Attack on Taranto

E95654

Attack on Taranto was a landmark World War II Royal Navy air raid in 1940 that demonstrated the effectiveness of carrier-based aircraft against battleships in harbor and influenced later operations such as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Aliases (2)
  • Battle of Taranto ×4
  • Taranto landings ×1

Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf air raid
military operation
naval battle
airGroupCommander Lumley Lyster
attacker Royal Navy
belligerent Kingdom of Italy
United Kingdom
codename Operation Judgment
combatant Regia Marina
Royal Navy
commander Andrew Cunningham
conflict World War II
country Italy
damagedShip Caio Duilio
Conte di Cavour
Littorio
date 11 November 1940
defender Regia Marina
demonstrated effectiveness of carrier-based aircraft against battleships in harbor
vulnerability of battleships to air power
endDate 12 November 1940
followedBy subsequent Royal Navy operations in the Mediterranean
influenceOn Attack on Pearl Harbor
involvedShip HMS Eagle
HMS Illustrious
launchedFrom HMS Illustrious
location Taranto
Taranto harbor
notableFeature first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history
use of torpedoes in shallow harbor waters
numberOfWaves 2
objective disable Italian battleships at Taranto
partOf Mediterranean theatre of World War II
precededBy Battle of Calabria
result British victory
severe damage to Italian battleship force
sankOrDisabled Conte di Cavour
sorties 21 Fairey Swordfish aircraft
strategicEffect boosted British naval morale
reduced Italian naval threat in the Mediterranean
targetedShip Italian battleship Caio Duilio
Italian battleship Conte di Cavour
Italian battleship Littorio
theater Mediterranean Sea
timeOfDay night
usedAircraftType Fairey Swordfish
usedWeapon aerial torpedo
bombs

Referenced by (6)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Battle of Cape Matapan ("Battle of Taranto")
Battle of Cape Spartivento ("Battle of Taranto")
precededBy
Operation Slapstick ("Taranto landings")
alsoKnownAs
Taranto Naval Base ("Battle of Taranto")
historicalEventAssociated
Andrew Cunningham ("Battle of Taranto")
notableEvent
Fleet Air Arm
notableOperation

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