The Plane Everyone Hated That Ultimately Saved WWII

The Fairey Barracuda, a British aircraft developed during World War II, was widely disliked by the pilots who flew it. Its ungainly design and limited performance made it notorious, yet it played a key role in the Allied campaign. Although it had its fair share of design issues and was considered by some to be underpowered and hard to maneuver, the Barracuda ultimately proved valuable in the fight against German forces. This unusual aircraft became a reliable workhorse for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm and took part in key missions, including assaults on German naval targets.

The plane’s most famous mission was its attack on the German battleship Tirpitz, a heavily armored ship that posed a significant threat to Allied shipping in the North Atlantic. The Fairey Barracuda’s successful role in that mission, despite its limitations, cemented its place in WWII history. Here’s a closer look at the Barracuda’s design, development, and how it managed to play an important part in the war despite being an unlikely hero.

An Awkward Design and Limited Power

The Fairey Barracuda was unlike any aircraft before it. Its high wings, T-tail, and oddly shaped landing gear made it look unconventional. British pilot Bud Abbott famously described it as “a flying abortion,” capturing the sentiment many pilots had toward its appearance. Its structure, which included a large and heavy frame, was not particularly suited to agile maneuvers. Initially, the Barracuda was designed to be both a torpedo and dive bomber, capable of delivering heavy bombs to ground and naval targets. However, its weight, combined with the underpowered Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, limited its performance.

The original plans called for a new engine, the Rolls-Royce Exe, which was expected to provide high power suitable for the Barracuda’s roles. But with the outbreak of WWII, priorities changed, and the Exe project was canceled, leaving the Barracuda without its intended engine. Engineers turned to the Merlin, a reliable but less powerful engine initially developed for fighter aircraft like the Spitfire. This required a complete redesign of the Barracuda’s airframe, which set the project back and resulted in a slower, less maneuverable aircraft than originally intended. By the time it finally entered service, pilots found that the Barracuda struggled with heavy bomb loads and was difficult to control.

The Fight to Perfect a Flawed Aircraft

The first production model of the Barracuda, the Mk I, was so problematic that it was mainly used for training rather than combat. The primary production model, the Mk II, incorporated changes that made the aircraft more capable, though it still faced challenges. The Mk II was powered by the Merlin 32 engine, which provided around 1,640 horsepower. Even with this improvement, the aircraft’s top speed was limited to 228 miles per hour, and its range was just over 650 miles—figures that put it at a disadvantage compared to other bombers and fighters of the time. The Fairey-Youngman flaps, an innovation of the Barracuda, allowed for better control in steep dive-bombing attacks. These hydraulically controlled flaps could act as dive brakes, slowing the aircraft during bombing runs and making it easier for pilots to control. Despite these adjustments, the Barracuda’s handling issues persisted, and pilots continued to complain about its sluggish response and instability in the air.

Another unusual feature of the Barracuda was its foldable wings, which allowed it to be stored more easily on aircraft carriers. While this was a useful feature, it also added to the plane’s weight and made it even harder to control. Engineers tried to compensate for the weight by adding a T-tail design, which helped to improve stability but did little to make the aircraft more popular among pilots. The hydraulic landing gear, though innovative, added more complexity to an already overloaded design, making it a challenging aircraft to operate from carrier decks.

The Barracuda’s Role in the Attack on Tirpitz

Despite its faults, the Barracuda went on to play a crucial role in the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz, a mission that highlighted the aircraft’s value. Tirpitz, a massive battleship known as the “Lonely Queen of the North,” was a powerful presence, hiding in Norwegian fjords under a shroud of heavy anti-aircraft defenses. By 1944, the British were determined to neutralize this threat, as the mere presence of Tirpitz in the region forced the Allies to dedicate resources to protect their convoys.

On April 3, 1944, a fleet of forty Fairey Barracudas took off to target the Tirpitz. As the planes approached the fjord, the battleship’s anti-aircraft defenses sprang to life, with guns and smoke screens filling the air. The Barracudas, carrying a mix of 1,600- and 500-pound bombs, pressed on despite their vulnerable position. Because of their slow speed and heavy bomb loads, the Barracudas were easy targets, but the pilots managed to navigate through the smoke and anti-aircraft fire, dropping their payloads on Tirpitz. The bombs inflicted considerable damage, setting off fires and weakening the ship’s defensive capabilities. The attack did not immediately sink Tirpitz, but it rendered her combat-ineffective, allowing Allied forces to focus resources elsewhere.

From Torpedo Bomber to Multi-Role Aircraft

After the Tirpitz mission, the Barracuda continued to serve in various roles across different theaters. Although designed as a torpedo bomber, it became clear that the aircraft was better suited for dive-bombing and reconnaissance missions. In the North Atlantic, squadrons equipped with Barracudas flew anti-submarine patrols, using depth charges and bombs to target German submarines that threatened Allied convoys. The Barracuda’s ability to carry a range of munitions, including 1,500-pound bombs, depth charges, and torpedoes, gave it flexibility that the Fleet Air Arm could leverage in various operations.

While the Barracuda’s performance was limited, it was still an effective platform for these missions. Its design allowed it to fly low over water, ideal for anti-submarine warfare. Although the plane’s slow speed and poor maneuverability made it vulnerable to fighter attacks, its three-man crew, including a rear gunner, provided some defensive capability. The Barracuda’s ruggedness meant it could withstand rough landings on carriers, adding to its appeal as a multi-role workhorse.