Royal Navy bought them instead. They were biplanes for a very good reason. At the time they were designed existing aircraft engines were of relatively low power (especially for the British fleet air arm which was ALWAYS low down on the engine & aircraft "priority list") so to enable a carrier aircraft to carry aloft heavy loads needed a large wing area. Their biplane wing area was SO great that they could take off fully loaded WITHOUT the use of a carrier's catapult. This meant that in the stormy North Atlantic where the Royal Navy mainly intended to operate them, instead of being forced to take off at the carrier's bows (where the catapults are) and which is the part of a ship that rises and falls by the greatest amount in heavy seas, the Swordfish could take of from the middle of the carrier's decks close to the bridge where the pitching and rolling was the least. It was for this reason in May 1941 that they were able to take off from HMS Ark Royal to attack Bismarck when the Ark Royal was struggling through an Atlantic gale in MOUNTAINOUS seas, with her bows rising and falling by nearly 60ft !!! Try to imagine how terrifying it must have been for the brave young crews flying them in those conditions. Those weather conditions would have prevented all other allied carrier aircraft of the era from flying and instead seen them safely lashed down inside the hangar deck. They were also incredibly adaptable and throughout WW2 they were modifed to carry, bombs, depth charges, torpedoes, extra fuel tanks and even eight anti ship rockets as well as the world's very first naval airborne radars (that's the reason why they were nicknamed "stringbags" it was said they could carry ANYTHING). They are widely regarded to have ended the war as the aircraft with the GREATEST amount of enemy shipping tonnage sunk, and were HUGELY loved by their crews. They WERE to have been replaced mid war by a succesor, the Fairey Albacore, but the "stringbags" were so ubiquitous that they outlasted the Albacore in service.

[@richardlong3745]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 Thank you for taking time to share this information with me.

[@ChristopherGriffin-ee2ol]

0:17 "One of the most iconic aircraft to be operated by the british" One that had been why the KMS Bismarck couldn't withstand 19 inches (width) several feet of torpedo being shoved up its back end

[@LegitimateCK4120]

Great video! It's amazing how its role in WW2 was essentially a helicopter role. Similar speeds with modern ASW helos, Its ability to manoeuvre at slow speeds, its ordinance and its impressive low stall speed meant that it had a role despite contemporary designed torpedo bombers somewhat struggling

[@alanclague2333]

Didn't mention the attack on HMS Sheffield during the Bismarck hunt. Apart from being a big error of identification, it actually had a beneficial side effect. The attack in Sheffield failed due to the flawed magnet detonators on the torpedoes. This enabled the swordfish to switch to contact detonators when they actually attacked Bismarck.

[@malcolmcuthbertson3359]

Saw the old girl flying from Yeovilton air force base east ( presumably to London ) had an escort of two other prop planes think it was July this year . Had me awestruck , graceful but antiquated , fragile but deadly . Very brave men went up in planes like that to sink heavily armed warships , heroes of a bygone era , striding with Achilles , true warriors .

[@Kilo12117]

Some great stories of the FAA squadrons using the String bags at RAF Bircham Newton during WW2. The operated with Coastal Command and i can tell you, out of all the missions they conducted over the North Sea the Mine laying of thr Friesian Islands that took some serious balls. The characters of those who flew them are some of the most interesting I've read about while working at RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre.

[@coffeeshangarworkshop8051]

When I saw how long it was I was skeptical, and I made it through the whole thing fascinated the whole way. Amazing how something called obsolete continued through 2 major upgrades and 2500+ produced...and distinguishing itself and it's crews. TYVM.

[@FlywithLee]

By far one of my favourite aircraft of the period. Fondly remember building an air fix Swordfish as a young child

[@davidmurphy8190]

Same here on Airfix Swordfish.

[@surferdude7013]

In the late 60s/early 70s I worked with someone who was in the army in north Africa. He didn't talk much about his war experiences but he knew of my interest in aircraft and one day I mentioned my amazement of the use of an aircraft so outdated as the stringbag. He told me he had similar thoughts. But , he met a stringbag pilot who really loved his machine and said something like " at our speed and with an open cockpit you have time to sit back and enjoy the scenery. Provided the crew keep a sharp lookout I can out turn any Jerry until he runs out of ammo and goes home". We both agreed, special breed talking!!!!

