The torpedo aircraft carried weapons with both contact and magnetic firing systems. Crews selected a 27-knot speed and a 33-foot running depth for an under-hull attack. An unwinding cable device limited the weapon's initial dive so it would not bury itself in the harbour floor. The unusually short 300-yard safety range reflected how little room the Swordfish would have between release and target.
Notable Point · 2:29:35-2:31:15
Tailoring the torpedoes for Taranto
Duplex pistols, a shallow run, and a short safety range adapted the Swordfish torpedo to the harbour's compressed geometry.