Red Swordfish

[comrade harps]

Fairey Swordfish Mk.1
Red 2, 239 Espadrille, Socialist Union Air Force (SUAF)
Kharkov area, summer 1943

During the course of WW2, 350 Fairey Swordfish Mk.Is were supplied to the Socialist Union. 250 went to the Red Navy and 100 to the SUAF, although in practice many of the Navy aircraft were transferred to the SUAF. Both services chiefly used the type as night bombers, the 239 Esc. being one of the SUAF's main users of the type for night harassment work.



Night harassment bombing became common during the Red Civil War of the 1920s.  By the mid-1930s a formal night harassment doctrine had been formulated, with several professional and militia units dedicated to role. When the Red Navy adopted the British Swordfish torpedo bomber in late 1941 the SUAF also tested the type, finding it suitable for night harassment duties. 239 Espadrille converted from the Po-2 to the Swordfish during the winter of 1942-43 and continued with the type until the summer of 1945.




Red 2 is depicted here as photographed "near Kharkov" in the summer of 1943. It is armed with 4 FAB-100 bombs, of two different (unidentified) versions. There were over 20 versions of the FAB-100 built during the War Against Fascism and it wasn't unusual for the night bombers to fly with different types at once. Indeed, this was part of the night harassment doctrine, which emphasised both a small logistical footprint (which effectively meant that crews often had to scrounge for ordnance) anda  diversity of effects. The inner weapons are RRAB-250 series cluster bombs, which were usually filled with combinations of HE, frag and incendiary bomblets equipped with a variety of impact and short- and long- time delay fuses (including delay fuses that were enhanced with anti-handling devices). This diversity was critical to the harassment doctrine, which emphasised the psychological impact of uncertainty.



The Reds used the Swordfish to make small nocturnal attacks against rear area targets such as troop concentrations, ports, rail yards and major road junctions. Flying alone or in flights of 2 or 3 aircraft (which sometimes included a pair of P0-2 from other units), the Swordfish crews maintained a sustained nuisance presence over selected German occupied areas, making repeated attacks over a number of hours to deny sleep and engender degenerative stress. Material damage was of secondary importance.



The camouflage seen on most SUAF Swordfish features an unusually high-contrast scheme on the upper surfaces. There has been much controversy about the colours used, partly due to the lack of colour photos of the aircraft in Red service and the fact that aircraft were sometimes repainted from their factory finish. This Swordfish wears the standard SUAF Noc on the under and side surfaces with the uppers being covered in a disruptive pattern of Black Green and Bright Green. Whilst this may seem adverse to its nocturnal role, it was a common finish on the understanding that the biplane layout created large shadows and that contrast was needed to break-up the plane's shape.

[zenrat]

Fabulous. 

[NARSES2]

Works for me 

[The Rat]

It looks so... Russian! 

[PR19_Kit]

I find I'm wondering how well an 18" torpedo would work when dropped onto a Tiger I.......... 

[Old Wombat]

And just how do you torpedo a Tiger I? I ask.

[PR19_Kit]

First, when flying a Swordfish, you need to catch the darn thing of course, and that may be a problem.

And then, as your speed differential will be almost zero, you align yourself directly over the Tiger, arm the torp and drop it.

Simples.........

[Old Wombat]

 

[zenrat]

And just how do you torpedo a Tiger I? I ask.

Get it when its fording a river?

[Dizzyfugu]

Very cool, I like this one much. 

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Believable story, good looking model - I like it!

[Rheged]

I find I'm wondering how well an 18" torpedo would work when dropped onto a Tiger I.......... 

My mind was working on those rocket spears that penetrated U-boat hulls. Swordfish carried 8 of them (I think) and even if they didn't penetrate, they would cause a deafening CLANGGGGG!!! and totally befuddle the poor tank crew.

[Gondor]

I'm not sure which is better, the model or the possible ways that everyone is coming up with to torpedo a tank 

Gondor

[kitbasher]

Very nice, and has got me thinking.  What if the RAF or FAA used Swordfish in the Korean War in the same way North Korea used Po-2s.

Wish I'd not had that thought, what with the next GB nearly upon us. 😱

[NARSES2]

I'm not sure which is better, the model or the possible ways that everyone is coming up with to torpedo a tank 

Gondor

Lots of wide rivers in Russia = tanks using snorkles to cross them = Swordfish with torpedo