The planned carrier air group retained more bombing flexibility than its type labels suggest. The Fulmar grew from an aircraft designed for dive bombing, and Fleet Air Arm aircraft could hold certifications beyond their usual employment. Even the Swordfish had a limited dive-bombing certification, although the Royal Navy seldom used it in that role. Its low-speed handling could let it hold an almost vertical attitude above a target, an unusual capability for an aircraft better known as a torpedo bomber.
Notable Point · 33:27-34:22
Fulmar and Swordfish retained little-used dive-bombing capability
The Fulmar's design ancestry and the Swordfish's limited dive certification gave Fleet Air Arm aircraft roles wider than their usual labels suggest.