The Navy Wings engineering team has kicked off the year with meticulous attention to maintaining the Fairey Swordfish W5856, the world’s oldest surviving airworthy example of this iconic aircraft. Their efforts are focused on addressing minor issues and ensuring the Swordfish remains in pristine flying condition.
A Storied Past
W5856 has a rich and storied history. First taken to the skies on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1941, she was one of the “Blackfish” Swordfish models built by Blackburn Aircraft at Sherburn-in-Elmet. Delivered to 82 MU in Lichfield on 20 October 1941, she was transported to Gibraltar to serve with the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet. While little is documented about her active service, she is believed to have conducted patrols over the Straits of Gibraltar from North Front. In the winter of 1942-43, W5856 returned to Fairey’s Stockport factory for refurbishment and was subsequently used for advanced training and trials. By 1944, she had been transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, where she continued her training role before being stored after World War II. Post-war, the Swordfish passed into civilian hands, including an ambitious farmer who intended to convert her into a crop sprayer. Eventually, Sir William Roberts acquired her and transported her to Scotland in 1977 to join his Strathallan Collection. The aircraft arrived in poor condition, suffering from significant corrosion.
Restoration and Revival
In 1990, British Aerospace purchased W5856 and undertook an extensive restoration to bring her back to airworthiness. After a successful test flight at Brough in May 1993, the aircraft was gifted to the Royal Navy Historic Flight. Three years later, the City of Leeds adopted W5856 as a tribute to local companies that manufactured Swordfish components during World War II. The city’s coat of arms and name now grace the aircraft’s port side near the pilot’s cockpit. Grounded in 2003 due to corrosion in her wing spars, W5856’s future appeared uncertain. However, BAE Systems came to the rescue, constructing a new set of wings that were delivered in 2012. With the support of a major grant from the Peter Harrison Heritage Foundation, the aircraft was restored to full flying condition. She rejoined the display circuit in 2015, sporting a livery representing Swordfish of 820 Naval Air Squadron during the legendary 1941 attack on the German battleship Bismarck.
