Q&A ยท 4:06:55-4:07:54

Why extra aircraft power would not solve heavy-torpedo drops

More aircraft power would not remove the water-impact problem of dropping a heavier torpedo, despite extensive British testing.

Question

Could the more powerful Swordfish design drop a 21-inch torpedo?

Short answer

The objection is whether the heavy torpedo would survive entering the water, a problem investigated through years of testing.

Notes

A more powerful Swordfish replacement prompts a suggestion that it could drop a 21-inch torpedo. The objection concerns the torpedo's weight and its impact with the water. Greater aircraft lifting power would leave that problem unresolved. The Royal Navy spent years testing aerial torpedoes during the 1920s and 1930s, including attempts to produce an air-dropped version of the weapon used by Nelson and Rodney.