Duxfords restored Swordfish on bbc local news

I whant to see someone fit one with floats. Is there any sets of swordfish floats around?

I popped into Duxford this week but could’nt see her,maybe i walked past her whilst helping my son do his scouts badge but missed her,where has she been put now?

It was moved outside briefly the other week during other movements, but is now back in Hangar 4, wings folded.

What happpened to the rnhs example? Sorry i have been away from the avaition thing and have only just come back to to.

Keep an eye open for a news article on the three in the US – the CAF/ex Santa Monica one, the Bristol Heritage one, and the Kermit Weeks one – in the next issue of Aircraft Illustrated.
A

I dont know. That was taken just before the flying legends display started.

I popped into Duxford this week but could’nt see her,maybe i walked past her whilst helping my son do his scouts badge but missed her,where has she been put now?

i have atached a picture below of the iwms example for you all:

More on NF370 here 🙂

The RNHF have three Swordfish which were or are going to be airworthy. (W5856, and LS326, and I think NF389). However the two they were flying are grounded due to spar corrosion problems. The third has not been finished by BAe yet, but will one day. It’s unlikely, due to the limited number of Pegasas engine parts that all three will be flying at the same time. (This is based on discussions with the Flight, and from memory…)

I’d settled for seeing one RNHF Swordfish in the air again.
LS326 has been grounded for five years now I think 🙁

I think this was discussed previously. I believe it’s one of only 2 MkIII Swordfish left.

Duxfords restored Swordfish was shown on bbc local news just now,what did surprise me was that they stated it was only 1 of 2 left in the world,i thought the RNHF had at least 2.It was’nt a statement of “flyable” swordfish or particular marks of Swordfish.

Never trust the media to get historical facts right – a remember seeing a photo of a Hurricane on the BBC website, stating that it was the only one left! (or at least the only airworthy one left!)

I know of 3 Fish in USA Kermit weeks has one CAF has one and there is one in Nashville Tennesee.

Our own Papa Lima has a photo of another airframe (care to share PL?) and the word on WIX is that Spence’s machine is for sale. Wanna buy a warbird?

I guess this must be one of those ‘Ernie Simmons’ machines from Canada.

Knowledgeable please speak.

Yes, I believe it is, as are most of the North American survivors, though there are one or two which aren’t Simmons examples – they are ex-RCN prairie units training aids.

Lysanders, Swordfish and Hurricanes, being mass produced but modular construction, and with UK production mixed in to Canadian built (in the case of the Hurris and Lizzies) it’s a brave man who’ll stake a reputation on an ID. The CanAv machine has no known real ID, and they got it from Simmons while he was alive. The others were gathered from his farm after his estate auction, and there was a fair amount of part exchange before then, during the purchaser’s recoveries from the Simmons farm and subsiquent abandoned restoration projects being combined – Spence gathered a number of projects together. I’d bet that the Malta example contains parts of more than one original machine.

There’s an excellent webpage on the Simmons auction somewhere, but not to hand for me right now!

W5856 is a Blackfish, IIRC, plus the FAAM example, so even that doesn’t stand up as a two-of anything. It’s rare, it’s good to see it restored to an unusual and important configuration (the IWM had a set of the radar scopes etc) so though the bulge isn’t original, much of the required kit is. I’m presuming it was fitted – the aircraft was in bits all over the hangar when I last saw it.

Cheers

JU-88

Alex,

Yes it is.

Mark

Mark, isnt that thing hanging on the wall a Ju88 nose frame??

Alex

An unexpected find in Malta, a couple of weeks back, was this example.

It is the former Bob Spence ‘spare’ and in my view, by today’s standards, in remarkable condition and completeness with massive potential for a restoration to flight.

It was interesting to see the witness marks where the top deck glazing module had been removed.

I guess this must be one of those ‘Ernie Simmons’ machines from Canada.

Knowledgeable please speak.

Mark

Fairey Swordfish II (HS618) in the FAA Museum, Yeovilton

Built by Blackburn in 1943; 30/04/1943 – Delivered; 05/1943 – To Ferry Pool at Donibristle; 05/1943 – To 834 NAS; 04/08/1943 – Badly damaged by Seafires during gale onboard HMS Hunter; 1960 – Downgraded to Class III as A2001 with engine number E3001 at RNEC Manadon; To FAAM

You see I am always close, never quite right… thanks Bruce

Blackfish I think you’ll find