Post by warspite1 on Jun 8, 2020 9:58:09 GMT
First published on Forumini December 2008
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If ever there was an 'Ugly Duckling' among Second World War aircraft then it was the ungainly looking Fairey Barracuda. Conceived as both a torpedo carrier and as a dive bomber it was an aircraft that was very likely to fall between two stools and be, at best, mediocre in both demanding roles. In the event it proved an effective dive bomber but never had any chance to shine in the torpedo-carrying role.
Writing about it for Profile Publications author David Brown said the 'Barra' was supplied in greater numbers than any other Royal Navy aircraft but 'it was probably also the most disliked - at least by the majority of crews who flew it in action'. The type's requirement dated back to 1937 and envisaged a three-man crew plus an auto pilot (never fitted) for long reconnaissance flights. It would carry a torpedo or up to 1500 pounds of bombs and be capable of low level torpedo launching, medium level horizontal bombing plus glide and true dive bombing. Defensive armament was to be a single forward-firing light machine gun and a dorsal flexible LMG.
The prototype flew at the end of 1940 but there were development problems due to changes in power plant and wake turbulence when the aircraft's extensive flaps were being used as dive brakes. This was off set by raising the tailplane clear of the wake turbulence but the revised prototype did not fly until mid 1941. Modifications pushed the trials into 1942 but with so many 'add-ons' and structural strengthening it was clear the heavier Barracuda was now under powered.
Production began in 1942 with a more powerful engine - the new Rolls-Royce Merlin 33 offering around 33% more power than the original Merlin 30. By this time the Barracuda was looking more and more like a lame duck. There was Parliamentary pressure to kill-off the project while civilians actually building the aeroplanes believed the type was a 'no-hoper'.
Radar was added to many but the pilot's forward firing LMG was never fitted. A lot of thought went into the torpedo-carrying aspect of the aeroplane but records show that only 16 torpedo-carrying sorties were ever made by Barras - two missions against shipping off the Norwegian coast. All other missions appear to have been bomb or depth-charge carrying. Level bombing had been possible in early models with the observer aiming via a ventral panel but in 1943 the Royal Navy formally abandoned level bombing.
Original bomb load had been intended to be 1,500 pounds with a maximum of one x 500 pounder under one wing and two x 500 pounders under the other but at least one squadron later refused to fly with asymmetric bomb loads due to the low margin of performance on the type - especially in tropical climes. Two x 500 pounders and two x 250 pounders evenly distributed were preferred. The type was also adapted to carry a single U.S. 1,600 AP bomb while for A/S work three x 450 pound or four x 250 pound depth charges were carried. Some Barracudas bombing the Tirpitz also dropped 600 pounder anti-submarine bombs as light case 'high capacity' bombs to cause as much damage on the ship's upper works as possible.
Early squadron conversions threw up many faults with the type - it caught fire and there were frequent fatal crashes as aircrew had previously flown Swordfish and Albacore biplanes with docile flying characteristics. Changes in exhaust design removed some fire risk and marginally increased speed by converting exhaust gases into thrust while changes in training led to Miles Master monoplanes being used as an interim trainer for monoplane conversion. Other faults were 'popped' rivets due to dive recovery during bombing and this led one squadron to sing: "Every time it rains it rains rivets from heaven".
HMS Illustrious took the type to sea in June 1943 where they were much employed in the A/S role. At Salerno they were a no-fly due to lack of targets and the need to keep the flight deck clear for Grumman Martlets (Wildcats) and Supermarine Seafires. Despite all its faults more squadrons were raised or converted, some even serving aboard the escort carrier HMS Puncher and in the Royal Netherlands Navy immediately post-war.
The Barracuda's moment of glory was five operations off the Norwegian coast in 1944. The first strike alone is credited with 14 hits from 1,600 lb AP, 600 lb A/S and 500 lb bombs on the Tirpitz but later attacks found German smoke screens improved and the hit rate was reduced. Barracuda losses were low despite the intense flak with only two lost to flak out of 174 attacking aircraft. Three more were lost to other causes.
Other anti-shipping operations of Norway saw Barracudas flying 104 dive bombing and the 16 torpedo sorties already mentioned to sink 14 ships of 41,000 tons, drive the U-boat U-1060 aground and damage another 17 ships of 19,600 tons. Flak claimed only one Barracuda but three more were lost to other causes.
Some Barracudas operated from shore bases in England but, by that time, there was a severe shortage of German targets. They were used against German midget submarines in the North Sea in early 1945 and one midget is known to have been depth-charged and sunk. Three 'probables' were also claimed.
In the Far East the Barra served aboard HMS Illustrious, Victorious and Indomitable. Dive bombing targets were mostly shore-based and included a cement works and railway marshalling yards plus some shipping. It is noticeable that most reports indicate that Barracuda squadrons were re-equipped with Avengers, Corsairs or later the Fairey Firefly as soon as these became available. In the end the Fairey Barracuda 'worked' but its short period of squadron service is indicative of an aeroplane which was tolerated rather than loved.
