Crowood Aviation Series - Fairey Swordfish and Albacore.pdf - Crowood Aviation Series - KILLSNAPZ420

Fairey Swordfish and Albacore

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AVIATION -

I.' ~:::-'Jl.)-~ SERIES

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Other titles in th

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viation Series

FAIREY SWORDFISH

Peter C. Smith

Mick Davis

Ken Delve

Barry Jones

Malcolm L. Hill

Robert F Dorr with Jerry c. Scutts

Malcolm L. Hill

Martin W. Bowman

Thomas Becher

Martin W. Bowman

Charles Woodley

Martin W. Bowman

Scott Thompson

Peter C. Smith

Thomas Becher

Barry Jones

Martin W. Bowman

Peter C. Smith

Paul Leaman

Barry Jones

Peter Jacobs

Peter C. Smith

Ron Mackay

Martin W. Bowman

Eric Mombeek

Brad Elward

Peter E. Davies and Tony Thornborough

Ron Mackay

David Baker

Ray Sanger

Jerry Scutts

Duncan Curtis

Peter C. Smith

Andy Evans

Ken Delve

Alec Brew

Barry Jones

Lance Cole

Martin W. Bowman

Aichi D3A 1/2 Val

Airco - The Aircraft Manufacturing

ompany

Avro Lancaster

Avro Shackleton

BAC One-Eleven

Bell P-39 Airacobra

Boeing 737

Boeing 747

Boeing 757 and 767

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Bristol Britannia

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Douglas A-26 and B-26 Invader

Douglas AD Skyraider

Douglas Twinjets

English Electric Canberra

Engl ish Electric Ligh ttl ing

Fairchild Republic A-lO Thunderbolt II

Fokker Aircraft of World War One

Hawker Hunter

Hawker Hurricane

Junkers J u 87 Stuka

Junkers Ju 88

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Lockheed F-104 Srarfighter

Luftwaffe - A Pictorial History

McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk

McDonnell Douglas F- J5 Eagle

Messerschmitt Bf 110

Messerschmitt Me 262

Nieuport Aircraft of World War One

orth American B-25 Mitchell

orth American F-86 Sabre

North American T6

Panavia Tornado

Short Sunderland

The Turret Fighters

V-Bombers

Vickers VC J0

Vought F4U Corsair

AND ALBACORE

lU A. Harrison

1)~CI

The Crowood Press

Acknowledgements

First publishcd in 2002 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshirc SN8 2HR

Many thanks to the following for their

help in the preparation of this book: Ian

Huntley, Ray turtivant, Steve Gillard,

BAe Heritage entre, Brough, Andy

Thomas, Ing. N. Geldof , Instituut Mari-

tieme Historie (RNNAS), Richard Rid-

ing, Lt Cdr E. W. Whitley, Eric Tyler, Cdr

J. H. Stenning RN (Retd), J. K. Cannon,

e. R. Jeffs, Lt Cdr M. B. W. Howell, Lt Cdr

R. E. F. Kerrison, Tom Mogford, A. B. Sin-

gleton, Lt Cdr F. e. Rice DSM RN (Retd),

Cdr S. H. Suthers DSC RN (Retd), Capt

Eric Bown OBE DSC AFC RN (Retd), J.

K. G. Taylor, Capt L. E. D. Walthall DSC

RN (Retd), Capt K. Williamson, LtCdre.

Wines DCM, Capt F. M. A. Torrens-

Spence DSO DSC AFC RN (Retd). J. T.

Canham, Alan Ryman, l. G. Templer,

John Dickson, George Mitchell, Lord Kil-

bracken (formerly Lt Cdr John Godley

DSC RNVR), RAF Museum, FAA Muse-

um and The Society of Friends of the FAA

Museum, and Imperial War Museum.

Contents

www.crowood.com

Preface

be reproduced or transmirred in any form or by any

mcans, electronic or mechanical, including

pho(()copy, recording, or any information storage

(lnd retrieval system l withoLlt permission in writing

from the publishers.

THE FAIREY AVIATION COMPANY

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BRITISH

TORPEDO-CARRYING AIRCRAFT

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND

PRODUCTION OF THE SWORDFISH

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is availablc from

the British Library.

FAA FLYING TRAINING

ISBN I 861265133

TORPEDO DELIVERY AND TACTICS

Phorographs nor crcditcd in the text are from the

author's own collection.

FOR SWORDFISH REPLACEMENT - READ ALBACORE

SHORE-BASED OPERATIONS WITH

COASTAL COMMAND, 1940-45

OPERATIONS - THE ATLANTIC, ARCTIC

AND HOME WATERS, 1939-45

THE MEDITERRANEAN, 1939-43

125

10.

