Swordfish for display at Manston in future?

No, because it doesn’t exist…

That’s a trifle harsh, I’m sure they manage to field an aircraft now and again.

No, because it doesn’t exist – but the RNHF does…;o)

It’s with the FAAHF is it not? I recall at one point it was going to be restored to flight, but that was put on hold.

Thanks for the info. But don’t the FAAHF have 2 potential flyers already?
Bill

It was repainted in either 2012/13 in the scheme below. I’m sure I read that the markings have some connection with Manston

512th FIS from Bentwaters. 512th was parented by 406th FIW, which was based at Manston, but it’s just a shame they didn’t paint it as a Manston-based T-33; similar scheme too!

I did have a list at one point, I’d say around 20, quite a number of which came from the Ernie Simmons cache in Ontario. Quite a few of the survivors are either unrestored projects or parted out airframes used to restore others.

Here’s an incomplete and outdated list as a starting point http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/aircraft/preserved/swordfish.html

re;

How many are there survivng in total?

All credit to the IWM at Duxford back in the day, at least they did something a bit different with theirs. And it’s not as if we are exactly over-endowed with survivors, there are only two on public display in the UK (barring a rare sighting of an RNHF one between breakages)

I was not aware they they still were. I can imagine the Malta example would -time and money permitting- ideally be an open cockpit machine. No idea what Kermit Weeks seeks to do with his.

I do like the closed cockpit versions. And where we have the fortune and luxury of have several or more examples of a type it would be good to display them in the various jobs they performed rather than all clamouring to paint them all up in an iconic role.

There certainly are some closed-cockpit ones still knocking around, the one in Malta and Kermit’s example come to mind from the ones I’ve seen.

I would really like the Stafford Swordfish to remain a Mk. IV with its enclosed cockpit as a tribute to the vital part Commonwealth aircrew generally and Canadian aircrew in particular, played in the War.

Apart from the IWM Mk.III aren’t all other Swordfish displayed as open cockpit torpedo bombers?

a former RAF machine flown in Canada with enclosed cockpits for patrolling in low temperatures.

Anyone have a picture of this adaptation?

Actually, I can Google as well as the next man

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Moggy

Might be nice to see their T-33 painted as a Manston aircraft, but it ain’t going to happen!

It was repainted in either 2012/13 in the scheme below. I’m sure I read that the markings have some connection with Manston; whether it was based there for a time, or visited, I don’t know. Perhaps someone who knows their stuff from that era could clarify?

They have recently painted the Jaguar up in arctic camo’ too.

What about NF 389 that was at Lee-on-Solent for many years? Is it at Yeovilton now?

It’s with the FAAHF is it not? I recall at one point it was going to be restored to flight, but that was put on hold.

What about NF 389 that was at Lee-on-Solent for many years? Is it at Yeovilton now?

Might be nice to see their T-33 painted as a Manston aircraft, but it ain’t going to happen!

I believe the Mk IV Swordfish in store (and in lots of bits) at Stafford is a former RAF machine flown in Canada with enclosed cockpits for patrolling in low temperatures…

Flown for the Fleet Air Arm under the administration of the RCAF, never by the RAF, for training with 1 Naval Air Gunners School (NAGS), at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

For the interested, from a very interesting site site:

By 27 February 1944, the station had the first three Swordfish Mark IV on strength. These were locally modified Mark IIs with a totally enclosed coupé top, the rear gunner having a clamshell-type door which opened to the rear to enable him to have a clear field of fire for his Vickers K gun. These modifications to the Swordfish took place throughout 1944, on Modification Order No. 408, and the Swordfish were taken on strength from Dartmouth, N.S., being flown down to Yarmouth with open cockpits and modified there to have their cockpits fully enclosed.

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/57/language/en-CA/A-School-of-Swordfish–No-1-Naval-Air-Gunners-School-Yarmouth.aspx

In addition there was another slight variation which went officially undesignated:

The Lysanders had originally been used as target tugs, but the story around the station was that they were too fast (!) for the Swordfish and some of the Swordfish, eight in number, were modified with target towing gear. In this aircraft, only the pilot had a totally enclosed cockpit and nobody knew what mark to call these modified Swordfish because the Admiralty never assigned one to it. They were referred to as Mark IVAs but this was never approved as a formal mark number.

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/57/language/en-CA/A-School-of-Swordfish–No-1-Naval-Air-Gunners-School-Yarmouth.aspx

The Spitfire and Hurricane are not BoB models but nobody is complaining! There was talk of a 109 going in at one point…

The RAFM museum doesn’t have the people – money or time to do anything with the Swordfish. If something positive could be done with it , it’s far better than never being seen in public.

I believe the Mk IV Swordfish in store (and in lots of bits) at Stafford is a former RAF machine flown in Canada with enclosed cockpits for patrolling in low temperatures. Also, I don’t think they carried torpedos in this role. As the RAFM seem to have a policy of only restoring aircraft to their precise former specifications these days, I can’t see the finished product looking much like a Channel Dash machine which would surely disappoint. And it would be interesting to hear where they intend to build the additional extension to house such a large exhibit on such a small & fragile site, assuming that money can be found? Wasn’t there a campaign a few years ago to buy a fibre glass replica and house it at Ramsgate that all came to nothing? Sadly, not a viable idea I think.

The article did mention that one was ‘on offer from the RAF’ so the one in Stafford may be dusted of.
Perhaps one for M.A.P.S to work their magic on like the original two aircraft?
mmitch.