Fairey Swordfish – Navy Wings Heritage Flight, City Of Leeds 1/72

Aviation 72 1/72 scale AV72FB006: Fairey Swordfish The Navy Wings Heritage Flight W5856/4A City Of Leeds. This Swordfish is quite exceptional, with authentic wire rigging, spinning propeller and display stand, plus of course as the “Stringbag” has fixed undercarriage it is no different to a much higher value similar model.

Length 6 inches Wingspan 7.75 inches

The Fairey Swordfish is a biplane torpedo bomber designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. Originating in the early 1930s, the Swordfish, nicknamed “Stringbag”, was operated by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, in addition to having been equipped by the Royal Air Force (RAF) alongside multiple overseas operators, including the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Netherlands Navy. It was initially operated primarily as a fleet attack aircraft. During its later years, the Swordfish became increasingly used as an anti-submarine and training platform. The type was in frontline service throughout the Second World War, but it was already considered obsolete at the outbreak of the conflict in 1939.

Nonetheless, the Swordfish achieved some spectacular successes during the war. Notable events included sinking one battleship and damaging two others of the Regia Marina (the Italian Navy) during the Battle of Taranto, and the famous attack on the Bismarck, which contributed to her eventual demise. By the end of the war, the Swordfish held the distinction of having caused the destruction of a greater tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft. The Swordfish remained in front-line service until V-E Day, having outlived multiple aircraft that had been intended to replace it in service.