[@nzs316]

The amount of research involved in this is mind blowing. Thank you so much for putting us together.

[@drcovell]

Yank here-love ❤ the Swordfish. While one didn’t precisely “Sink” the Bismarck, that spectacular shot in the “Arse” made it possible for the fleet to catch her. Well done! 🫡

[@bhumiriady]

Been waiting for a Rex's Hangar video on the Swordfish and it's well worth the wait! As always, I really enjoyed it so much, since it's very entertaining and the explanation is in-depth, but still easy to understand.^^

[@BHuang92]

Arguably the most famous biplane of WW2!

[@joemungus6063]

one of the few to see service in ww2 as well

[@joemungus6063]

well combat i should say

[@mikepotter5718]

Gloster Gladiator at Malta?

[@Sometimeshere190]

What about the I-15

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

@@joemungus6063 it's weird but when you start looking you realise that there were *loads* of biplanes in combat. Every major belligerent used them. Even the USA - who had a veritable smorgasbord of planes to choose from - found themselves using the SOC Seagull in combat operations till the end of the war.

[@crazypetec-130fe7]

I'm surprised Rex didn't mention the book To War In a Stringbag, by Charles Lamb, a WW2 Swordfish pilot who flew in the raid on Taranto.

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

I just recommended this book to the viewers of this video. A very informative and entertaining read.

[@andrewallen9993]

I've read that, an excellent book.

[@navyreviewer]

This video makes me think of the lost opportunities that were Courageous and Glorious.

[@SennaAugustus]

There's a story on the Naval History website about Operation Pedestal, where the convoy suffered 4 days of no air cover after the sinking of Eagle and heavy damage to Victorious and Indomitable that left them on fire and unable to launch any planes. "It was with very heavy-lidded eyes that the lookouts and bridge crew on Charybdis, saw the faint light of dawn astern. Suddenly the orders 'Stand to - Aircraft dead ahead - Prepare to repel aircraft.' Just as quickly rang the 'Cease fire' bells. The approaching aircraft flying low over the sea, waggled its wings, then flew directly down the centre of Force H. Its pilot and navigator waving like maniacs. They were the first friendly aircraft we had seen in four days. The fact that they flew such an antique plane as a Swordfish, probably saved them from being shot down." We can conclude from this that the Swordfish is a symbol of the FAA and the Royal Navy.

[@robertsnary472]

My great uncle was a CPO on the Indomitable on the Pedestal Convoy he was wounded and after recuperation leave rejoined the Indomitable and served with her in the Pacific

[@UncleJoeLITE]

21:00 What amazes me, with a maths degree, is how the engineers etc did the calculations to sweep the top wing by 4deg to fix the centre of gravity. They didn't even have a Casio FX, just slide rules, pencils & theories. Quite brilliant , no way many of us could do it.

[@lynndonharnell422]

Well the Sydney Harbor Bridge was designed with a team of staff running slide rules and log tables. A staggering amount of man-hours. Still standing.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

Back when people actually thought for themselves and couldn't just rely on computer models ans AI to solve all their problems.

[@NathanDudani]

​muh Ludditism

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Back in the 1980's I used to know how to use a slide rule, having inherited a very nice one (along with his drafting board and tools) from an uncle who had passed. But then I was corrupted by the dark side when I got my first electronic calculator.

[@UncleJoeLITE]

@@NathanDudani 😂

[@jdg3275]

Another well researched and presented documentary. One must assume the brain trust at the air ministry that decided canopies weren't necessary were the same people that parachutes weren't necessary during WW1. Keep up the great work! 🇨🇦❤️🇦🇺

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

It is mentioned in this video that a Canadian version of this aircraft was equipped with a canopy for cold weather operations, but this modification was never adopted for cold North Atlantic operations. I was wondering that myself: It seems some kind of _retrofit canopy_ could have been cobbled together by _somebody._ The _Fairey Albacore_ was _designed_ with a canopy, so it was definitely doable.

