David Wragg's The Royal Navy's War Against Axis Powers opens with a short episode about an Italian harbour's air defences. A brilliantly illuminated buoy was positioned so that approaching Swordfish would be visible to the gunners behind it. The last pilot in the formation saw the other aircraft outlined by the light and dropped his torpedo toward the buoy, destroying it and extinguishing the illumination. Italian accounts claimed that a hospital ship had been sunk, while the pilots reported seeing no red crosses. The aircrew had turned a defensive aid into the most obvious target in the harbour.
Notable Point · 37:04-37:46
A Swordfish turns an illuminated harbour buoy into a target
An Italian defensive buoy meant to silhouette attacking Swordfish was destroyed when the last aircraft aimed its torpedo directly at the light.