Why spare Swordfish kept mixed squadrons flying

The Albacore force at Cape Matapan was mixed with Swordfish because spare examples of the older aircraft were available in the Mediterranean while replacement Albacores were not. The Swordfish inventory had become unusually persistent and serviceable across the Fleet Air Arm. Even poorly stored or imperfectly documented airframes could be inspected, cleaned, and returned to operation quickly. This logistical resilience helps explain why the Swordfish endured: its value lay in its flight characteristics and in the depth, familiarity, and recoverability of the whole support system.