Swordfish Flypast
 

Sadly the Swordfish didn't make it. Oh for the days when the BBC used commentators who knew something about our aviation heritage - twice the aircraft was referred to as the last biplane in service with the RAF.

Obviously the BBC don't read the literature provided to them:

NOTES TO EDITORS (extract)

......The Swordfish is based with the Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) at RNAS Yeovilton,Somerset and the other crew members in the aircraft will be Lieutenant Commander Mark Jameson Royal Navy and Chief Petty Officer Andy Vanes.....

I cycled over to the Thames, and as you say, no appearance of the Stringbag, but I did see the Dakota, Hurricane and Typhoon. The Typhoon was close behind the Hurricane, nose high and barely ticking over!

Sad not to see the Swordfish as my Dad trained as Observer/Navigator in them and it's his 90th birthday today.

Democritus,
Really? ;) My memory doesn't go back that far! Sorry to be a nuisance, but if that "NOTES TO EDITORS" was a link, it doesn't seem to work...

HOMERe your memory not going back that far - agreed, it's a long time ago since the days of Raymond Baxter. The Notes to Editors wasn't a link but, as I posted, was an extract. The original was put out by the Fly Navy Heritage Trust.

You ought to contact the FNHT at Yeovilton and make arrangements to take your Dad down there if he's fit enough. He would get a warm welcome and a close up view of the Swordfish.

Sadly Alzheimer's has robbed his memory, but a few years ago, before he got too bad, I took him to an air day at RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall. The Swordfish was scheduled to make its first post-restoration appearance but sadly was not ready in time. They had managed to get the last of Elliots piston rings just before the factory (in Dad's home down) closed down.

On our way back to Hampshire we did indeed call in at FAAM as planned, and he was delighted to see the Swordfish, Albacore and Barracuda remains, as well as the Walrus which he also had a few flights in. This trip brought back many long-forgotten memories which I was able to record just in time.

Soon afterwards I took him to Solent Sky Museum in Southampton and the Staff there were wonderful, even helped him up on to the flight deck of their Shorts Sandringham.

A lot of his FAA time was on Swordfish with a certain Laurence Olivier as his pilot and great friend...a lot of fun but totally unconcerned with any rules, procedures or discipline!

Democratus,
Yes, Raymond Baxter was unbeatable as an aeronautical commentator. But unless memory fails me he would not have been asked to commentate on the whole of a multi-service ceremony, and the flypast today only occupied a few minutes.

I thought that, for a non-aeronaut, Naughtie did acceptably well with his extended patter, considering the nice air-to-air coverage of the Dak started earlier than was probably in the BBC's game plan. But the audience was told nothing of the type's exploits in the Far East, such as flying over the "Hump". And, in an off-the-cuff remark, he described Prince Charles specifically as a helicopter pilot. He did get the absent Swordfish's number of wings right!

Re the Swordfish I, I guess that was the type that crippled the Bismarck? I read Mike Lithgow's account many years ago. Fascinating.

Baxter, along with James Burke, was also the best presenter on BBC TV's "Tomorrow's World", and he also commentated on the Farnborough Air Show and various motoring programmes.

Apparently, there were about sixty Fleet Air Arm pilots fighting in the Battle of Britain, but we mustn't let the truth stand in the way of a good story!!:=

The Swordfish did serve in the RAF with no 119 Squadron from Jan to May 1945.

one of my swordfish videos

^ I have seen that one before on YT, did not know it was yours! Very good as always!

Anyone know what the problem was with the Swordfish? Hope not serious

Yes, indeed. I was fortunate enough to meet John Moffat a few years ago and chat to him for a few minutes about the crippling of the Bismarck. He was credited with launching the torpedo which put the Bismarck's rudder out of action. He's now 96 and was still flying out of Perth - the Scottish one - when I met him there in the summer of 2006.

Still flying at 96, wow!

Swordfish also devastated the Italian fleet at Taranto. When introduced I believe that Sworfish were the only carrier-based plane capable of carrying full-size naval torpedos. The apparently "old fashioned" biplane design was required to provide the necessary lift. The attack at Taranto was studied thoroughly by the Japanese, leading (unfortunately) to their attack on Pearl Harbour.

When I worked at Fairey Aviation in the 50's we had a Swordfish in the hangar at White Waltham, probably the same one that is in the RN museum now? I remember that at a Royal Aeronautical Society Garden party at White Waltham the Swordfish was taxied with two people in the rear cockpit, and another person chasing the aircraft on a penny=farthing bicycle. He caught up and was dragged head first into the rear cockpit, and with a burst of throttle the aircraft was off the ground with a pair of legs waving above the fuselage for a pass by the crowd!

Creweite, Fairey's Swordfish is indeed one of two that the RNHF fly - they also have a third under very long term restoration.

As an earlier post indicated, the Swordfish was operated by 119 Sqn RAF and WAS the last operational biplane to see service in the RAF so the BBC commentator was correct.
Note that the RNHF and FNHT are two separate organisations although both based at RNAS Yeovilton.

The Swordfish Mk.III, NF370 at IWM Duxford (in AirSpace) served with 119 Squadron RAF, based in Belgium in 1945.

Well, the old adage that you never stop learning about aviation is certainly true even at my age - thanks to those here who have corrected me and increased my knowledge!:O

Well, I never knew that, thanks. What was their role?