Taranto's defenses and the risks faced by Swordfish crews

Torpedo-carrying Swordfish needed long-range tanks fitted in the observer's cockpit, and some observers flew into tracer fire while standing in leaked aviation fuel. Taranto possessed 101 anti-aircraft guns and nearly 200 machine guns, but storms had removed many barrage balloons. Less than a third of the required anti-torpedo netting was rigged, and some nets were shallow enough for British torpedoes to pass beneath them. Illustrious maintained radio silence during the night recovery, so returning crews could not learn how many aircraft had survived while approaching the carrier. Nearly every crew believed it had been among the only survivors until its Swordfish descended on the lift and the brightly lit hangar revealed the other aircraft and aircrew.