The Fairey Swordfish combined torpedo, spotting and reconnaissance roles. Float-equipped Swordfish provided reconnaissance and gunfire spotting for battleships and battlecruisers, and a number of ships still carried them during the Second World War. At Narvik, HMS Warspite's Swordfish flew ahead and exposed each German ambush before the British ships rounded the fjord's bends. The warning denied the defenders surprise and helped the surface force engage positions that were meant to remain hidden.
Notable Point · 3:23-4:23
Warspite's Swordfish exposes the ambushes
HMS Warspite's float-equipped Swordfish scouted ahead of the British force and exposed German positions before the ships rounded the fjord's bends.