Operation Tan's small-strike problem

The original Operation Tan concept targeted Majuro, using reconnaissance from Truk followed by 27 torpedo bombers and 27 dive bombers. Its prospects depended on exceptional surprise and still offered no certainty of major results. Shallow-water torpedo attack required more than altering the torpedo itself. British practice at Taranto combined tail fins with a tension wire that made the weapon enter the water in a flatter attitude, and remnants were easy to overlook among cables and other debris after an air raid.