Even a larger Taranto force would have remained torpedo-heavy instead of dividing evenly between bombs and torpedoes. The torpedo was the effective weapon for disabling capital ships. Successful delivery rested on roughly two decades of development rather than an improvised 1940 solution. A tension cable on the weapon's nose and temporary wooden fins helped it enter the water correctly. Those adaptations still required the Swordfish to fly straight and level during the most exposed phase of the attack.
Chapter · 15:16-16:07
Why Taranto's strike was torpedo-heavy
The Royal Navy planned a torpedo-heavy strike because two decades of aerial-torpedo development had produced its most effective weapon against capital ships.