And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
The Fairey Swordfish was affectionately know as the "Stringbag" or a housewives shopping bag. Top speed with a good tailwind, about 145 MPH. As the photo suggests, combat doctrine called for torpedoes to be released at an altitude of 18-feet. If interested, read up on Eric M. "Winkle" Brown, RN. A longtime Royal Navy aviator and test pilot. Chances are if it flew during WWII into some period after, Eric Brown had time at the controls. During his career he logged time at the controls of approximately 487 different aircraft types. This includes experimental aircraft and captured German & Japanese aircraft. He also made 2,271 carrier landings or "traps". Passing in 2016 at the age of 97, Eric Brown may truly be considered to have been an "old & bold" pilot.
Early mess! Japs could drop their torpedoes from thousands of feet and they would work. The USA had to drop just like this swordfish(leading almost to all our TBD's being shot-down)with maybe a 50/50 chance that our torps would detonate... A tragedy!
"Japs could drop their torpedoes from thousands of feet..." Not hardly! IIRC, maybe 70 feet above. They all had to be concerned about the angle it hit the water. The japanese had to figure out how to do it so it wouldn't hit the bottom of the harbor, as the depth was only about 60-70 ft. The US Navy didn't think it could be done, so no torpedo nets were in use. Normally they dove deeper before coming up to running depth.
is that a Fairey Swordfish?
ReplyDeleteThe Fairey Swordfish was affectionately know as the "Stringbag" or a housewives shopping bag. Top speed with a good tailwind, about 145 MPH. As the photo suggests, combat doctrine called for torpedoes to be released at an altitude of 18-feet.
ReplyDeleteIf interested, read up on Eric M. "Winkle" Brown, RN. A longtime Royal Navy aviator and test pilot. Chances are if it flew during WWII into some period after, Eric Brown had time at the controls. During his career he logged time at the controls of approximately 487 different aircraft types. This includes experimental aircraft and captured German & Japanese aircraft. He also made 2,271 carrier landings or "traps". Passing in 2016 at the age of 97, Eric Brown may truly be considered to have been an "old & bold" pilot.
I bet the Bismark crew would remember this plane...
ReplyDeleteMaybe the 114 survivors did.
DeleteAnd the Italian Navy. Isn't that what convinced Yamamoto he could do the same thing at Pearl Harbor?
ReplyDeleteEarly mess! Japs could drop their torpedoes from thousands of feet and they would work. The USA had to drop just like this swordfish(leading almost to all our TBD's being shot-down)with maybe a 50/50 chance that our torps would detonate...
ReplyDeleteA tragedy!
"Japs could drop their torpedoes from thousands of feet..." Not hardly! IIRC, maybe 70 feet above. They all had to be concerned about the angle it hit the water. The japanese had to figure out how to do it so it wouldn't hit the bottom of the harbor, as the depth was only about 60-70 ft. The US Navy didn't think it could be done, so no torpedo nets were in use. Normally they dove deeper before coming up to running depth.
Delete