[@kirkmooneyham]

Swordfish crews, obviously some of the most absolute brave men to ever climb into an aircraft. Thank you for highlighting them, Rex!

[@HardThrasher]

I'm so here for this; been looking forward to havcing 90 minutes to myself to watch.

[@Cailus3542]

It really does tickle me that for a time, Britain was operating both jet fighters and biplane bombers simultaneously.

[@ronhudson3730]

Arguably, the Swordfish was not obsolete. On one hand, it was exactly what was needed to drop torpedoes - accurately. On the other, it never had to face to type of air-defence that the American torpedo bombers did - as you say. For its intended purpose, against the opposition it expected to find, it was no more obsolete than any other aircraft.

[@CSSVirginia]

It did, once. During the channel dash. They got torn to bits. However, I can't imagine avengers doing any better, unescorted against 109s.

[@ronhudson3730]

@@CSSVirginia I agree. Unescorted naval bombers, both dive and torpedo, stood no chance. Weren’t all the Avengers shot down at Midway. Even today, there are a lot of attack aircraft that couldn’t survive a modern threat environment without all sorts of support.

[@ericadams3428]

Indeed any contemporary torpedo bomber would have been decimated in the channel dash operation.

[@jeremypnet]

@@ronhudson3730there were six Avengers at Midway. Five were shot down. Most of the torpedo bombers were Douglas Devastators. 34 of 41 were shot down including all 15 of VT-8

[@tvgerbil1984]

In the Easter Sunday Raid on Colombo, Ceylon by the Imperial Japanese Navy on 5 April 1942, six Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers had the misfortune to meet the Zeros of the Japanese fleet. All six were shot down.

[@jakublulek3261]

The most Biggles-style plane ever. From the looks, crazy storyline, down to the brave chums flying it.

[@ngauruhoezodiac3143]

The Swordfish was obsolete in WW2 but it disabled the Bismarck and was successful in the battles of Taranto and Cape Matapan. The American Douglas Devastator was far more advanced but was less successful probably because of crap torpedoes.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Utter nonsense. The Fairey Swordfish were designed & built in Britain from 1935 onwards, originally for the Greek navy, But when trialled prior to delivery they were seen to be so capable that the Royal Navy bought them instead. They were biplanes for a very good reason. At the time they were designed existing aircraft engines were of relatively low power (especially for the British fleet air arm which was ALWAYS low down on the engine & aircraft "priority list") so to enable a carrier aircraft to carry aloft heavy loads needed a large wing area. Their biplane wing area was SO great that they could take off fully loaded WITHOUT the use of a carrier's catapult. This meant that in the stormy North Atlantic where the Royal Navy mainly intended to operate them, instead of being forced to take off at the carrier's bows (where the catapults are) and which is the part of a ship that rises and falls by the greatest amount in heavy seas, the Swordfish could take of from the middle of the carrier's decks close to the bridge where the pitching and rolling was the least. It was for this reason in May 1941 that they were able to take off from HMS Ark Royal to attack Bismarck when the Ark Royal was struggling through an Atlantic gale in MOUNTAINOUS seas, with her bows rising and falling by nearly 60ft !!! Try to imagine how terrifying it must have been for the brave young crews flying them in those conditions. Those weather conditions would have prevented all other allied carrier aircraft of the era (including the "more advanced" US Devastators) from flying and instead seen them safely lashed down inside the hangar deck. They were also incredibly adaptable and throughout WW2 they were adapted to carry, bombs, depth charges, torpedoes, extra fuel tanks and even eight anti ship rockets as well as the world's very first naval airborne radars. As well as being responsible for the first German U-boat sunk by aircraft in WW2, they are widely regarded to have ended the war as the aircraft with the GREATEST amount of enemy shipping tonnage sunk, and were HUGELY loved by their crews. They WERE to have been replaced mid war by a succesor, the Fairey Albacore, but the "stringbag" (as the Swordfish were affectionately known) were so ubiquitous that they outlasted the Albacore in service.

