The Swordfish was specified in 1933 and entered service in 1936, so its biplane layout alone does not make it an old design in 1939. It belonged to an overlapping generation that included the Supermarine Walrus and Blackburn Shark and Baffin. The Walrus supplied spotting and reconnaissance from battleships and cruisers. Several torpedo aircraft remained in service while the Navy continued issuing specifications and testing designs. Those trials emphasized dependable torpedo delivery at night, even where other navies used larger weapons.
Notable Point · 1:35:31-1:37:23
The Swordfish belongs to a new mid-1930s generation
The Swordfish's 1933 specification and 1936 introduction put its biplane layout in the context of continuing naval aircraft development.