Battle of Taranto
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The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11/12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, employing 21 Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious in the Mediterranean Sea.
Aerial view of the Mar Piccolo showing Italian cruisers preparing to get under way, 12 November 1940; often misinterpreted, the image shows raised mud, and not fuel leaking from damaged ships.
Admiral Inigo Campioni.
A Fairey Swordfish
Littorio surrounded by salvage tugs
Fleet Air Arm
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The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five RN fighting arms. As of 2023 it is a predominantly "rotary" force, with helicopters undertaking roles once performed by biplanes such as the Fairey Swordfish.
It operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike and the AW159 Wildcat and AW101 Merlin for commando and anti-submarine warfare.
An elephant pulling a Supermarine Walrus aircraft into position at a Fleet Air Arm station in India (c. June 1944)
Hawker Sea Fury of No. 804 Squadron launched off HMS Glory during the Korean War, June 1951
Phantom FG.1 of 892 NAS aboard HMS Ark Royal in 1972
Two Sea Harriers from 800 Naval Air Squadron approach the flight deck of U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1984.