More carriers bring a larger Swordfish strike to Taranto

Greater carrier numbers permit Eagle to refit when needed and make Taranto a two- or three-carrier operation rather than a mission dependent on a single available deck. The Swordfish was slow but exceptionally effective at delivering torpedoes, aided by Royal Navy work on a tension-wire system that encouraged a shallow, stable water entry. That controlled entry reduced the risk of torpedoes diving into a harbour bottom, passing beneath a target, or breaking up on impact. A larger strike could also include Skua dive bombers and a more balanced mix of fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo aircraft.