Aerial torpedoes could nose-dive, strike the seabed, run too deep, or break up even when the attacking aircraft appeared accurate. British aircraft used a tension-wire arrangement to make the weapon belly-flop reliably into the water. By that measure, the antiquated-looking Swordfish was an advanced torpedo-delivery platform for its time. American development pursued other solutions, including later parachute-retarded systems and greater forward momentum at release. Nimitz emphasized continued target practice, whereas British analysis warned that training could not overcome a flawed physical entry.
Chapter · 12:32-15:40
Why aerial torpedoes needed a controlled water entry
The Royal Navy attributed poor torpedo results to water-entry physics and contrasted American weapons with the Swordfish tension-wire method.