Fleet Air Arm Swordfish serial number - Raid on Taranto 1940

Swordfish is completed. Full story can be found here in three successive posts:

1 - /forums/p/75307/1491625.aspx#1491625
2 - /forums/p/75307/1491840.aspx#1491840
3 - /forums/p/75307/1492604.aspx#1492604

Another source for 815 Sqn at Taranto is the following decal sheet -- Aeromaster Fleet Air Arm Pt I decal set.  

As for Lloyd's book -- the author went to a lot of trouble to research Fleet Air Arm camouflage and produced the definitive work.  In my opinion, he deserves support through purchase of his book (and I don't know him at all so I have no vested business or personal interest).  There are two reasonably priced copies here

Note the review here.

"Note: As the photos and line drawings are all copyrighted material, I'm reluctant to post them here.  But for anyone wanting to do an 815 Squadron plane at Taranto, you can short circuit your research and just use Lloyd's book.  For that matter, any FAA plane pre 1941 - go for Lloyd's book. "

I really wish you would reconsider and post the pics.  Under the current law it is legal to post the pics for informational or educational purposes, which is what we would be doing with them.  I am doing a RoG 72nd Swordfish and have been lacking in good refs for the Taranto Raid... 

Phil -- I highly recommend Fleet Air Arm Camouflage and Markings - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fleet-Air-Camouflage-Markings-Mediterranean/dp/1905414080 for details on the dark undersides used by 815 Sqn

Eric,

Thanks for the data.  It is a Swordfish GB and I have always wanted to do a Taranto bird and a Bismark one.  Really interested in one of the planes with the black undersides.  Got to find some additional markings for one of these.

A dio sounds good.  Hope you get it done.

Phil --

Well, the Frog Swordfish is almost completed with (only) the complex 1/72 tail rigging left to be done. I decided to do a diorama base of an Illustrious deck fragment complete with torpedo trolley and a few deck crew in 'action' poses.  This has slowed things down quite a bit. 

As for your Taranto GB, I wish you all the best.  I think I have read/own every book on Taranto (in English) plus the two memoirs of Swordfish pilots who were at Taranto. I have quite a few books on the Swordfish as well.

As for the serial number, I decided on P4064. This was built in 1939 and the only thing else known about it was that it was written off April 5, 1941 as part of 815 Sqn.  Thus, it was plausibly at Taranto and the lack of any other data meant that it wasn't confirmed somewhere else at the same time.  This wouldn't stand up in court but was good enough for me.

Perhaps you should do a Maryland, one of the planes that did recon on Taranto before and after.  Of course, no paeans were ever written about the Maryland nor is it likely to appear in any WW II commemorative flyovers.

If I ever finish this project, I'm moving onto the 1/400 HMS Illustrious from Heller.

Sorry to revive an old thread but wonder if you finished your build?

Also, I have volunteered to do a Taranto version for a GB and am looking for inspiration so any new info you acquired is greatly appreciated.

A follow-up on Tony Wray's plane after some additional information came my way.

What camouflage color scheme was used for Wray's plane L4R?  When building the model, the references I had were contradictory:

Warpaint Series No. 12. W.A. Harrison had a color drawing of 5L (819 squadron - served on Illustrious but 5L wasn't one of the mission craft) showing:

• Extra Dark Sea Gray / Dark Slate Gray upper mainplane upper surfaces; Sky Grey undersides and lower fuselage;

Fairey Swordfish in Action. W.A. Harrison had a cover drawing of 5H (824 squadron - ex Eagle, served on Illustrious and was a mission craft) showing:

• Extra Dark Sea Gray / Dark Slate Gray upper mainplane upper surfaces; Sky undersides and lower fuselage. Admittedly, the artwork doesn't have the same color values as used in Warpaint Series No 12. 

Air Power Modelling Vol I. Richard Caruana (artist) had a color drawing of 5L but with a different serial number (P4210) than Warpaint Series No. 12's 5L (P4221). Although the caption says this plane was at Taranto, P4210 was definitely not per Sturtivant's The Swordfish Story (the definitive work). Anyway, assuming the serial number is in error, this color drawing shows:

• Dark Slate Grey/Dark Sea Gray upper mainplane upper surfaces; Sky undersides and lower fuselage.

