Why the Albacore and Barracuda did not quickly displace the Swordfish

The Royal Navy should have had a better successor ready by 1939. The Albacore did not offer enough improvement over the Swordfish and was consequently outlasted by its predecessor. The Barracuda suffered from the disruption of wartime engine-production priorities. Early expectations of a short war encouraged immediate output at the expense of longer-term programs, much as urgent shipbuilding choices constrained battleship and carrier plans. By the time the conflict's likely duration became clear in 1941, industry had lost valuable time before the Pacific war widened.