Fairey Albacore, part five

The Fairey Albacore was designated as TBR (Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance) and just like the Swordfish, it was capable of dive bombing. It had a maximum under-wing bomb load of 4 x 500 lb (230 kg) and was equipped with a three-bladed constant speed propeller, it was powered by a single Bristol Taurus II 14-cylinder two-row sleeve-valve radial piston engine which yielded 1065 hp for take-off. That engine was much powerful than the Swordfish' one and theoretically, it was more aerodynamically refined.
The first two prototypes flew for the first time on 12th December 1938 and the first batch was produced in 1939. The early types, designated as Albacore Mk.I, were fitted with the aforementioned Bristol Taurus II engine, but the later ones, were fitted with the more powerful Bristol Taurus XII radial engine which yielded 1130 hp of power. When it was tested at Boscombe Down in 1940 with the Taurus II engine , it showed a maximum speed of 160 mph (258 km/h) at 4800 ft (1463 m) high. Those numbers were achieved with four under-wing depth charges attached, while the maximum speed without them was 172 mph (277 km/h). The total weight of an Albacore carrying a torpedo was 11100 lb (5045 kg).
It was armed with a fixed forward-firing 0.303 in M1919 Browning machine gun which was placed in the starboard wing and had one (in some cases two) defensive 0.303 in Vickers K machine gun placed in the rear cockpit. It could carry either one 1670 lb (760 kg) torpedo or 2000 lb (910 kg) of bombs, depth charges or even flares.
A total of 803 aircraft were manufactured, including two prototypes from 1939 until 1943 when production ceased. All of them were manufactured at Fairey's Aviation Co. Ltd. factory at Hayes, and were test flown at what is now London Heathrow Airport.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Albacore
2. https://www.valka.cz/Fairey-Albacore-Mk-I-t1348
3. https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=1390
4. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 52 - Fairey Albacore