Air Power Modelling Vol I. Richard Caruana (artist) had a color drawing of 4H (815 Squadron), serial K8257. This plane was at Taranto except the serial number was not - and it is not even listed in Sturtivant.  Color scheme was same as 5L/P4210 above

and lastly:

AeroMaster Fleet Air Arm Pt I shows4A (815 Squadron) with:

• Extra Dark Sea Gray / Dark Slate Gray upper mainplane upper surfaces and matt black painted over Sky Grey lower surfaces and lower half of fuselage

None of the drawings illustrated the lower mainplane upper surfaces.  Depending on date, this would be either the same as the upper mainplane (post 26 Sep 1940) or Dark Sea Gray/Light Slate Gray (pre 26 Sep 1940)

So, what course of action to take?  The upper surfaces were fairly clear but lower surfaces of Taranto planes could have had three different lower surfaces/lower fuselage colors based on the above.

Fortunately, I happened upon the definitive resource:

Fleet Air Arm Camouflage and Markings Atlantic and Mediterranean Theatres 1937-1941. Stuart Lloyd. 2008

This is a beautifully illustrated volume with color line drawings by Richard Caruana and a wealth of photos (some of remarkable coffee table quality) of Swordfish, Walrus, Skua, Roc, Martlet, Sea Gladiator, and Fulmar.

Lloyd goes through each of many directives from the Admiralty on camouflage schemes and then analyzes black and white photographs to determine the likely color represented in the printed tones based on understanding of how 1940s film reacted to UV light. 

So, here is what I learned:

1. Wray's Squadron (815) was painted differently than Illustrious' other Squadron (819).  So much for thinking that squadrons of the same marque would be painted the same on the same carrier (!)
2. On p.77 Lloyd states that when embarked on Illustrious, 815 Squadron was painted in Scheme S.1.E. -- Extra dark sea gray/dark slate grey upper wing; light slate gray / dark sea gray on lower wing, sky grey lower surfaces/fuselage sky gray overpainted with black.  However, based on photo evidence, Caruana does his line drawing with extra dark sea gray/dark slate gray extending all the way down the fuselage sides and black on wing undersides and presumably fuselage underside.  
3. Admiralty order 1719 26 Sep 1940 which defined the camouflage scheme for FAA aircraft allows for under surfaces to be matt black for operational requirements. Lloyd states this is the first written confirmation that 815 Squadron had black undersides.
4. On p. 114, Lloyd states definitively that 815 Squadron were painted with black undersides and fuselage sides and that this scheme was carried forward to Taranto.  This contradicts the Caruana drawing which did not have black on the fuselage sides.  A photo caption repeats this for a Swordfish on Illustrious but the photo seems to support Caruana's drawing
5. On p. 116 and enlarged on back cover, there is a fairly clear photo of two 815 Squadron planes on Illustrious in October 1940 where Lloyd states "..dark  under-surfaces from weathered distemper applied to fuselage and under-surfaces.."  The demarcation between upper fuselage camouflage and lower fuselage dark is a straight line; not wavy.

Conclusion:

The Aeromaster line drawing is perhaps closest to the photo taken closest to 11 November 1940 although their black is too black given the photo evidence.  The Caruana line drawing of 815 Squadron was done for a August 1940 photo and seems to have been superseded by repainting two months later. 

Lloyd also goes into great detail on roundels and fin flashes but that's a different story than this one here.

 Note: As the photos and line drawings are all copyrighted material, I'm reluctant to post them here.  But for anyone wanting to do an 815 Squadron plane at Taranto, you can short circuit your research and just use Lloyd's book.  For that matter, any FAA plane pre 1941 - go for Lloyd's book. 

Dear Copredy

Whilst browsing the internet I came across your post about Tony Wray. He was my uncle, the eldest brother of my mother, Mrs Patrica Pern. She's is now 88 years old and lives in Sussex. Tony and his exploits, coupled with his early death on the Illustrious are, as you can imagine part of our childhood memories.

I'm sure that my mother would be delighted to hear from you and if you'd like to get in touch with her please let me know. I can be contacted at this email address

jeremy.pern@wanadoo.fr

I look forward to your reply

Yours

jeremy

Glad to be of help.  Other items of info you might be interested in from the Sturdivant book.. .

You're correct that it was a  Mark I.

It appears that Lt. Macauley did not survive the war, being killed along with three others in a training accident in serial # W5850 in June 1942.

