11th November 2025 marks 85 years since the battle of Taranto. The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11th November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces and Italian naval forces. 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. The attack struck the battle fleet of the Regia Marina at anchor in the harbour

The Royal Air Force Museum London's Fairey Battle, one of four surviving examples. Unlike so many of her peers who were tragically lost in the fighting in France, the RAFM's airframe was despatched to the occupation of Iceland, and suffered a landing accident there that saw her likely escape destruction elsewhere in service. #ww2 #ww2history #battle #warbirds #royalairforce | Daniel J Wheatcroft

Fairey Battle at The Royal Air Force Museum London - one of the first aircraft to receive the production Merlin engine, but she was no match for the new breed of monoplane fighters fielded by the Luftwaffe. #ww2 #ww2history #WWII #fairey #battle #warbirds | Daniel J Wheatcroft