Hercules power and the redesign of the Barracuda

What if the Fairey Barracuda had used the Bristol Hercules engine?

It was technically plausible, but it required substantial reshaping forward of the cockpit. The Navy had sought Hercules engines and been told their supply was already committed elsewhere.

A Bristol Hercules installation was a credible alternative for the Fairey Barracuda, with versions reaching about 1,600 horsepower around 1939-41 and using two-speed superchargers. Different Hercules variants served different performance requirements. The substitution would require a substantially different airframe shape, particularly forward of the cockpit, because the engine differed from the historical installation. The Royal Navy had considered and requested Hercules engines, but the Air Ministry said the supply was committed elsewhere. Engine standardization around 1936-37 was another possible route, with Hercules among the candidates. The Pegasus already serving in the Swordfish, alongside anticipated new engines, complicated that choice. More power on paper therefore did not settle either the aircraft design or the supply decision.