The Sopwith Cuckoo and early aerial-torpedo limits

The Sopwith Cuckoo shows the gap between fielding a naval torpedo aircraft and making its weapon dependable in confined water. Its torpedo already pointed downward before release and would likely dive farther when it entered the sea, a serious problem in Wilhelmshaven's shallow approaches. The Royal Navy later addressed this water-entry problem with larger fins and a thin tension wire attached to the torpedo's nose. Even so, a Cuckoo attack did not have to destroy the German battle fleet to matter strategically. A single torpedo hit inside the supposedly safe harbour could damage morale and weaken the fleet's deterrent effect.