Eighty five years ago on the night of 11th/12th November 1940 twenty out of twenty four Swordfish bombers hit the Italian fleet at Regia Marina base Taranto. Split between torpedos and bombs they sank three battleships permanently diabling one. Even though this fleet was at anchor, the torpedo bomber was proven. Did anyone take notice?

The battleship admirals might have turned away but after Taranto and including the dive bombing and sinking of Konigsberg earlier in the year from other carrier based a/c*, air power was now going to rule the sea.

Yes someone did take notice, the Japanese military attache in Berlin in the aftermath inspected Taranto and passed on to his navy as much info as he could.

* Though land launched, the Skua's were carrier fighter bombers.