I think probably the most underrated plane of World War II is the Swordfish, sank more Axis powers ship tonnage than any other bomber in the war, and it outlasted every plane meant to replace it.
The Stringbag was an early heavy lift STOL aircraft basically built to carry torpedoes from a heaving carrier deck in North Atlantic swells. It could fly when nothing else could. The Bismarck AA gunners had a serious surprise. As did the Italians at Taranto.
I love the swordfish. It was out dated before it was even designed, it was so outclassed the Bismarck’s AA couldn’t hit it as it was designed for high speed aircraft.😂
During the Swordfish attack, all torpedos were dropped, and none of the Swordfish were shot down or damaged, that how advanced the AAs of the Bismarck were at the time. Designed to shoot down monoplanes like the Hawker Hurricane or Supermarine Spitfire flying at around 150mph, not biplanes flying at 80mph. Bismarck's AAs were always firing too far ahead of the targets.
@@joshuagrover795 Nobody flew Hurricanes and Spitfires at about 150 mph in combat. The early Hurricanes had a top speed of 315 mph and the Mk1 Spit was faster.
The Swordfish history's during WWII: 1. Assisted in the Second Battle of Navik, April/May 1940. 2. Assisted in the British attack at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940. 3. Crippled the Italian Navy at Taranto, November 1940, which later led to the Italian Navy's demise. 4. Crippled the Bismarck, which led to its sinking. 5. Sunk more Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft. Outdated by WWII, but not completely useless "Stringbag." In fact string three nations.
And, to name some minor contributions, one of them sank a U-Boat at night around Gibraltar, and did a lot to lay naval mines around the British home islands.
The Swordfish was succeeded in 1945, and as of current rendered pretty obsolete by most air-to-air missile systems of the modern day. HOWEVER, the Swordfish proved a veritable pioneer of future aircraft, being among the first to use air-to-surface RADAR. To this day, modern jets are equipped with RADAR, using this in BVR (beyond visual range) warfare. So no, we don’t need the Fairey Swordfish again. However, we do need to remember that it helped change war, an example of air power putting an end to the era of the battleship.
Is that the one at the Shearwater Aviation Museum? If so, it flew once following completion of its restoration in 1994 but has not flown since - unless something good has happened to it very recently? Vintage Wings of Canada have an airworthy Swordfish based at Gatineau, Quebec. I think there are only 2 aircraft worldwide currently flyable - the one in Gatineau and this one, with a total of 12 survivors and potentially at least 2 to 4 more airworthy after future restorations?
This lumbering obsolete monstrosity was the the most efficient and effective allied naval torpedo bomber of ww2. Bloody marvelous aircraft!
I love the old “Stringbag.” 🇬🇧👍
String the Bismarck, Italian Navy and the Vichy French.
I think probably the most underrated plane of World War II is the Swordfish, sank more Axis powers ship tonnage than any other bomber in the war, and it outlasted every plane meant to replace it.
Long live the "String bag".
That aside, it also had early air-to-surface RADAR. One Swordfish sank a U-Boat around Gibraltar at night thanks to ASV.
The Stringbag was an early heavy lift STOL aircraft basically built to carry torpedoes from a heaving carrier deck in North Atlantic swells. It could fly when nothing else could. The Bismarck AA gunners had a serious surprise. As did the Italians at Taranto.
yep.. and Pearl Harbor was inspired by Taranto
@@OgrabliatorKorovanov which brought the Americans into the War.
It’s reported that the British never fired a single shot at Taranto- the work was wholly done by the Fairey Swordfish and its torpedoes.
I love the swordfish. It was out dated before it was even designed, it was so outclassed the Bismarck’s AA couldn’t hit it as it was designed for high speed aircraft.😂
During the Swordfish attack, all torpedos were dropped, and none of the Swordfish were shot down or damaged, that how advanced the AAs of the Bismarck were at the time. Designed to shoot down monoplanes like the Hawker Hurricane or Supermarine Spitfire flying at around 150mph, not biplanes flying at 80mph. Bismarck's AAs were always firing too far ahead of the targets.
@@joshuagrover795 Nobody flew Hurricanes and Spitfires at about 150 mph in combat. The early Hurricanes had a top speed of 315 mph and the Mk1 Spit was faster.
trop beau
I'm getting Sky Odyssey flashbacks
How many people know that Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin served as an observer on the Swordfish during WW II?
The Swordfish history's during WWII:
1. Assisted in the Second Battle of Navik, April/May 1940.
2. Assisted in the British attack at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940.
3. Crippled the Italian Navy at Taranto, November 1940, which later led to the Italian Navy's demise.
4. Crippled the Bismarck, which led to its sinking.
5. Sunk more Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft.
Outdated by WWII, but not completely useless "Stringbag." In fact string three nations.
And, to name some minor contributions, one of them sank a U-Boat at night around Gibraltar, and did a lot to lay naval mines around the British home islands.
It doomed the Bismarck by disabling its rudder
This is what we need NOT bloody F-35's.
Not quite as stealthy as an F-35!
The Swordfish was succeeded in 1945, and as of current rendered pretty obsolete by most air-to-air missile systems of the modern day.
HOWEVER, the Swordfish proved a veritable pioneer of future aircraft, being among the first to use air-to-surface RADAR. To this day, modern jets are equipped with RADAR, using this in BVR (beyond visual range) warfare.
So no, we don’t need the Fairey Swordfish again. However, we do need to remember that it helped change war, an example of air power putting an end to the era of the battleship.
What was the function(s) of the "observer" in the rear cockpit?
The observers role was primarily navigation. A third crew member, also in the rear cockpit, was a Telegraphist/Air Gunner or TAG.
@@HighFlight Thanks. I knew someone would know.
You can get some Pearl harbor kind of vibes when you SEE this guy take-off
They actually have one in Nova Scotia which is airworthy!
Is that the one at the Shearwater Aviation Museum? If so, it flew once following completion of its restoration in 1994 but has not flown since - unless something good has happened to it very recently? Vintage Wings of Canada have an airworthy Swordfish based at Gatineau, Quebec. I think there are only 2 aircraft worldwide currently flyable - the one in Gatineau and this one, with a total of 12 survivors and potentially at least 2 to 4 more airworthy after future restorations?
For a second I thought you meant Nova Scotia was airworthy. I'm such an idiot
@@aaroniousairlines9949 Well... I mean, you could make it fly with a big explosion....
@@greatcanadianmoose3965 Yeah but it wouldn't look as cool as just the Swordfish flying
@@aaroniousairlines9949 Well the Shearwater Aviation Museum's trying to restore a Firefly... that'd look at least as cool as the Swordfish imo