FleetAirArm and Antipodean Andy:

I must admit I was surprised to see an answer so many months after the original posting.  The section you cited is also included in Sturtivant's The Swordfish Story as Appendix 4 ( I have this book and a wonderful book it is).  Had I a full-text search version of this book, I could have looked for L4R with a few key strokes but the mind numbing scanning of all the pages caused me to miss this.

There's still a bit of doubt in my mind as Sturtivant's enumeration of aircraft serial numbers for Taranto (p. 58) has a clear blank for L4R which makes me think that as of Nov 11, 1940, there was no positive evidence of exactly what plane was flown by Macauley/Wray.  If we break down the entry extracted by FleetAirArm from Sturtivant:

• Deld 24 MU Ternhill 31.3.38; [Delivered to 24 Maintenance Unit on March 31, 1938. This would make this a Mk I. plane which would be correct for Taranto
• To RN charge 24.5.39 [No additional confirmation here]
• 821 Sqn Ark Royal ('A5C') 10.40-11.40; [Hmm... Taranto was 11.11.40 and 821 Squadron was not part of Taranto.  Ark Royal returned from a refit to Gibraltar on 11.6.40 and this plane would have had to have been transferred to Illustrious almost immediately.  There's no mention in any of the Taranto books I read of such a transfer -- the squadrons were from Eagle and Illustrious.  But, crew and planes are separate items.  So...possible that plane was at Taranto.
• Attacked at 50-200 ft by Do 215 30m E if Fair Isle, retd Hatston safely 22.10.40 [This event would have occurred prior to Taranto while Ark Royal was refitting in Great Britain after the Force H Dakar operation. Hatston is near Scapa Flow....No additional confirmation here]
• 815 Sqn (L4R) 2.41 [This could be taken as arriving as a replacement aircraft for 815 Sqn which had seen heavy losses in Stuka raids in January 1941...or, it could be taken as some confirmation document placing the aircraft with 815 Sqn in February 1941 without knowing where it was in the prior three months]

Once again, I thank FleetAirArm and Antipodean Andy for their time and willingness to help here. I envy their possession of the Sturtivant comprehensive book which is a terrific resource for FAA planes of all types.

thanks kindly!

Beat me to it, FleetAirArm.  I won't have to ask my mate who has a copy of the book/FAA bible.  Nicely done.

L9743 821 Sqn CA5C") 10.40 - 11.40; Attacked at 50-200ft by Do2IS 0816 30m E of Fair Isle, retd Hatston safely 22.10.40; 815 Sqa ('L4R') 2.41; FL in desert during nighl navex. Cat W 23.5.41 (S/L WR NowcU ft LA SL Booscy unhurt)

If you haven't found the answer yet, it's L9743.

Reference Sturdivant "Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 - 1945"  page 78.

Ah - the paint scheme -- I don't know what to trust anymore.  Here's why:

Just got my copy of Air Power Modeling Vol 1 - Periscopio Publications - a modeling 'zine written primarily (I think) by Greek hobbyists.  The issue featured a Tamiya 1/48 Swordfish build but also included paint schemes and interior renditions (some reproduced in previous posts by simpilot34). 

The issue also had eight (8) side views of different Swordfish Mk I's.

So, take a look at this image - the text says this was a Swordfish that took part in the Taranto raid.  Well, armed with my trusty Sturtivant The Swordfish Story, I looked up the serial number P4210.  Sturtivant doesn't list P4210 as a Taranto plane (but remember, he couldn't identify 16 of the 21 planes in the raid.  However, he does list in Appendix 4 that

• P4210 started the war with 771 Squadron,
  
• on July 25, 1940, went into the Royal Navy Repair Yard at Donibristle (Scotland)
• the next record of the plane is April 4, 1941 when it went from Ringway (an RAF base and Fairey manufacturing center (although not of Swordfish) back to Donibristle

HMS Illustrious had already sailed for Bermuda with its aircraft at the end of June 1940. From Bermuda it sailed to Gibraltar and then joined the Mediterranean Fleet. So, I don't see how this plane could have been at Taranto. 

If you couple that deduction with the absence of the plane's number on the tail (which we know was present from this photo of L4A raised by the Italians after the raid, and the side view drawing not showing an external fuel tank - which all the planes had, then this piece of paint scheme evidence is inconclusive - not helping to resolve the black vs sky grey fuselage question raised by the Aeromaster decal research team.