[@kimj2570]

Swordfish was success in early war because their crews were trained to fly at night. Almost all other carrier ac fly only at daylight, till very late in war.

[@martinilp2513]

Japanese Navy struggling to put Radar on all of their Naval vessels; Meanwhile Royal navy strapping RATO pods and Radar on a fabric covered Biplane

[@meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee2]

Simultaneously state of the art and state of the ark.

[@AlexV-gi3wu]

I would love to get an episode on the albacore! Most of what I hear about it is that its “predecessor out lasted it” when the aircraft had its own incredible and troubled service history showing up to fight in odd places like Finland, the far east and even dropping flares over the Afrika Korps!

[@LuqmanHM]

ohh yeahh 1hr+ video on the swordfish!!!

[@TrickiVicBB71]

Armored Carriers has some videos of interviews of Fairey Barracuda pilots. Some pilots missed their Stringbags over their new Fairey Barracudas as the latter had a habit of violently disassembling itself while in flight.

[@jkorshak]

Classic aircraft -famous for Taranto and Bismarck - but fascinating background and nice comprehensive look at its development and operational history. Thank you for the presentation. Top notch.👍

[@sixgunsymphony7408]

Even the most modern monoplane torpedo bombers were vulnerable to fighters. They all required fighter escorts to have a chance of survival. So the biplane torpedo bombers were obsolescent, not obsolete.

[@johnbrinsden8751]

Thanks!

[@Hufman]

3:40 It was "only" a 17min Introduction 😂 Man you gotta love this guy for his dedication.

[@snafu2350]

Not Swordfish-related, but I'd be interested in your take on the FAA's use of the (Grumman/Vought?) F4 Corsair from British carriers (including HMS Illustrious) in the Pacific theatre, just to see how well Norman Hanson's war autobiography "Carrier Pilot" (which I thoroughly enjoyed) stands up vs dispassionate examination

[@DropB3arZ]

Thanks Great Video Rex, love the Stringbag. Really do like your longer videos, the French Bomber and Douglas Aircraft Series have been re-watched multiple times Keep up the great work

[@RexsHangar]

Thank you so much! More long videos are definitely on the way :)

[@gijoe1of3]

The fact the swordfish fought in a shooting war and more then proved itself and the fact it flew longer then its replacement sorta proves it was not obsolete or behind its time. It was the right plane in the right war built the right way. Just like the wildcat and SBD and a few others. Historians I feel get so attached to the underdog story. The amazing real one gets over looked.

[@6mtzhp55]

Just got to see That's All Brother during it's visit here. The sort of plane you are amazed wasnt ruined and scrapped like so many others.

[@HardThrasher]

Hurrah! The String Bag

[@HardThrasher]

So - the Fairey TSR....what we're saying is that's why the Blackbird had to be the TSR-2 ? (jk) (no, but really)

[@adamrichardson6821]

By the way, much appreciate your narration style. Very pleasant to listen to, and I can hear every word. Thanks very much, and thank you for the great content as well.

[@BrendenParker-o5v]

You mean those blokes did Arctic convoys in an OPEN COCKPIT? RIP Flight Sgt George Parker 10 Sqn RAF. Respect.

[@russell7852]

I mean it did carry large amounts of ordinance, was reliable, and was extremely stable. A great aircraft that fulfilled its roll perfectly.

[@scottski51]

Ever since reading the great story, To War in a Stringbag, I've been in love with this outdated, ungainly aircraft. Thanks for the video !!

[@russkinter3000]

"I Sank the Bismarck" by the Swordfish pilot that scored the torpedo hit on the Bismarck's rudder is a must read. The title isn't a boast, but an exclamation of surprise, because he wasn't aware of his achievement until research decades later.

[@darekkijewski713]

Thanks a lot and yes, these feature-long documentaries are actually very interesting!

