This 1:72 diecast model of the Fairey Swordfish from 825 Squadron commemorates the courageous low-level torpedo attack during Operation Fuller on February 12, 1942. Led by Lt. Cdr. Eugene Esmonde DSO, six Swordfish aircraft departed RAF Manston at 12:30 hrs, tasked with intercepting the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen as they attempted a breakout through the English Channel—an event later known as the “Channel Dash.”
Despite overwhelming odds and intense Luftwaffe fighter cover, the Swordfish crews pressed home their attacks in full daylight. Although they inflicted no serious damage, their bravery was beyond question. All six aircraft were shot down, and only five of the eighteen aircrew survived. Lt. Cdr. Esmonde was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, while the survivors received four DSOs and one Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for their actions.
This model comes prebuilt and includes display accessories and a stand, serving as a powerful tribute to one of the most heroic actions of the Fleet Air Arm during WWII.
