Fairey Albacore
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Fairey's
Albacore was conceived of as a replacement for the company's
Swordfish torpedo bomber, and first flew in 1938. Although still of
biplane configuration, the Albacore was more advanced than its
predecessor, having an enclosed cockpit and a Taurus engine nearly
twice as powerful as the Swordfish's Pegasus. However, the top speed
was only equivalent to that of the earlier aircraft, and the Albacore
was not as agile. After heavy use against Axis forces in the Med and
North Africa, the Albacore was retired in 1943 by the Fleet Air Arm,
although the RCAF continued to operate the type for another year.
Today, the Albacore is very nearly extinct; the Fleet Air Arm Museum
has the only example left, a composite aircraft assembled from a pair
of wrecks.
Fairey Albacore, from 1943 USAAF
recognition manual