Next step on the research trail:

• "With Naval Wings" by John Wellham - another participant in the Taranto Raid with his wartime story
• "The Attack on Taranto" by Brian B. Schofield - hopefully a more scholarly account of the raid than the Smithers and Lowry/Wellham books

I also found someone who has Sturtivant's Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939-1945 which has an enumeration of 815 Squadron's planes.

Lastly, consider this image:.  This art by Robert Taylor is a limited edition print, signed by Charles Lamb - an actual participant in the raid.  You can tell from the print that the lower fuselage is not black as in the Aeromaster decal research (my previous post).  The print does show the external fuel tank (good) although the oil cooler looks suspiciously like a Mk II oil cooler which wouldn't have been present

The mystery of Tony Wray's serial number takes an interesting twist.  New, conflicting evidence emerges.

I just received my Aeromaster Fleet Air Arm Pt I decal set (Models-For-Sale in UK).  These include decals and paint scheme for the Taranto raid's leader aircraft (4A - Lt Cmdr Williamson).

You'll note that the researchers Peter Freeman and Mike Starmer say that the Sky Grey lower surfaces were repainted matt black for the raid on Taranto.  This meant that the serial number would have been painted over as they indicate in their rendition.   So, it doesn't matter what Wray's serial number was for the model kit as it won't appear!  Their rendition also suggests that the underside of the upper wing is also matt black painting over the large aircraft identifier 4A (one less decal for me to fabricate).

However, there is contradictory evidence - the drawing (Don Greer) on the cover of Fairey Swordfish in action by W.A. Harrison.  In this drawing, of Wellham's aircraft 5H, the sky grey color is present as is the serial number.  There is nothing in the text to substantiate this depiction.

Anyone have anything to elaborate on the paint scheme for Taranto Swordfish?  My research to date can't corroborate Aeromaster (not that I doubt them, just like to see a confirming source - especially as Harrison went to market with a different picture).

Aside #1 - It struck me that since I have a Frog-Eastern Express-Cooperativa threesome of Swordfish, I could do Wray's plane on three of four different documented events - Taranto, a mine-laying raid on Tobruk October 22, 1940, a bombing attack on Benghazi (Sepember 16 1940), and an attack on Italian destroyers (torpedo) October 12, 1940.  So, I can scratch build a 1/72 aerial mine and 1/72 250 lb bombs (yippee).

Aside #2 - I sure wish my ACE PE set for the Frog Swordfish would arrive.  Amazingly enough (as it was shipped from Ukraine), USPS Package tracking has got it as far as NYC on July 23.  So any day now.

cropredy wrote:

ACE (for the Frog and Frog clone kits) -  shipped 17 July 2009 from Ukraine. Dealer is Models UA. He (Ivan) has one still available.  Moduni lists this item but it has been marked as 'delivery expected in 1-2 weeks' for the last 2 months now.  When I get a few moments I'll get my act together re: FAA Group Build. I do have two other questions though: Q1 - Torpedo color: Based on the many pictures I have seen, it would appear that the brightly-colored torpedo (warhead end) was used only for training missions where, I suppose, tracking and finding the training torpedo was important so color mattered - or, perhaps, as a human factors issue to distinguish at a glance fake from live torpedoes.  For live torpedoes on actual missions (1940), at best (from photos/line drawings), the warhead end was a darker gray (than the rest of the torpedo) or possibly black.  Again, no reason to tip off the enemy with some brightly-colored object in the water.  In many cases, the torpedo was monochromatic.  I don't have any written proof of this. I'd be interested in whether your research indicated otherwise.

Ahhh, the same two I dealt with for my ACE PE set as well! I told Modloony that they shouldn't put up false info on products they don't have! Just put 'out of stock' up instead! I mean how hard is it? Ivan said he sent mine and don't know where it got off to. He gave me a tracking number but had no idea how to use it. Anyway, I kept on harrassing him, ended up refunding my money and eventually got it free of charge for waiting nearly six months!!! So I say good luck on getting them. Once you do though, they are very nice and have the tail feathers and props for the fish, which were the main things I wanted.

As for the color of the fish, well, I honestly took a bit of artistic license and used a pic of one of the restored Swordfish carrying a fish with a red nose and liked the way it looked more or less. Added a bit of color to the build! That's the only reason it's red. Plus I couldn't find any confirmation of the colors of the noses of the fish, I did look, but came up empty.