159

INDIA

OCEAN AND FAR EAST

164

166

170

171

173

174

Appendix

Swordfish Production

Appendix

Swordfish Operational Use

Appendix

III

Albacore Production

Appendix

Albacore Operational Use

List of Abbreviations

Index

Typefaces used: Goudy (lexr),

Cheltenham (headings).

Typcsct and designed by

D & Publishing

Lambourn Woodlands, Hungcrford, Berkshire.

Printed and bound in Grear Britain by Bookcrafr,

Midsomer Norton.

PREFACE

Warn1~lIp, the Taurus was opened up [0 l1laxi~

mum b,xlst for weak-mixture cruise, propeller

operation checked, the magnetoes tested for

drop with rich mixture anu then full thrortle

0,000-3,100rpm), and boost and oil pressure

checks. The Albacore revealed no vices during

the take-off run and at I I, 1851b was pulled off

at about 60kt lAS wirh 3,100 rpm and 4Xlb of

boost, the climb our starting at about 5kt IA

and the recommenueu climbing speed bcing

some 96kt lAS at 2,800rpm with 3Yolb of boost

up to 6,oooft. This altitude waS reached in abour

eight minutes bur above 6,000ft it was recom-

mended that the climbing speed be reduced by

I kr per 1,000ft. The Albacore was ccrtainly a

well-behaved and likeable aircraft. It was some-

what unstable longitudinally and a degree of

concentration had to be exercised when climb-

ing through cloud, the ailerons proved to be on

rhe hcavy side, while the elevator was fairly sen-

sitive. The Albacore was designed for diving at

speeds up to 215kt lAS with flaps either up or

down, and it was certainly steady in a dive,

recovery being easy and smooth, but some care

had to be taken not to use rhe elevator too

sharply. The A Ibacore could not, of course, be

spun and aerobarics were definitely not permit-

ted. The srallwas a fairly innocuous affair, tak-

ing place at about 68kt with flaps up and at 66kt

with flaps down. The final approach was made

at 75kr and rhroughout this gentle beast

behaved impeccably, leaving one with an

impression of quiet reliabiliry and efficiency but

the inescapable conclusion thar here was a truly

unspectacular aeroplane.

I have rwo very distincr recollecrions of the

Albacore. One was during my time with the

Service Trials Unit ar Crail when carrying out

anti-fighter arrack mctics. The theory was that

straight and level flight at nought feet over the

sea would effectively counter any fighter attack,

which, in fact it did, but in my enthusiasm to get

really low I misjudged the distance beneath my

feet that the damned big undercarriage extend-

ed - until the Albacore made skimming contact

with the water! Comments from the rear cock-

pit were voluble in telling me that the wheels

were wet and spinning! The second incident

took place in 1942 when still with the same

unit, and resulted from a crazy wager that I

could fly every aircraft type that we had under

the Tal' Bridge ' This was easy enough under the

centre spans, bur when the wager progressed to

the much smaller spans nearer the bank ... ' The

A Ibacore proved to be the tightest fit!

"H\ln)1 in o"erride position, the throttle was

'I"!ll'd fully and take-off boost, staric rpm and

",I "re"ure checked.

I.lxllng wa; the e 'ence ofsimpliciry, alrhough

IIw ,",w\lrJfish had a rendency to weathercock in

IlIl:h WII1J; and in such conditions it was advis-

,hl"lo have a couple of matelors on the wingtips.

