Swordfish observers flew amid leaking fuel at Taranto

Were Swordfish observers at Taranto really sitting waist-deep in aviation fuel?

Yes; the long-range tank seals leaked around the observer, yet the crews still achieved exceptional night navigation through training and experience.

Observers in torpedo-carrying Swordfish could sit in aviation fuel leaking from the auxiliary tank installed in their cockpit space. The seals had not been tested adequately and did not perform as intended, but crews still flew the Taranto mission and found their carrier again in darkness. Their small navigation errors demonstrate how much the operation depended on experienced observers. Clarke recalls seeing their performance taught in observer navigation schools. The Fleet Air Arm's low personnel turnover had kept experienced aircrew in service, so an institutional constraint also gave the force a deep reserve of flying experience.