The Royal Navy of England under the leadership of Admiral Andrew Cunningham launched a naval attack on the Italian naval forces … This limited Britain’s ability to control the Mediterranean.A Swordfish biplane, as used by the Royal Navy at the Battle of Taranto, dropping a torpedoThis situation had been recognised over a year before the outbreak of World War Two by Senior Royal Navy Officers who started to look at possible ways of attacking the Italian fleet at Taranto.They were advised by the Captain of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier With the Italian’s Navy now a threat to supply routes to Crete and Malta, Admiral Andrew Cunningham decided in October 1940 to implement However, some technical issues caused a delay to the plan including a breakdown in the fuel system of Maintaining radio silence and without navigation lights to prevent detection, the first wave of twelve Swordfish took off just before 9pm on 11 November 1940, followed by the second wave of nine planes about 90 minutes later. The British night attack involved 21 Fairey Swordfish biplanes, launched in two waves from the Royal Navy carrier HMS Prime Minister Winston Churchill assessed the impact of the raid in the House of Commons:In light of widespread skepticism at the time about the viability of carrier-based airpower, the comment of Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, British commander in chief in the Mediterranean, was perhaps more noteworthy:In fact the balance of naval power in the Mediterranean was not altered as radically as Churchill claimed. The Italian fleet had lost half of their capital ships in one night with over 600 men killed and wounded. The first wave of Swordfish began their approach from the south west just before midnight. The flare carriers lit up the Italian ships allowing the torpedo bombers to begin their dive into a storm of fire from over 800 anti-aircraft guns.Within ten minutes the Italian fleet was suffering massive damage. Swordfish torpedo planes were also later used against the German battleship, Bismark inflicting damage that would ultimately caused its demise. What was the Battle of Taranto? It also had implications that went far beyond that time and place.Among Britain’s objectives was the preservation of Malta as an operational hub in the Mediterranean. On the night of November 11, 1940, twenty planes flew from the deck of HMS Illustrious, then located 170 miles from Taranto. In addition, the Italians maintained the basic integrity of their fleet and logistic support of their North African operations.In the long view of history, however, the Battle of Taranto changed the face of naval warfare forever. Destruction of the Italian Fleet at the Battle of Taranto. With France on the brink of defeat, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had taken his country into the war on the side of Germany on June 10, 1940.

Battle of Taranto.

Of greatest historical significance, however, tactical airpower projected by sea quickly became a crucial component of U.S. national power, and more than seven decades later that special element of global power remains in full force.■ As the torpedoes and bombs exploded at Taranto, so did the traditional naval combat doctrines based on the big guns of battleships.■ New technologies and the new tactics they enable can be surprisingly effective in applying ancient military maxims, such as Sun-tzu’s advice to “appear where you are least expected.”■ Never underestimate the troublemaking capacity of a naval aviator at the controls of an aircraft—even one he jokes about—attached to a torpedo or bombs.■ Surprise remains an invaluable force multiplier in naval warfare, whether you’re talking about triremes or ballistic missile submarines.■ Admiral Lord Nelson’s combat doctrine—“the boldest measures are the safest”—articulated before the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, is timeless.■ Others will mimic a successful tactic: What worked at Taranto was even more effective at Pearl Harbor.Alfred Lord Tennyson, English poet laureate (1850), wrote "The Charge of the Light Brigade. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines. It was a vital seaway for the British for the servicing of their Empire. By Mark Simner – Part One. Three Italian battle ships, Littorio, Caio Duilio and Conte di Cavour had been crippled, four other ships were sunk or badly damaged and a number of shore installations destroyed. It consisted of six battleships, seven heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and eight destroyers.

Battle of Taranto The night of 11th – 12th November 1940 saw a naval mission of unprecedented determination and bravery when 21 canvas-winged Fairey Swordfish aircraft took off from HMS Illustrious to carry out one of the most pivotal aerial attacks of the Second World War: the sinking of the Italian Battle Fleet at Taranto.

In the long view of history, however, the Battle of Taranto changed the face of naval warfare forever. The attack on Taranto, Italy, by British forces on November 11, 1940, was the world’s first major carrier strike battle. The success of the attack was a remarkable victory for such a small force. Within ten minutes the Italian fleet was suffering massive damage. Their flight time to reach their target was over two hours as they travelled at a maximum speed of just 75 knots.Half of the Swordfish were armed with torpedoes, with the other half carrying aerial bombs and flares to create diversions. They were each fitted with an auxiliary fuel tank because they were still over 170 miles from Taranto. Keep your Family healthy with non-toxic antibacterial Sanitisers and Sprays The Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ferociously confirmed that transition.