Fairey Swordfish II

1 aircraft

The Fairey Swordfish, nicknamed the "Stringbag," was a biplane torpedo bomber that became the Royal Navy's primary anti-shipping weapon throughout World War II despite its antiquated appearance. First flown on April 17, 1934, it was a three-seat, single-engine biplane powered by a Bristol Pegasus radial engine producing 690 to 820 horsepower depending on variant. With a maximum speed of just 138 mph, the fabric-covered aircraft paradoxically outlasted several more modern designs intended to replace it. The Fairey Aviation Company produced this unlikely warrior from 1935 to 1944.