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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 0615.PDF
MARCH 13m 1941. . a Tenth of the Series FRIEND or FOE? Opposing Biplanes on T.S.R. Duties : Easily Identified Rivals Fairey Swordfish. Staggered wings, the top being backswept and the bottom one straight and of smaller area. Radial engine. Long fuselage with open cockpits. Large fin and rudder. Elevators project beyond tailplane tips. RECENT successes scored by Fairey Swordfish operat-ing with the Fleet Air Arm, principally in the NearEast, have brought the name of .this machine prominently before the public, and although it is an obso- lescent type, it is still used in large numbers and with telling effect, particularly as a torpedo carrier operating against enemy ships. Its German opposite, from the point of view both of design and operational duties, is the Arado Ar 95 float-plane, which, however, has not been used to any great extent, as yet, by the Luftwaffe. When the Germans seek to increase their activities, however, this and other obsolescent types of aircraft may well become a more familiar sight Since the Swordfish operates from aircraft carriers and ormally has a wheel undercarriage, one might assume that it can at once be recognised from the Ar 95 float-plane. But it must be remembered that floats can, and might at any time be fitted to the British machine, while the stBstitution of wheels for floats on the Arado is by no means unusual. This normal difference, there- fore, while indicating* the probable identity of an approaching single-bay bi- plane in the vicinity of sea operations, should not be relied upon as an infallible Proof of nationality. DittVrences in wing for- mation will be readily noted from any angle of "proach, as a moment's -fly of the accompanv- - pictures and small -stch-plans will show. Bni the head-on view ; Swordfish will be seen ^e a greater dihedral e]" to its top wing than •ver one, while the •5 will be instantly -msed by the fact 'ts lower wing is ""d. The arrange- r>i the inter-plane Arado Ar 95. Staggered backswept wings of equal size, the bottom one being slightly cranked. Radial engine. Fuselage with covered cockpits carried on floats. Rudder projects above fin ; one-piece elevator across width of triangular tailplane. struts also differs considerably, and, from any but a direct, head-on view, the equal back-sweep and area of both pairs of wings on the German machine will be readily observable. This is in contrast to the unusual wing design of the Sword- fish, on which the top wings only are backswept and are of greater area than the bottom ones. The plain cowling of the Fairey's radial engine is of greater diameter than the tapering section of the nose of the fuselage, but the Arado has a " helmeted " cowling faired into the fuselage. The Swordfish has open cockpits but the Ar 95 has its cockpits covered. The British air- craft has a large fin and rudder but its elevators project beyond the tips of its rectangular tailplane. On the German machine the tall fin and rudder may be of normal design or the rudder may project above the fin in a sort of curl. The tailplane is triangular and the elevator, which projects well aft, forms an unbroken surface across its entire width and is extended round the tailplane tips. When used for torpedo- dropping, each machine carries its '' tin fish '' under the fuselage, and its protective armament con- sists of at least two machine-guns, one fixed, synchronised gun firing through the airscrew disc and one free gun mounted in the rear cockpit. Addi- tionally, each machine can carry three or more bombs beneath each lower wing. Types previously com- pared : (1) Hurricane and Me 109. (2) Spitfire and He 113. (3) Beaufort and Ju 88. (4) Lysander and Hs 126. (5) Hudson and Me no. (6) Anson and Fw 186. (7) Here- ford and Do 215. (8) Blenheim IV and He 111k. (9) Skua and Ju 87. Next week: Simderland and Do 26.
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