by Philip E West

The venerable Fairy Swordfish was the Fleet Air Arms premier torpedo-bomber at the outbreak of World War 11. It may have looked archaic in appearance, but its courageous crews proved time and time again that it was a potent fighting machine. 'Stringbags' as they were affectionately known, served in several important roles and theatres including Coastal Command, the Mediterranean and flying from MAC-ships protecting North Atlantic and Arctic convoys.

Primary Edition signed by Stanley Brand, former Swordfish pilot.
Artist Proofs and Remarques are also signed by John Moffat, Swordfish pilot who attacked and help sink the German battleship “Bismarck”.

Please see below for details of the signatories of this edition.
As with all our prints, this edition was signed in the presence
of Sean Whyte, owner and publisher of SWA Fine Art Limited.

100 Primary Edition: £95 50 Artist Proofs: £125 15 Remarques: £245

Philip E. West is recognised as one of the world’s finest aviation artists. Collectors of his original oil paintings span the globe, many waiting patiently for his next breathtaking canvas to appear.  Self taught, Philip has won many accolades for his paintings, not the least of which was the prestigious Duane Whitney Award for Excellence at the 1997 American Society of Aviation Artists Exhibition.

Sub Lieut (A) Stanley T. Brand RNVR (Pilot). Although in a reserved occupation volunteered on his 18th birthday to train as pilot in the Fleet Air Arm.  He flew open cockpit biplane Swordfish aircraft from Merchant Aircraft Carriers called “Macships”. These were 8000 ton grain-ships or oil tankers fitted with a flight deck, carrying their usual cargo and manned by a Merchant Navy Master and crew. They sailed in convoy back and forth across the North Atlantic in all the extreme weather conditions experienced on that ocean. The oil tankers lacked a hangar, so maintenance was carried out on open deck exposing the aircraft, ground crew and aircrew to the fury of the sea, ice and gales. By keeping U-boats submerged instead of allowing them free range on the surface, in 24 months only two merchant ships were sunk by the enemy in convoys protected by Macships. This was in spite of there being greater numbers and more efficient U-boats at sea in this period than at the time of our greatest losses in the Battle of the Atlantic.

the Artist Proof and Remarque editions have also been signed by the following men.

Sub. Lt Cdr (A) John Moffat RNVR (Pilot) joined the Royal Navy in September 1939 and moved to flying school in December 1939 at Belfast then Netheravon.  He then transferred to Fleet Air Arm fighters at Eastleigh, on Skuas and Gladiators.  A further transfer introduced John to Torpedo carrying Swordfish of 818 Squadron on HMS Ark Royal, at Gibraltar.  During convoy duties they captured a supply ship in the Bay of Biscay.  Following two attacks on the German battleship Bismark, John was subsequently credited with rudder strike by one of his torpedoes on the Bismarck.   He served on carriers Argus and Furious and as Deck Officer on Formidable.

John became Officer Commanding flying at RNAS Coudray Park in 1943 and was demobbed in 1946.

Captain Eric Brown R.N. had a 31-year career in the Royal Navy, and is the Fleet Air Arm’s most decorated pilot. After a distinguished operational tour flying from Britain’s first escort carrier, he was selected as a test pilot in 1942 and then served at A&AEE Boscombe Down before being appointed as Chief Naval Test Pilot at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, where he remained for six years. During that time he commanded the Enemy Aircraft Flight, the High Speed Flight and finally the prestigious Aerodynamics Flight.

During the Korean War he served as a test pilot at the US Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River for two years. While in his appointment as Head of the British Naval Air Mission to Germany from 1957-60 he was seconded to the Focke-Wulf Co. for a spell as their test pilot.

In his test-flying career he has flown a world record 487 basic types of aircraft, and made a world record 2,407 aircraft carrier landings in fixed-wing aircraft. He is a past President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a Master Pilot of Russia. In 1995 he was inducted into the US Navy’s Carrier Aviation Test Pilot Hall of Honor, the only non-American to have received this accolade.

CPO (A) Donald A Bunce CGM (TAG -Telegraphist Air Gunner) joined FAA in January 1940 and trained as a Telegraphist Air Gunner (TAG). Don was drafted to 825 Squadron and then transferred to HMS Victorious at Scapa Flow, joining HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales.

Flying from HMS Victorious, Don took part in the attack on the “Bismarck” the same day as HMS Hood was sunk.  His Squadron later transferred to HMS Ark Royal for Malta Convoys etc until she was torpedoed and sunk.

The Squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent and sent to Manston, Kent where they prepared for the night attack on “Scharnhorst”, “Gneisehau” and “Prinz Eugen”.  This turned into a daylight raid on 12th February 1942 and all the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors – four officers and CPO Bunce himself.

From then on Don transferred to training squadrons.  He was demobbed in January 1946.

Lt. Cdr. Edgar Lee DSO (Observer) joined the Royal Navy in May 1940, two days before his nineteenth birthday and after initial training began a flying course in Trinidad in September 1940.

He qualified as Observer in April 1941 and was commissioned as Midshipman (A) RNVR.  Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant (A) RNVR at the age of 20 in May 1941 and appointed to 825 Squadron in HMS Ark Royal in June 1941, flying operationally with 825 Squadron in Swordfish TBR until the Ark Royal was sunk in November 1941.

Edgar returned to England and the squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent – again in Swordfish in late December 1941, still under the command of Lt Commander E Esmonde DSO, RN.  He took part in the Channel attack on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on 12th February 1942.  All the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors; Edgar and his pilot were rescued from a dingy by MTB.

He joined the new 825 Squadron in March 1942 and flew in that squadron until July 1942, then sent for rest-posting to RNAS St Merryn on Flying Control duties.

At the end of February 1943, Edgar was seconded to 106 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, flying in Lancaster, under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, DSO, DFC, RAF.  Six Naval Observers seconded to 5 Group Bomber Command and three returned to naval duties the end of July 1943.  He was promoted to Lieutenant (A) RNVR in November 1943.

Instructing in Canada, August 1943 to November 1944 and returned to England to qualify as a Signals Officer in August 1945.  From Staff Signals Officer to Rear Admiral reserve Aircraft from September 1945 until demob in July 1947.

Edgar rejoined the Reserve in 1956 and was promoted to Lt Cdr. RNR in November 1961 serving in most NATO and National exercises until 1981 and as Acting Commander RNR in exercises from 1969 until retirement at 60 in 1981.

Peter Twiss OBE, DSC and Bar (Pilot) is perhaps best known for his breaking of the world speed record whilst flying the Fairey Delta 2 aircraft in 1956 when he achieved a speed of 1,132 mph. Prior to this Peter flew Hawker Hurricanes from catapult ships and in 1942 he flew as part of the escorting aircraft protecting the convoys to Malta. He also flew Fairey Fulmars and Supermarine Spitfires. He took part in “Operation Torch” – the allied landings in Morocco and Algeria.