I "r Iilke-off, rhe elevator was trimmed 3 degrees

n" . up, halffull port bias was applied to the rud-

I.-r. lhe mixture control was set RICH (Over-

"dd, Ihe flap; were raiseu fully and rhe oil bypass

\ olll rol wa; ;et I The rhrottle was opened

lowly to full power of +21b boost and 2,200rpm,

till' lilke-off was short, any swinging tendency

I IIlI: eilsily counteracted by the rudder, and

IlIllh could be initiated ar 70kt. When stabilized

III Ihe climb lx)osr was reduced to +Yolb. The

, IlIlIh was a long drawn-out affair in which, the-

\1"'1 Kalil', you could reach a cruise altitude of

,l\\1f1 in about 10 minutes with a rake-off

'''',/o:ht of the order of 6,750Ib. In flight the

"ordfi,h was very stable about all axes and was

''''y ea,y to fly on instruments, but harmony of

,olHrnl wa; somewhat spoiled by over-sensitivity

of rudder, alrhough this cancelled itself our in

IIdon/o: the ;lightly heavy ailerons in endowing

th" ungainly-looking aircraft with agility totally

\llll ofkeeping with irs appearance, and its rate of

lurn wa; phenomenal. There was no warning of

., '1"II11ther rhan a gentle sink which occurred at

.,I""Jl S2kt and the Swordfish regained flying

I 'l·d almost immediately without the least ten-

d 'Ill)' to spin. A normal landing was ridiculous-

11 ",,,1'. With mixture set at RICH, carburerror air

1lI1"ke set COLD and brakes checked OFF, the

.... wordfish would Virtually land itself. This was

normally effected without flap at 70kr on an air-

lIl'id and at 60kt on a carrier. The ideal method

of dive-bombing was to fly almost immediately

,,1'1< Ive the target and rhen rurn the Swordfish

over rll the ncar vertical, diving until the rarget

,m,ld be seen alxwe the upper wing. With a for-

w;lrd CG no real muscle had to be applied in

rl'lovery, gentle pressure pulling the Swordfish

,",,'tively and reasonably rapidly out of the dive,

hut with the CG aft the elevator called for some

mu,c1e ami response was sluggish.

In September 1942 I joined the Service Tri-

,.I, Unit at Arbroath, where the rest programme

It'ted for the Swordfish reflected the fact that,

having been replaccd by rhe Albacore and

Avenger in the classic torpedo-bombing role, it

had taken on a new lease of life in rhe anti-sub-

m,uine warfare role. Most of the consequent

work involved performance and handling rrials

with a clutter of external stores and wa; relaled

to the decision to operate the wordfish from

the new escort carriers that were being ommls-

sioned and MAC-ships. Incredibly, it did nol

seem to matter what one slung under a word-

fish, for external loads made little or no differ-

ence to handling or performance. The heaviest

load I ever Iifted beneath a wordfish omprisecl

a Leigh Light and irs battery pa k, an I in tor-

peuo and eighr 100Ib anti-submarine bombs!

In May 1942, when I was to make my first

acquaintance with the Albacore at the Deck

Landing Training Unit in which I was serving at

Arbroath, Fairey's Hayes factory was full of

Albacores when it shoulu have been full of Fire-

flies, and this last British opemtional biplane

had barely more than 18 months of operational

service left to it. My first impression of the

Albacore was one of size. Of course, its beauti-

fully cowled Taurus offered a lot morc powcr

than rhe Pegasus but I wondered how much of

rhis was absorbed in compensating for the built-

in drag l After clambering in the Albacore's

cockpit, which was a long way off the ground, I

found no major departure from the essentially

simple theme that characterized rhe entire air-

craft, the layout being very neat and clinical.

Both the pilot's cockpit forward of the main-

planes and the crew's cockpit aft of the main-

planes - the rwo being divided by a very sub-

srantial 193 imperial gallon fuel tank - were

enclosed by a wealth of transparent panelling,

and the view from [he lofty pi lor's perch was

most impressive, being very goou forward,

above and below. The Albacore had been

designed with an eye to case of deck landing,

and I could certainly understanu the Swordfish

boys'

Preface

modern appearanc , it never had the guts

and mano uvrability of the wordfish and

its Bristol Taurus II engine wasn't a patch

on its stablemate, the much loved Peggy

(Pegasus).' It must have been about this

time that someone wrote a new song, to be

sung to the tune of 'Bring Back My

Bonny'. It soon became an FAA favourite

and has been bawled out around wardroom

pianos ever since:

valiantly at barely more than 70kt if it was not

- it could be somewhar disconcerting at times to

be travelling in the same direction as an express

train. The cockpir was just as comfortable as an

exposed hilltop in a Force 10 gale - the elon-

gated aft cockpit was even worse as ir provided

a perfect wind scoop - with its occupants freez-

ing in consequence. In September 1941, as

squadron armaments officer, I was assigned the

task of assessing the ability of the Swordfish to

evade fighter attack. I was already familiar with

the amiability anu tractabiliry of the Swordfish,

anu I soon discovered that it possessed quite

remarkable manoeuvring qualities that com-

pletely belieu irs appearance of unwieluline,s. Ir

could be stood on its wing-rips and almost

turned round in its own length! I even braved

the gale-force winds in the rear cockpit to assess

the field of fire of the observer's single rifle-cal-

ibre Lewis gun and found that, puny as defen-

sive armament though rhis machine gun

undoubtedly was, it possessed an excellent fielu

of fire upward and to the rear and, with one in

three bullets a tracer, was likely to prove deciLl-

edly off-putting to any fighter pilot successful in

coaxing his mount down to the speeds at which

the Swordfish trundled along.