The windows were to enable the pilot to judge his height, in daylight, for torpedo dropping.  At night it was normally the observer's task to hang over the side, watch the height, and communicate it to the pilot (often by clouting him on the shoulder.)  With an intervening fuel tank, it must have been "interesting."

Edgar

Simpilot34 --

Interesting quotations from the book.  Thanks for taking the time to find the passage and insert into the forum.  I'm a little dubious of the dialog (poetic license by the author).

As for the 1/72 PE sets; I am aware of three versions:

• Airwaves (for the Airfix kit). I have this.  Got mine from Aviation Megastore in the Netherlands. I bought a second one from Roll Models in case I messed up.  Hannants was out-of-stock when I looked but may be different now.
  
• Cooperativa (Frog clone) Swordfish kit - comes with a small PE part set (which I also have).  I got mine from Frontline Hobbies in Sydney. The item is still available on their web site. Falcon HK also has a Cooperativa.
• ACE (for the Frog and Frog clone kits) -  shipped 17 July 2009 from Ukraine. Dealer is Models UA. He (Ivan) has one still available.  Moduni lists this item but it has been marked as 'delivery expected in 1-2 weeks' for the last 2 months now. 

When I get a few moments I'll get my act together re: FAA Group Build.

I do have two other questions though:

Q1 - Torpedo color: Based on the many pictures I have seen, it would appear that the brightly-colored torpedo (warhead end) was used only for training missions where, I suppose, tracking and finding the training torpedo was important so color mattered - or, perhaps, as a human factors issue to distinguish at a glance fake from live torpedoes. 

For live torpedoes on actual missions (1940), at best (from photos/line drawings), the warhead end was a darker gray (than the rest of the torpedo) or possibly black.  Again, no reason to tip off the enemy with some brightly-colored object in the water.  In many cases, the torpedo was monochromatic.  I don't have any written proof of this.

I'd be interested in whether your research indicated otherwise.

Q2 - Those little windows that the pilot could look through below and to the sides of the plane.  These windows are irregularly shaped polygons.  The Frog model outlines their location.  The Airfix and Revell models omit entirely.

Most photos of Swordfish don't appear to show these windows as windows, instead they seem to be covered/dark.  But, in the photos, the windows are in a position that is easily obscured by the wings/struts. Also, the interior of the plane would be dark so a photo from the outside might not reveal the polygon to be a window, just a dark spot. So, hard-to-tell from wartime photos.

I did find this photo from a restored Swordfish which unambiguously shows the windows. I can't quite figure out whether the Taranto plane would have had these windows exposed or covered.  The line drawings (side-view) in Sturtivant's The Swordfish Story consistently show the window for all Mk I's.  Same with the line drawing in WarPaint No. 12 (drawing by Ian Huntley). Although I'm not in an airborne Swordfish, the windows are so small that the pilot's field of view can't have been too great - and at night their efficacy would be limited.

My default position is to cut out the Frog fuselage where the windows are marked and insert some scratch built clear styrene. I'm curious whether you (or anyone) can shed some light (so-to-speak) on these windows.

Thanks! 

simpilot34 wrote:

bondoman wrote:  cropredy wrote: Thank you for the invitation to the FAA Group Build.  I'm not sure I'm up to the quality levels that FSM members are capable.  None of that. Come over and present your papers to the Captain, there's a need for historical research done as well as yours, and don't drink his rum. He's a bit of a sot, but it's easily a place you could fit right in to. Just tell the Admiral that Bondo and Sarge sent you up the gangway. I will surely third the motion!!!!!!!!! By all means Eric!!!!! Get your butt over to the FAA GB!!!!!!

By all means, I shall add my name to the endorsement!  Some of the finest lads you will ever find hang out over there.  Looking forward to seeing you there.

bondoman wrote:

cropredy wrote: Thank you for the invitation to the FAA Group Build.  I'm not sure I'm up to the quality levels that FSM members are capable.  None of that. Come over and present your papers to the Captain, there's a need for historical research done as well as yours, and don't drink his rum. He's a bit of a sot, but it's easily a place you could fit right in to. Just tell the Admiral that Bondo and Sarge sent you up the gangway.

