Special to the "N.C.D.N."
By Wiwa CowMANDER L. V. FRASER
NE of the most successful air weapons revealed in this war has been the air-launched torpedo.
Oft Norway, at Taranto, the Battle of Cape Matapan and against the Bismarck, torpedo-bombers of the Fleet Air Arm have scored resounding successes. The Navy has found a new striking instrument of greater range and speed than ever before.
Curiously enough despite the prominence which has come to it only recently, aerial torpedoes are one of the oldest air weapons. In fact the first torpedoes were dropped experimentally from the air before bombs were thought of.
A 14-inch Whitehead torpedo was dropped from a Short seaplane in 1914, and in August, 1915, a Turkish transport was sunk by this means in the Sea of Marmora, Much development went on during the years of peace and beth the R.A.F. and the Fleet Air Arm entered the war well equipped with torpedo aeroplanes. Fairey Swordfish of the Fleet went into action for the first time with torpedoes during the Norwegian campaign. They followed this by immobilizing the French battleship Richelieu towards Dakar Soon afterwards Brisol Beaufort torpedo-bombers of the coastal com-up by torpedo-bombers. This slowing up process is the result not only of hits scored, but also of a zigzag course necessary in atiempting to "ludo aircraft.
The lessons of Cape Matapan were iven home even more vehemently during the pursuit of the Bismarck. The Swordfish and Albacores from ihe Ark Royal and a new carrier were victorious taking off during atrocious weather and were able to cripple an enemy battleship and so make possible the coup de grace by capital Ships of the Navy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.