h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How the Swordfish Won the War - A87840273
Author: the_jon_m - bluesman of the parish - U204330

this has been lurking on pc for a while, thought I'd upload it

Exactly the sort of thing I like to read. Did you know my first ever Airfix kit was of a Fairey Swordfish?

I don't know if you want to mention that it wasn't just Fairey Aircraft that made the Swordfish; ones manufactured under licence by the Blackburn Aircraft Company were sometimes nicknamed 'Blackfish'. The Swordfish was also so successful that its intended replacement, the Fairey Albacore, was retired before it was.

Did you want to perhaps mention if there are any museums where you can see one? I saw one as part of the Royal Navy Historic Flight at the Seawings 2000 airshow.

Other entries you might consider linking to include:
A10223885 Gloster Gladiator - World War II Aircraft
A10302733 Bristol Beaufighter - World War II Aircraft
A10427140 Boulton Paul Defiant - World War II Aircraft
A10526177 Westland Whirlwind - World War II Aircraft
A10533025 de Havilland Mosquito - World War II Aircraft
A10422325 The Supermarine Spitfire

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A couple of spelling errors. In the section re Russia You say "These troops were fresh, well-armed and with high moral, more over they were Siberian and trained specifically for winter combat."

Moral should be morale, and moreover is a single word.

altered the two speeling errors

I'd love to put in links, but last time I tried to use the guideml bit of the editor, it started reordering paragraphs so all the words were in alphabetical order ... Will add in the bits about the blackfish - can't imagine why I forgot to in the first place

This is amazing. Loved it.

Excellent this is fascinating well done.

Tiny points

Matapan
Even more spectacular sucess (successes)


Built b Blackburn (by) missing a b

Take off was trick at the best of times. The slang at the time was trickery perhaps difficult would be better.

Create a massive splash (in front of the aircraft)?


Footnotes to explain why the wooden nosecones were an improvement, and well deserved medals to the aircrew involved

Fantastic work more please

updated

This is a very interesting Entry, I was aware that the Swordfish played an important role in the sinking of the Bismark, but was tottaly unaware of their development.

One section confuses me;
>>Only one Swordfish scored a hit, causing minor electrical damage, however the Bismarck’s efforts to evade the planes and torpedoes caused extensive damage to the ship, reducing her speed greatly. It was only when the following cruisers were forced to zigzag to avoid German U-boats did Bismarck attempt full speed again, ...

How did the 'Bismarck's' efforts to evade the planes cause 'extensive damage'? I understand how it reduced her speed and prevented her from getting air cover sooner, but you seem to infer that she was somehow damaged by just turning. Were her steering gear inadequite, or did it allow other attacks?

You also state;
>>One scored minor damage on amidships, but one torpedo managed to knock out Bismarck’s port rudder, and she was left circling helplessly...

My understanding is that her rudder was left jammed in a hard turn (probably while performing a 'zig zag') The loss of the rudder would have had little effect of the turning of a ship with multiple screws, however jamming one would have been disastorous.

Thank you for this fine Entry

Florida Sailor

I read the first bit somewhere, but can't find a second source, so removed.

altered the other bit a bit

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Well done!

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Chocks away chaps Well done!