Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:15:07-4:15:23

Swordfish flight operations on Queen Elizabeth carriers

Deck length prompts a qualified assessment of hypothetical Swordfish operations.

Carrier Flight OperationsFairey SwordfishQueen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers
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Question

Could a Swordfish take off from and land on a current Queen Elizabeth-class carrier?

Short answer

The operations appear theoretically possible using the cleared deck's length, without relying on the ski ramp.

Notes

Deck length makes Swordfish operations appear theoretically possible. The arrangement would require clearing the flight deck instead of using normal aircraft positions. The ski ramp is not treated as usable for the proposal. No worked launch or recovery procedure is supplied.