HOME      Fairey Swordfish

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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NOTE: RADIO CONTROL AIRPLANES ARE ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE PAGE.
 
Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber biplanes were in operation for Great Britain throughout World War II. The Fairey Swordfish played an important role in naval aviation, helping the Allies win the War.
 
Fairey Swordfish, first flown in 1934 and known as the stringbag, were frail looking aircraft, even by the standards of the day.
 
Construction of the Fairey Swordfish was of fabric covered metal.
 
The Fairey Swordfish was slow, highly maneuverable, easy to maintain, and extremely reliable. These qualities made it ideal as a torpedo bomber.  
 
The Fairey Swordfish is perhaps best known for crippling the German battleship Bismarck in May of 1941, enabling warships from the Royal Navy to catch and eventually sink it.
 
Fairey Swordfish aircraft dealt a major blow to the Italian Navy in November of 1940 by their attack on the Taranto Naval base. The results was the sinking of three battleships, a cruiser, two destroyers and numerous support vessels by Fairey Swordfish aircraft.
 
Fairey Swordfish, in addition to operating from larger aircraft carriers, operated from the decks of converted grain ships and oil tankers known as merchant aircraft carriers. The ships were fitted with flight decks measuring approximately 460 feet in length. Each ship carried a total of four Fairey Swordfish aircraft. In that capacity they were able to provide additional air cover for convoys.
 
A total of over 2,400 Fairey Swordfish aircraft were produced.
 
  

Specifications

        Primary Function:
        Crew:
        Engine:
        Power:
        Weight Empty:
        Max. Weight:
        Machine Guns:
        Ordnance:
        Length:  
        Wingspan:
        Cruise Speed:
        Max. Speed:
        Climb: 
        Ceiling:
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        First Flight:  
        Year Deployed:
torpedo bomber
two
Bristol Pegasus
690 h.p.
4,700 lbs.
7,500 lbs.
2- 7.7 mm
1,670 lbs.
35' 8"
45' 6"
103 mph
138 mph
1,200 fpm
16,500 feet
550 miles
4/17/34
1936
 
Radio Control Airplane

RC Store.com Fairey Swordfish rc airplane.
 
Radio Control Airplanes:
 
 
Pictured right above is a RC Fairey Swordfish airplane built from Robert Caso plans.  The radio control airplane plans are available from the RC Store.com.  Wing span of the rc Fairey Swordfish airplane is 37", and fuselage length is 28".  The RC Airplane is made from balsa and plywood. Suggested power for the radio control airplane is a Speed 400 motor geared 3.45:1 driving a 10 x 7 prop.
 
The first picture below is of the Fairey Swordfish free flight model airplane from Aero Graphics.  There are a number of examples of this model being converted to a rc Fairey Swordfish airplane. The RC Fairey Swordfish airplane is usually powered by an electric motor.
 
The second and third pictures below are of the great looking rc Fairey Swordfish airplane scratch built by Richard Crapp.  The radio control airplane has won a number of competitions.  The RC Fairey Swordfish airplane has a wing span of 103" and is 1/5.5 scale.  All up weight of the radio control airplane is 32 lbs.  We were unable to find what engine is being used to power the rc airplane. 
 
Don't hesitate to write and send in pictures of your Fairey Swordfish radio control airplane.  If you would like to suggest RC Fairey Swordifsh airplane plans, a ARF, or a kit, please email us.
   
 
Radio Control Airplane
Model airplane from Aero Graphics.
 
Radio Control Airplane

RC Airplane built by Richard Crapp.

Radio Control Airplane
  Richard Crapp and his rc airplane.