Gymnotiform and balistiform swimmers are those which have an undulatory fin affixed to a
rigid body unlike anguilliforms who undulate their entire body. Is there a mechanical
advantage to gymnotiform and balistiform swimming? This question was investigated by
Lighthill & Blake in a four paper series Biofluiddynamics of balistiform and gymnotiform
locomotion. We revisit this work using fully resolved numerical simulations of the types of
swimmers considered by Lighthill & Blake to interrogate the issue of mechanical advantage …