Darryl Legg Aviation Art Print of a Fairey Swordfish
An Unlikely Hero - The Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish, affectionately nicknamed the “Stringbag,” was one of the most remarkable aircraft of the Second World War— not for its speed or glamour, but for its sheer versatility and the courage of its crew. Designed in the early 1930s by the Fairey Aviation Company, the Swordfish was a fabric-covered biplane torpedo bomber intended for use by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. First flying in 1934 and entering service in 1936, it seemed almost obsolete on the eve of war. Yet, against all expectations, it went on to achieve legendary status.
Powered by a single Bristol Pegasus engine, the Swordfish had a modest top speed of around 138 mph, but its steady handling and ability to operate from carriers and small escort ships made it invaluable. In being able to carry a wide range of munitions, from torpedoes and bombs to mines and depth charges, the aircraft was also able to undertake every type of maritime patrol.
Its most famous action came in May 1941, when Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal damaged the German battleship Bismarck's rudder, thus enabling her final destruction. The type also played a decisive role in the Mediterranean, where the best known action was the crippling of the Italian fleet in the port of Taranto. These two actions, along with the protection of Atlantic convoys and the gallantry shown during the type's use in the "Channel Dash" have cemented its place in aviation history.
By the time production ended in 1944, more than 2,300 Swordfish had been built by Fairey and Blackburn Aircraft. Though slow and antiquated in appearance, the Swordfish proved that determination, reliability, and courage could triumph over modernity — earning the aircraft a lasting place in aviation history.>
Our print features Fairey Swordfish Mk.I (K8410) of 813 Sqdn, Fleet Air arm and is seen over HMS Eagle during 1940.
This Fine Art Print Is
- A finely detailed edition printed with archival, lightfast inks
- 285 gsm matt fine art paper.
- The artwork area measures
- Image: 17" × 11.25" (432mm × 286 mm),
- Including Borders: 17" × 14.25" (508 mm × 368 mm)
