Fairey Swordfish - Fotografie a videa

Tá Fairey Mečoun obecný byl dvouplošný torpédový bombardér navržený leteckou společností Fairey Aviation Company. Swordfish, přezdívaný "Stringbag", pocházející z počátku 30. let 20. Původně byl provozován především jako útočný letoun flotily. Během svých pozdějších let se mečoun stal stále více používán jako protiponorková a výcviková platforma. Tento typ byl v první linii po celou druhou světovou válku, ale již byl považován za zastaralý při vypuknutí konfliktu v roce 1939.

Zdroj: Fairey Swordfish na Wikipedii

The Fairey Swordfish was a medium-sized biplane torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The Swordfish employed a metal airframe covered in fabric. It had folding wings as a space-saving measure, which was useful onboard aircraft carriers and battleships. The Swordfish was powered by a single Bristol Pegasus radial engine that gave it a modest speed of around 140 mph. The Swordfish had a crew of three: a pilot, a navigator/torpedo operator, and a rear gunner. The Swordfish could carry a variety of weapons, including a 1,600 lb torpedo, bombs, rockets, or depth charges.
The Swordfish was designed by the Fairey Aviation Company in the early 1930s and entered service with the Royal Navy in 1936. Despite being outdated by the start of World War II, the Swordfish proved to be a reliable and effective weapon that achieved several notable successes against enemy ships, such as the Italian fleet at Taranto and the German battleship Bismarck. The Swordfish was also used for anti-submarine patrols and training missions. The Swordfish remained in service until 1945, having outlived some of its intended replacements. A total of 2,391 Swordfish were built by Fairey and Blackburn Aircraft.