Would a Swordfish still emerge if the Royal Navy developed twin-engine carrier aircraft?
Short answerA single-engine torpedo bomber would still be needed for smaller carriers, although its design could differ and the Swordfish name alone might survive.
NotesA later aircraft could still receive the Swordfish name without resembling the historical design. Smaller Royal Navy carriers would continue to need a single-engine torpedo bomber even if the largest conversions operated twin-engine types. The two kinds would therefore probably develop in parallel. Sharing engines and components would be attractive, but rapid interwar engine development repeatedly frustrated attempts at commonality.