Fairey Swordfish Mk.I
No. 815 Squadron, HMS Illustrious
Taranto, November 1940
(Corgi AA36306)
- Engine: One 690 h.p. Bristol Pegasus III M.3 radial
- Span: 45 ft 6 in
- Length: 35 ft 8 in
- Height: 12 ft 4 in
- Weight: 4,700 lb empty / 7,510 lb loaded
- Crew: Three
- Max Speed: 138 mph at 5,000 ft
- Service Ceiling: 19,250 ft
- Normal Range: 546 miles
- Armament: Two .303 cal MG; one 1,610 lb torpedo, or one 1,500 lb mine, or equivalent load of bombs
- Notes: 815 Naval Air Squadron formed at Worthy Down in October 1939 from the remnants of 811 and 822 squadrons surviving the sinking of HMS Courageous in September 1939, and disbanded in November 1939. The same CO, Lt.Cdr. S. Borret R.N. reformed the squadron later that month with 9 Swordfish, and in April 1940 the squadron was attached to RAF Coastal Command at Bircham Newton. In May 1940 the squadron provided support to the Dunkirk evacuation. In June 1940 the squadron embarked on HMS Illustrious and sailed for the Mediterranean in August, attacking and minelaying Benghazi, Rhodes, and Tobruk. In November 1940 the entire squadron took part in the attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto. The CO Lt.Cdr. K. Williamson R.N. and crew were lost and taken prisoner during the operation. In December 1940 two Italian convoy ships were sunk off Sicily, but HMS Illustrious was severely damaged in a dive bombing attack in January 1941; only 5 of the squadron aircraft escaped to Malta, combined with the remnants of 819 and 821 to re-form as a new 815 squadron.
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