Could Fairey Swordfish carry and drop naval mines?
Short answerYes. Several Taranto plans included Swordfish minelaying, although aircraft shortages forced choices among mines, bombs, and torpedoes.
NotesEarly planning around HMS Glorious envisioned thirty-six Swordfish, including aircraft armed with mines in a second wave. Later concepts involving Illustrious and Eagle also debated whether additional Swordfish should carry mines or torpedoes, while fighters and Fulmars altered the available strike mix. Carrier availability changed both the raid's size and the balance of weapons a commander could employ. Weapon allocation therefore depended on how many ships and aircraft could join the operation.