For starting, the fuel cock was set to MAl

o LY, the throttle was opened a half-inch and

the oil cooler bypass control set to IN. A couple

of matelots then energized the inertia starter by

cranking the starting handle, one standing on

the port wheel facing aft and the other on the

port wing facing forward. They cranked away

until peak speed was attained and then one of

the reu-faced and perspiring ground crew woulu

signal the pilot to engage the clutch. s soon as

the ground crew called 'contact', the pilot

switcheu on rhe ignition and the hand srarter

magnero. Ifhe was lucky, rhe immense propeller

began flailing anu as oon a rhe hiueously noisy

Pegasus was running smoothly he switched off

the hanu starter magneto. The throttle was

opened slowly to I, OOrpm and the engine

allowed to warm up until rhe oil temperarure

reached 15°C. Power checks were then per-

formed with one of the matelots lying across the

tail plane. The rpm anu oil pressure were

checkeu at cruising boost but with the mixture

control at ALTITUDE, and then, wirh mixture

I must tell you that uuring the last Home Fleet

exercise in the Atlantic, in normal Atlantic

weather, we founu it quite impossible to operate

Fireflies and Sea Furies without breaking them,

anu our Aumiral stated at the post-exercise uis-

cuss ion that he didn't think the GR.17 IGan-

ner] was the complete answer. We needed some-

thing slow and robust, even more, apprm1Ching

the Swordfish type, if we were to conduct con-

tinuous antiisubmarine operations from

light

fleet carriers in the Atlantic.

The Swordfish rei ies on her Peggy,

The modified Taurus ain't sound,

So the Swordfish flies out on her missions,

And the Albacore stays on the grounu

(Chams)

Bring back, bring back,

Oh bring back my Stringbag to me - to me'

Bring back, bring back,

Oh bring back my

The above was sent as a letter by Derek

Emp on, CO of No. 814 Squadron, oper-

ating Fireflies, to Fairey on 16 ovember

1949, just over ten year after the word-

fish went to war as an already obsolescent

biplane. What a tribute to a biplane in the

monoplane era! But the remarks of Mike

Lithgow in his 1954 autobiography Mach

One fairly well summed up what they, as

naval pilots at the time, thought of it:

tringbag to me!

The comments of Capt Eric Brown, a

most experienced naval test pilot, perhaps

best

the characteristics of both

The Sworufish, or 'Stringbag' as it was affec-

tionately calleu, was the standard torpedo

bomber of rhe uay - and for that matter, of many

a day thereafter. Ir carried a prodigious load of

bombs, mines, torpedoes, depth charges or any-

thing else that could be thought up for it - and

a great deal was - withour, to any marked

degree, prejudice to its handling qualities other

than to knock a few more knots off the speed, if

such a term can be applied.

machines:

Late in 1940 I was posted to a Martlet [i.e.

Grumman Wildcar] squadron, No. 802 at

Donibristle. This station was also a naval repair

yard and received Swordfish straight from the

manufacturer for minor modification before

issue to squaurons. Since no regular ferry pilots

were available, I found myself on the station

roster for this duty and, from time to time,

despatched to rhe new production plant at

Sherburn-in-Elmer, between Leeus and Selby,

where Blackburn Aircraft hau begun to assem-

ble Swordfish, to ferry new aircraft back to

Donibristle. I immediately discovered that

claims for the Swordfish's handling qualities

had, if anything, been understateu: It was unbe-

lievably easy to fly, there being virtually only a

20kt speed range to cover climb, cruise and

landing. A pair of hamfist; were no serious dis-

advantage in flying the wordfish, for no air-

craft coulu have been more tractable or forgiv-

ing, but its pilot did need two qualities: patience

and the physical attributes of a brass monkeyl

The Swordfish ambled along lazily at about 85kt

if the wind was favourable and staggered along

initial

delight

exchanging

their

draughry cockpits for all this luxury.

The starting procedure for the Taurus sleeve-

valve engine was quite straightforward, as,

indeed, was everything about the Albacore.

The propeller was turned slowly a couple of

times by hand as a safeguard against oil causing

an hydraulic lock of the pistons or sleeves, the

induction system primed and rhe ignition

switched on. The Coffman srarter charger knob

on the lower right-hand side of rhe panel was

pulled out lowly, the starter was switched on

and the priming pump handle pulled. One

stroke of the pump was given as the starter but-

ton was pushed, and the engine usually fired

readily, being warmed up at a fast rick-over until

cylinder temperature reached ahout 100°C and

oil

Of the Albacore he remarked:

We took to the Albacore with mixed feelings; it

was certainly faster - it could be persuaded to fly

at 130kt (just) and it was capable of carrying a

heavier load. The cockpits were enclosed, and

there was a large fuel rank between the pilot anu

observer. It thus lacked the personal touch which

had so endeared us to the Swordfish. The engine,

a TtWfUS, took some time to senle down, and we

had several failures in early days. Luckily, the

trouble was sorted out by the time we went [0 ~ca,

when it was phenomenally dependable.

temperature

15°C.

After

few

minutes

John Kilbracken's view was, 'The Alba-

core was never popular. Despite its more

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