Why early aerial torpedoes skipped, dived, or broke apart

The Cuckoo's planners did not yet have the later tension-wire and temporary-fin arrangements used to control a torpedo's entry into the water. Photographs of the Short Type 184 show First World War aerial torpedoes apparently skipping across the surface after entering at damaging angles. Repeated impacts could break them apart, while other torpedoes entered tail-first because the machinery made the rear section disproportionately heavy. Practice weapons could be especially unbalanced because inert wooden or empty warhead sections were much lighter than the motorized rear body. The example shows why a large Cuckoo raid could generate many drops without producing the same number of reliable attacks.