Operation Judgment was originally scheduled for 21 October, but a Swordfish auxiliary fuel-tank fire delayed it and Eagle later developed fuel-system trouble. Illustrious carried twenty-four Swordfish, lost three to contaminated oil, and saw another aircraft return after its long-range tank came loose. The resulting twenty attackers were divided into waves of twelve and eight, with ten torpedo aircraft and the remainder assigned bombs or flares. Maryland reconnaissance from Malta provided photographs of the Italian fleet. A Sunderland night check then confirmed that the targets remained in harbour before the strike launched.
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Operation Judgment's small strike force
Fuel damage to HMS Eagle and attrition aboard Illustrious reduced an ambitious two-carrier concept to a twenty-aircraft strike.