Airfix 04053B Fairey Swordfish

The Royal Navy's primary torpedo bomber of the Second World War, the Swordfish, despite its obsolescence, proved to be an effective anti-submarine and torpedo bomber right up until the end of hostilities in 1945, going on in fact to outlive its intended replacement, the Albacore, in Royal Navy Service. Involved in such famous actions as the Taranto raid, the Bismark operation and the Channel Dash, the vulnerable but effective Swordfish firmly cemented its place in aviation folklore.Speed: 139mph;range: 546 miles; length: 10.87m; wingspan: 13.87m; armament: 2 x .303 MG, 1 x 1,670lb torpedo or 1,500lb bombs under fuselage and wings.

 Despite looking as if it were from a previous era of flight, the Fairey Swordfish was one of the most effective naval strike aircraft of WWII.  Operating against some of the largest and most advanced warships in the world, these slow but highly manoeuvrable aircraft were flown by heroes and are the pride of the Fleet Air Arm.