Name this MWiF Counter - 12

[Greyshaft]

Which biplane was fitted with rockets?


(only 47 air units to go...)

[terje439]

Fairey Swordfish (Mark II)

[Froonp]

Yep, precisely [:D]
I believe it was for attacking submarines.

[Greyshaft]

I have to concede this one to terje. He got the right answer but for the wrong reason.
When I said "fitted with rockets" I actually meant rocket assisted take off. My fault... I should have been more specific.

The Fairey Swordfish recon/torpedo bomber entered service in 1936 and served so successfully throughout the war that it even outlasted the Fairey Albacore which had been developed to replace it. The Swordfish equipped the carriers of the Royal Navy and the catapult-launched floatplane version was deployed on major warships. Despite its extremely low top speed of only 246kph the Swordfish was a decisive weapon in many of the early successes of the Royal Navy including the May 1941 sinking of the Bismark and the November 1940 attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto. One of the most incongruous images of WWII is that of the biplane Swordfish fitted with the rocket-assisted take-offs units which were used when launching from the Royal Navy's Escort Carriers and MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships. The 'Stringbag' was the the last biplane to see active service in any of Britain's armed forces.

[Froonp]

One of the most incongruous images of WWII is that of the biplane Swordfish fitted with the rocket-assisted take-offs units which were used when launching from the Royal Navy's Escort Carriers and MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships.

Wow, I did not know this one, have you seen a picture of the plane fitted with those kind of JATO equipment ?

[Greyshaft]

no pictures but plenty of references...
The "Mark III" added a Mark X "Air to Surface Vessel (ASV)" radar pod between the landing gear, as well as fittings for rocket-assisted takeoff gear (RATOG). The ASV radar pod meant the Mark III couldn't carry a torpedo or other large centerline store. The "Mark IV" was a Mark II with an enclosed cockpit, built for operations in Canada. http://www.vectorsite.net/avsword.html
http://www.studenten.net/customasp/axl/ ... ple_id=562

After this time, Swordfishes operated from 14 escort carriers and 18 MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships. MAC ships were converted oil tankers or grain ships, with a flight deck but minimal maintenance facilities, and the aircraft were continuously exposed to the often Arctic weather conditions. For operations from small flight decks with heavy loads, rocket-assisted take-offs were necessary
http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircr ... rdfish.htm