I will surely third the motion!!!!!!!!! By all means Eric!!!!! Get your butt over to the FAA GB!!!!!! I have read the posts and replies for this thread and am very intrigued to see it come into being!!!! What better place for it to unfold as the GB!!!! I would also like to THANK YOU, for all your kind words about my Swordfish build!!!! Very Very much appreciated!!! While I was building my Swordfis i found a few books and had a read of them and one was simply called TARANTO by Don Newton an A. Cecil Hampshire. Copyright 1959! I picked it up at a second hand book store. I will have another read of it and see if there is ANY info I can convey to you at all for modelling a Taranto raider!!! I sincerely hope that your ACE PE set doesn't take six months like mine did!!!! Mind you in the long run I got it free of charge for such a long wait, but it was agonizingly LONG!!!!!!! Since I had already started the build by the time I found out about this PE set and one from Airwaves available from Hannant's, I couldn't use much of the interior. I did manage the seats and belts plus a few other bits though. I sent the remnants to sfcmac for his build.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/

Just type in Swordfish for search after selecting scale and it should come up with whats available. I have ordered stuff from them a few times and they are very good in my opinion.

I found this in my book and will gladly share it with you.

No mention is made of serials though to confirm. Like I said will have another read of this book and see if there is anything else I can relay to you. All the best in this endeavour!!!!!!!! Looking forward to it!!!! Like sfcmac said, If there is anything else I can try and help out with let me know!!!!

Aaron, thank you for your kind words as well!!!! I feel the same way about the FAA GB crew!! And you are top rate as well mate!!!!!!!

cropredy wrote:

Thank you for the invitation to the FAA Group Build.  I'm not sure I'm up to the quality levels that FSM members are capable.

OK folks -- The answer to the original post - serial number at Taranto is now solved (sort of).

I just obtained Ray Sturtivant's magisterial work The Swordfish Story.  In this work, besides recounting dozens of pilot/observer reports of various wartime Swordfish experiences, Sturtivant includes these marvelous resources:

• A mini-history of every Swordfish - from when it was delivered to where it served and how it ended. Appendix 4, pages 185-236 of small print.  This history is by aircraft serial number. Unbelievable!
  
• An enumeration with details of every Swordfish lost. Appendix 3
  
• An accounting of each plane at Taranto and its serial number, where known
• Innumerable photos, not heretofore published in the standard modeling booklets.  I especially liked the photo of a Swordfish transporting a motorcycle instead of a torpedo. There is also a picture of one of the two Swordfish (L4A) shot down and'raised' by the Italians.
  

It is clear that Sturtivant spared no effort in tracking down every Swordfish.  In notable Swordfish actions, he has a table inserted into the text with each plane present, crew, number, and serial number.  This endeavor could simply not be duplicated and Sturtivant deserves the DFC at least!

Now for the bad news -- Sturtivant was only able to trace 4 (with the fifth a guess) of the 21 striking Swordfish down to their serial numbers.  None of these were Wray's plane.  And, simply holding this book in your hands convinces you that the trail has gone cold.

In The Attack on Taranto by Lowry, Thomas and Wellham, John, the latter author, who flew E5H at Taranto reproduces his pilot's log for the preceding week.  Over a 9 day period, he flew four (4) different aircraft.  I would need to track down the pilot's log for L4R (Wray's plane) - something it is clear that Sturtivant attempted but failed.  A possible reason for this would be the subsequent heavy damage to the Illustrious which could easily have destroyed the records.

So, for my model, I'm going to comb through the Appendix's 51 pages trying to identify planes delivered to Squadron 815 and/or the Illustrious before November 1940 and pick one at random not otherwise identified as being present at Taranto.

A final detail - Captain Sutton, an observer in L5K recounts his story on p.57.  There is one illuminating modeling fine point -

"As observer, I was in what was normally the air gunner's position in the rear with the enormous petrol tank in the middle of the aircraft where I would usually have my seat. I was leaning on the petrol tank, with my chin on it, looking over the top through the centre section at Torrens-Spence's [pilot] head, observing and telling him what to do next. The tank was basically just an aluminium alloy barrel strapped above the observer's normal seat. There was no self-sealing or anything, and it had a vent pipe on top that sprayed petrol in the observer's face on take-off. I must say it wasn't a comfortable place to be positioned." 

So - I'll need to put some grime 'wash' on Wray's face!

Any idea how I find a 1/72 figure in WW II flight gear that is posable standing up, head high with arms out gripping the sides?  All the Swordfish kits come with figures sitting down!

