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teardrop-sidemarker β Swordfish Narvik
#royal #warspite #biplane #fairey #narvik #navy #royalairforce #seaplane #snow #swordfish #ww2
Published: 2015-02-19 18:41:02 +0000 UTC; Views: 1989; Favourites: 31; Downloads: 15
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Description
Older illustration from late December.Had done a drawing of a Fairey Swordfish, an old naval biplane, andΒ decided to color it and get some more use from my tablet. This example is L9767, a float equipped Mk.I attached to HMS Warspite early during the second world war. I loosely depicted it here during its role at the second battle of Narvik in April 1940, in which it scouted out German destroyers in the nearby fjords and managed to sink a german submarine in the process.Β
In retrospect, no sure about the bombs, but I suppose it adds en element of motion giving the picture a model box art sort of look to it.
Ink illustration colored via Photoshop CC
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Comments: 6
Hello,
I love your work on this !!! I have been looking forever for images of this particular aircraft during the Battle of Narvik. I want very badly to do a model of it and have had no end of trouble finding out if she wore camouflage or not. Have you found photographs of L9767 from the battle? Β
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It was a while ago, but I want to say I found a profile illustration of L9767 in a .PDF of an online book profiling Swordfish. I tried digging for a bit to see if I could find it again, but drew a blank.
However, the only other scrap of info I've found is more word of mouth and doesn't give truly hard evidence. But it effectively describes the same pattern and codes I used;
ipmsuk.proboards.com/thread/11β¦
I want to say I took the letter codes of the aircraft and adapted them to the standard livery of a 1939-40 Swordfish float plane. Wheeled carrier aircraft had slightly differing liveries, roundels, etc. so ultimately what I have drawn is the best conclusion I was able to come up with.
Hope this was the least bit helpful. Glad to hear you're looking to construct a model replicating this particular aircraft. I was drawn to it because of its relation to HMS Warspite, as well as its success during the Norwegian campaign.Β
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I really must check my notifications more often 
Thank you so very much for the link, it will be of great assistance. HMS Warspite is my favourite warship and her little sojourn down the fjord during the 2nd Battle of Narvik the stuff of legends. I have been chasing information on L9767 for years and wondered why there never seemed to be much information on the first FAA aircraft to sink a U-boat in WW 2.
I also plan to do one of the Walrus seaplanes she carried and launched during the Battle of Matapan. I do have photographic evidens of one of them anyway. Many thanks to you again and please carry on with your great artwork !!
Best regards,
Don
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Best of luck!
One of the most interesting aspects of Warspite for me was the fact that she begrudgingly made her way from Alexandria across the world to Puget Sound (where I live) for repairs following wounds taken at Crete. She was present for Pearl Harbor as perhaps the only ship armed and ready to defend Puget Sound naval yard against potential attack. Coincidentally, her Walrus was sent for maintenance at Sand Point Naval Air Station, which is located not far from where I reside. So the deep history behind the ship has always been fascinating to me.
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It's just the sheer history that the old girl witnessed, the battles she fought in and the scars she bore. And with all that, she wound up beached and taken apart piecemeal. Sad to think about really.
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