Help save the Fairey Barracuda from extinction

Fairey Barracuda DP872

Restoration of the World’s only WW2 Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber

Over 2500 Barracuda aircraft were delivered to the Fleet Air Arm, more than any other type ordered by the Royal Navy to date. Unlike other more iconic aircraft of its era none were retained for posterity and no complete examples exist today.

Since the early 1970s the Fleet Air Arm Museum has been collecting Barracuda components from a wide variety of sources throughout the British Isles, with the aim of rebuilding a Barracuda. The centrepiece is DP872, which was salvaged and is now being carefully restored at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. This project is more than a restoration—it’s a tribute to those who built, flew, and maintained the Barracuda.

With no complete set of Barracuda plans in existence, the project is a huge challenge for the team, having to understand and work out how these aircraft were constructed. This truly is a one-of-a-kind project which will have a lasting impact on aviation history and engineering. Barracuda Live is only possible thanks to the kindness of our supporters. We will memorialise the people who flew and operated Barracudas, and connect with audiences on all levels – archaeological, technical, and emotional. By supporting this project, your impact will extend far beyond the restoration of a single aircraft. You will be part of a momentous and historic project.