Over 2500 Barracuda aircraft were delivered to the Fleet Air Arm, more than any other type ordered by the Royal Navy to date, yet no complete example exists today.

Since the early 1970s the Fleet Air Arm Museum has been collecting original Barracuda components (with Government approval) from a wide variety of sources throughout the British Isles, with the aim of rebuilding a Barracuda.

In 1944 Barracuda DP872 (which forms the basis of the rebuild) was lost with its crew in Northern Ireland. The museum recovered the aircraft in 1971 and agreed with the families of the crew to do something meaningful with the aircraft wreckage to act as a memorial and tribute to the men and women who built, flew, and maintained the Barracuda.

The project aims to recreate a Barracuda Mk. II as it would have been delivered to the Royal Navy in 1943, using as much original material as possible.

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. The project will memorialise the people who built, 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 recreation of a single aircraft. You will be part of a momentous and historic project.