Hopefully my PE interior parts (ACE) will arrive soon - I ordered them from Ukraine and the shipper promises that they are on their way.

sfcmac -- You are so kind.  The picture above from Air Power Modelling is quite impressive.  The style harkens back to art deco-ish travel ads for the comfort of travel by Zeppelin!  It makes the gunner's position look positively roomy - almost the sitting room at the Ritz.  Of course, on patrol in the North Atlantic without a canopy I doubt the gunner was reminded of the Ritz.

Thank you for the invitation to the FAA Group Build.  I'm not sure I'm up to the quality levels that FSM members are capable. 

I also now realize that 'Ritchie' / 'simpilot' is the same person who ably documented his 1/72 Swordfish build in this long running series of posts. I've studied his pictures many times while being awestruck at the level of competence.  Let's hope that the combination of time, patience, and $ I've put in so far will let me come close to his excellence.

I've inserted below a montage of all the external fuel tank photos I have found to date.  Click on the image to see full size.

Photo credits:

1 - Harrison, W.A. Swordfish Special

2 - ibid

3 - Smithers, A. J. Taranto 1940 Prelude to Pearl Harbor

4 - Harrison, W.A. Fairey Swordfish in Action 

 Sorry for the delay. I work nights. Very long ones some times.  But here are the Pics I promised from articles that Ritchie. Sim Pilot sent to me.

and a scan of the 1/32 Trumpeter instructions dealing with the crew area. It is exactly the same as the Tamiya kit but larger.

 Sounds like a shameless plug but you should jump into the FAA GB in group builds.  Not  a prim and proper ruled with an iron fist build but a bunch of modelers that have a fun time and share loads of info and great work and techniques.  Definately some of the best fellows I have met.

Hope these help you out holler if you need anything else.

I can't find any pics of that auxerlery tank used in Taranto. I would be interested in seeing how it was set up as well. Sounds very cramped space wise for the poor remaining crew member.

Very helpful ... this prompted me to re-look at all the photos in my references.  You can look at pictures of Swordfish all day and not notice something because your prejudices are that seats face either forward or backward.

The best photo (taken by Ian Huntley I think) is of the LS 326 rear cockpit in Fairey Swordfish Warpaint Series No. 12 by the ubiquitous W.A.Harrison. See page 30/31 ,photo 4.  In this photo, which confirms Edgar's post above, the seat is rather small and attached to the starboard side.  But as you can see from the photo, the seat is sufficiently small that the gunner (observer Wray in my case) can point his feet either to port or diagonally port/aft.  It also shows that there are a wealth of instruments facing aft so there is no way the seat could have been repositioned facing forwards without rewiring the cockpit - highly unlikely.

N.b.  Small-bottomed sub-lieutenants must have been a requirement for this position<g>.  

This helps explain why the photos of gunners in Swordfish (or the front/rear cover illustrations in Swordfish in Action [Squadron/Signal]) show the person oriented in different directions.  There was more freedom of movement for the torso to twist than I originally thought.

As color commentary, I re-read Lamb's To War in a Stringbag, here are some interesting quotes about his observer on the mission:

• "Grabbing the voice-pipe I [Lamb, the pilot] sang out to Grieve [the observer], <<I'm about to attack [dropping bombs], so try to see if I score any hits>>"  p.126.
• "You [Lamb] were throwing the aircraft about like a madman half the time, and every time I tried to look over the side, the slipstream nearly whipped off my goggles!" p. 127
•  "Their [observer's] responsibilities ended at the target until it was time to go home again, and then they had to be very cool-headed and accurate, and do difficult sums.  While the excitement was at its height all they could do was sit tight and pray." p. 127-8
  

Several years ago, I was able to take photos of "LS326," during her first major rebuild.  The gunner's "seat" was a small bucket-type, attached to a diagonal fuselage member, on the starboard side, and at floor level, meaning that the gunner would have sat facing to port, with his "anti-cavorting chain" already attached to the staple in the floor, so that he could stand up, when necessary.  There was a curved piece of metal attached to the front edge of the narrow "bridge" between gunner's and observer's stations, maybe armour plating of a sort.  The gun dropped into a shaped hole on the rear decking, and below it's mounting, the hole, giving access into the rear fuselage, was covered by a roll-down sheet of plastic (in the 1980s, but, probably, canvas during the war.)  Under the screen there appears to be a shelf, and the navigator, I suspect, would have had plenty of room, there, to keep his charts.

Edgar