How many Fairey Swordfish survive flyable?

[stepwilk]

Two questions: How many Swordfish are currently flying? I know that Vintage Wings of Canada just got one into the air and that the RNHF has one flying again, but does the Historic Flight actually have -two- that are flyable?

Also, I read here and there that the nickname "Stringbag" came not from the biplane's appearance but that, like a housewife's stringed grocery bag, it could carry just about anything you could fit aboard it. Is that true?

[Rory57]

At least one: A Swordfish bimbled over this bit of England on Saturday, a fine sight and sound it was too.

*bimbled To amble without real aim, yet in a friendly and harmless manner

[Mister.E]

I spoke with one of the RNHF crew members many years ago and I seem to remember being told that the Swordfish is actually a Blackfish built by Blackburn and not Fairey. He said you can tell as the Blackburn built aircraft have the round portion of the cowl (The bit that looks like an intake) painted black.

[stepwilk]

Well, yes, but a "Swordfish" is still a Swordfish, generally speaking, just as a Wildcat/Martlet is a Wildcat whether built by Grumman or GM.

But let me rephrase the question, then: How many large, two-seat, biplane, fixed-conventional-gear torpedo bombers with Bristol Pegasus engines are currently flying?

[JEM60]

STEFAN.
I think the answer is two. .. The Canadian one, and the RNHF one. The RNHF has another one, but I am pretty sure it is not flying at the moment. It certainly did not put in an appearance at the Yeovilton show recently, which is where it is based as far as I am aware.[.Loved your articles in 'Flying' when I was much younger].:)

[swordfish41]

stepwilk, the normal Swordfish crew was three. Pilot, observer and telegraphist/air gunner. The observers position could be taken up by an auxiliary long range fuel tank, and of course the crew was then just two.
All the Swordfish pilots that I have spoken to said that the nickname "Stringbag" was indeed a reference to a shopping bag. The RNHF Swordfish put in an appearance at one of the Duxford shows last year, but in my experience it tends to be a no show. Didn't fly at RIAT this year despite being billed for example. I don't know why it is a more fugitive aircraft than some of similar or older vintage. Perhaps the Navy is particularly parsimonious

[JEM60]

The RNHF Swordfish DID display at Flying Legends week-end at Duxford this July.

[Kitbag]

Shame it doesn't appear more often as it is 50% of the RNs FW fleet.

[Phileas Fogg]

Royal Navy Historic Flight - The Aircraft (http://www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk/aircraft/)

There are only four flying Swordfish in the World - one is in Canada, one in America and the other two are owned and operated by the RNHF with a third currently in storage awaiting an opportunity to rebuild.

http://www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk/images/swordfish_inflight.jpg

Fairey Swordfish Mk.I W5856

This aircraft, a "Blackfish" built by Blackburn Aircraft at Sherburn-in-Elmet, first flew on Trafalgar Day (21 October) 1941. She served with the Mediterranean Fleet for a year and was returned to Fairey's Stockport factory for refurbishment. Used for advanced flying training and trials, the aircraft was sent to Canada where it was again used in a training role and stored in reserve after the war's end. Passing through the hands of at least two civilian operators after disposal, she was purchased by Sir William Roberts and brought to Scotland to join his Strathallan Collection. Bought by British Aerospace for presentation to the Swordfish Heritage Trust, the partly-restored airframe went to BAe Brough for complete restoration to flying condition, the work being completed in 1993.

W5856 is painted in the pre-war colours of 810 Squadron embarked in HMS Ark Royal. The horizontal stripes on the fin denote the Commanding Officer's aircraft, and the blue and red fuselage stripes are the colours for Ark Royal with the letter code 'A' being for the ship, '2' for the second squadron and 'A' for the first aircraft of that squadron. The long yellow fuselage strip identified 810 as Yellow Squadron in the summer air exercises held in 1939.

In September 1996 W5856 was adopted by the City of Leeds and now proudly wears the City's coat of arms and name on her port side just forward of the pilot's cockpit.

http://www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk/images/L2_Swordfish.jpg

Fairey Swordfish Mk.II LS326

This aircraft, also a 'Blackfish', was built in 1943 at Sherburn-in-Elmet. Later that year she was part of 'L' Flight of 836 Squadron (the largest ever Fleet Air Arm Squadron) on board the MAC ship Rapana, on North Atlantic Convoy duties. Following her active service she was used for training and communications duties from the Royal Naval Air Station Culham near Oxford and Worthy Down near Winchester.

In 1947 Fairey Aviation bought LS326 and displayed her at various RAeS Garden party displays. The following year she was sent to White Waltham for storage and remained there getting more and more dilapidated until Sir Richard Fairey gave orders for the aircraft to be rebuilt. The restoration work completed in October 1955 and thereafter she was kept in flying condition at White Waltham registered as G-AJVH and painted Fairey Blue and silver.

In 1959 LS326 was repainted for a starring role in the film 'Sink the Bismarck!'. In October 1960 she was presented to the Royal Navy by the Westland Aircraft Company and has been flown ever since. For many years she retained her "Bismarck" colour scheme and in 1984 D-Day invasion stripes were also added for the 40th Anniversary celebrations when she overflew the beaches of Normandy. Since 1987 she has worn her original wartime colour scheme for North Atlantic convoys with 'L' Flight of 836 Squadron. Following extensive work by BAeS Brough to her wings, LS326 flew again on 1 July 2008 for the first time in nine years.

LS326 was adopted by the City of Liverpool, the name she proudly wears on her port side.

[stepwilk]

I'm a bit confused. You give the extensive specifics of two aircraft, W5856 and LS326. Since the Vintage Wings of Canada airplane is an obvious and verifiable third, I'm wondering where the fourth Swordfish is, assumedly "the one in America."

Also, I see that W5856 was "restored to flying condition," but is the aircraft actually flown? There are numerous restored-to-flying-condition aircraft in museums and collections that will never be flown.

I'm trying to find out, for something I'm writing for Aviation History magazine re. the Canadian airplane, how many Swordfish are actually flying, as opposed to being "capable of flying." (And by the way, my apologies for originally mis-titling this thread, which made it sound as though I was searching for "flyable" rather than "flying" 'fish.)

The most common answer seems to be two.

[Phileas Fogg]

stepwilk,

My post was merely copied & pasted from the RNHF website so if it's wrong then it's their fault!

When I read your first post I was sure RNHF had 3 Swordfish which their website confirms, my understanding is that a 70 (ish) year old aircraft, that was obsolete even as WWII commenced, they always try to keep atleast one airworthy whilst, as an example, LS326 didn't fly for 9 years whilst BAe Brough were working on the wings.

Well how many are flying, as we write, well the answer is probably zero, I think you should rephrase your question as to how many are airworthy as it seems RNHF have two airworthy subject to any maintenance issues with an aircraft that's as old as one's grandmother!

[stepwilk]

Phileas, the Vintage Wings of Canada 'fish is certainly flying--did just the other day and may well be on its way to Oshkosh (or is already there, if they fixed its fuel pump) as I write, and I gather the one active RNHF airplane has been making appearances in England this summer.

In any event, many thanks for your most helpful efforts!