Why early aerial torpedoes would struggle in shallow water

The Cuckoo's torpedoes lacked the later fins, balancing refinements, and British tension-wire system that helped weapons enter shallow water without diving too deeply. A nose-first entry drove a torpedo down, whereas the later British arrangement encouraged a flatter, shallower impact. Slower aircraft and lower release heights might have reduced the problem, but they could not remove it. The comparison therefore suggests a success rate closer to Pearl Harbor than Taranto, with fewer aircraft than either famous attack. The Germans nevertheless concentrated coal-fired ships together and would have needed time to raise steam, so poor torpedo performance did not eliminate the possibility of surprise damage.