[@willhovell9019]

It was operating off aircraft carriers , was robust , easily repaired. It's the way that the equipment is used and deployed, as the T34 at various battles including Kursk where it held the Nazi Tiger and Panther tanks.

[@quentinking4351]

Jerry might be laughing at us, but let's see how well he can swim

[@masterskrain2630]

Captain of the Bismarck: "Don't worry, it's just a bunch of old-timey biplanes" Um...yeah. Right.

[@mobo8074]

Brilliant as always! Thank you for this monography. I love this oldie and was hoping for an hour or so of it's history.

[@MediumRareOpinions]

Had the pleasure of seeing one of these flying with the Navy Wings collection recently, now to watch a well timed video on the topic.

[@ModelMinutes]

Love putting your videos on in the background whilst i'm working on other things

[@GARDENER42]

32:20 note that's a Vickers K in the photo, an alternative to the Lewis, with a significantly higher rate of fire - double that of the Lewis.

[@Panzerless_SG]

Everybody loves the Swordfish, it's such a nice aircraft

[@blackplatypus6755]

I love the Swordfish -I had the Matchbox 1/72 model kit when I was a kid in the 70's.

[@Friedbrain11]

Hopefully, it was a great kit to build. I couldn't afford one back then myself.

[@danieltaylor5231]

Love the deep dives, so long as you pull up in time.

[@Lensman864]

Narrative implosion is never good.

[@Zorglub1966]

3:47 Snacks? I have a whole crate of jars of baby seal confit!🤗

[@kieranb7582]

The Swordfish is that 1980's Japanese car. It may look basic, may look outdated. However, nothing from any other country could match it's simplicity, reliability and plucky charm, even 20 years later.

[@frostedbutts4340]

Hate to make you feel old but the 80s was more like 40 years ago..

[@Sacto1654]

What made the Swordfish particularly dangerous was the fact AA guns Axis ships were not designed to really take on this slow-flying plane. The fact the Swordfish were able to come within launching range of their torpedoes even against the ship's intense AA fire had to scare the daylights out of _Kriegsmarine_ crews.

[@wbertie2604]

Slow wasn't a problem, it was low that was the issue. However, against ships with active AAA, that Swordfish was quite vulnerable. It had some success against submarines, though, which had rather light defensive fire. Against larger ships, other aircraft were preferred such as the Beaufort and Avenger and even the Hampden.

[@NoVum_old]

Thank you very much for this Fairey Swordfish full length documentary

[@cliffthelightning]

Blackburn and Fairey also have a certain level of goofy i enjoy

[@wbertie2604]

Especially Blackburn prior to the swan song of the Buccaneer.

[@jeasalb]

Takk!

[@marckyle5895]

Garth Ennis did a terrific graphic novel about the Swordfish crews named The Stringbags. It ends with the Dash. Highly, highly recommended.

[@WildBill33]

I found this post very interesting Rex. I read a great book years ago called “To war in a string bag” by Charles Lamb. I think some of your viewers might like it too.

[@Jpdt19]

I strongly recommend that too. Rex one for you if you haven't!!

[@richardmayes8797]

There's something almost steampunk in the idea of a cloth-covered biplane, with a radome and 8 rockets on under-wing hard points, making a rocket-assisted takeoff from a carrier. 10/10, reality is better than fiction! If budget cuts had kept them soldiering on for another decade they might have found room for a couple of self-defense sidewinders under there? Thank you for making this. Only just discovered your channel, the pacing and the level of detail is spot on!

[@SennaAugustus]

So for a period of time, Warspite became the most successful aircraft carrier in WW2.

[@meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee2]

It had to be HMS Warspite, and typically at the same time as it was acting as the worlds only 32,000 ton 15" gun armed destroyer.

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

👍Very interesting, brilliant video, thank you. Always been fascinated by the Swordfish. Always admired those crews who went up against the odds and endured horrible freezing conditions.

[@jimhowes2983]

I don't believe the radar was that bulky, most of that dome underneath was to hold the family jewels of the pilots that flew them

[@balthazar011]

Outstanding. Possibly my favourite WWII aircraft.