Barry
*** *** *** *** ***
If ever there was an 'Ugly Duckling' among Second World War aircraft then it was the ungainly looking Fairey Barracuda. Conceived as both a torpedo carrier and as a dive bomber it was an aircraft that was very likely to fall between two stools and be, at best, mediocre in both demanding roles. In the event it proved an effective dive bomber but never had any chance to shine in the torpedo-carrying role.
Writing about it for Profile Publications author David Brown said the 'Barra' was supplied in greater numbers than any other Royal Navy aircraft but 'it was probably also the most disliked - at least by the majority of crews who flew it in action'. The type's requirement dated back to 1937 and envisaged a three-man crew plus an auto pilot (never fitted) for long reconnaissance flights. It would carry a torpedo or up to 1500 pounds of bombs and be capable of low level torpedo launching, medium level horizontal bombing plus glide and true dive bombing. Defensive armament was to be a single forward-firing light machine gun and a dorsal flexible LMG.
The prototype flew at the end of 1940 but there were development problems due to changes in power plant and wake turbulence when the aircraft's extensive flaps were being used as dive brakes. This was off set by raising the tailplane clear of the wake turbulence but the revised prototype did not fly until mid 1941. Modifications pushed the trials into 1942 but with so many 'add-ons' and structural strengthening it was clear the heavier Barracuda was now under powered.
Production began in 1942 with a more powerful engine - the new Rolls-Royce Merlin 33 offering around 33% more power than the original Merlin 30. By this time the Barracuda was looking more and more like a lame duck. There was Parliamentary pressure to kill-off the project while civilians actually building the aeroplanes believed the type was a 'no-hoper'.
Radar was added to many but the pilot's forward firing LMG was never fitted. A lot of thought went into the torpedo-carrying aspect of the aeroplane but records show that only 16 torpedo-carrying sorties were ever made by Barras - two missions against shipping off the Norwegian coast. All other missions appear to have been bomb or depth-charge carrying. Level bombing had been possible in early models with the observer aiming via a ventral panel but in 1943 the Royal Navy formally abandoned level bombing.
Original bomb load had been intended to be 1,500 pounds with a maximum of one x 500 pounder under one wing and two x 500 pounders under the other but at least one squadron later refused to fly with asymmetric bomb loads due to the low margin of performance on the type - especially in tropical climes. Two x 500 pounders and two x 250 pounders evenly distributed were preferred. The type was also adapted to carry a single U.S. 1,600 AP bomb while for A/S work three x 450 pound or four x 250 pound depth charges were carried. Some Barracudas bombing the Tirpitz also dropped 600 pounder anti-submarine bombs as light case 'high capacity' bombs to cause as much damage on the ship's upper works as possible.
Early squadron conversions threw up many faults with the type - it caught fire and there were frequent fatal crashes as aircrew had previously flown Swordfish and Albacore biplanes with docile flying characteristics. Changes in exhaust design removed some fire risk and marginally increased speed by converting exhaust gases into thrust while changes in training led to Miles Master monoplanes being used as an interim trainer for monoplane conversion. Other faults were 'popped' rivets due to dive recovery during bombing and this led one squadron to sing: "Every time it rains it rains rivets from heaven".
HMS Illustrious took the type to sea in June 1943 where they were much employed in the A/S role. At Salerno they were a no-fly due to lack of targets and the need to keep the flight deck clear for Grumman Martlets (Wildcats) and Supermarine Seafires. Despite all its faults more squadrons were raised or converted, some even serving aboard the escort carrier HMS Puncher and in the Royal Netherlands Navy immediately post-war.
The Barracuda's moment of glory was five operations off the Norwegian coast in 1944. The first strike alone is credited with 14 hits from 1,600 lb AP, 600 lb A/S and 500 lb bombs on the Tirpitz but later attacks found German smoke screens improved and the hit rate was reduced. Barracuda losses were low despite the intense flak with only two lost to flak out of 174 attacking aircraft. Three more were lost to other causes.
Other anti-shipping operations of Norway saw Barracudas flying 104 dive bombing and the 16 torpedo sorties already mentioned to sink 14 ships of 41,000 tons, drive the U-boat U-1060 aground and damage another 17 ships of 19,600 tons. Flak claimed only one Barracuda but three more were lost to other causes.
Some Barracudas operated from shore bases in England but, by that time, there was a severe shortage of German targets. They were used against German midget submarines in the North Sea in early 1945 and one midget is known to have been depth-charged and sunk. Three 'probables' were also claimed.
In the Far East the Barra served aboard HMS Illustrious, Victorious and Indomitable. Dive bombing targets were mostly shore-based and included a cement works and railway marshalling yards plus some shipping. It is noticeable that most reports indicate that Barracuda squadrons were re-equipped with Avengers, Corsairs or later the Fairey Firefly as soon as these became available. In the end the Fairey Barracuda 'worked' but its short period of squadron service is indicative of an aeroplane which was tolerated rather than loved.
Barry
