Aces High Magazine. Issue 17: Torpedo, Achtung!

"Aces High" number 17 is dedicated to torpedo aircraft. The relationship of aviation with the sea dates back to its most ancient beginnings with the appearance of seaplanes in the first years of the 20th century. Its high potential as a deadly and strategic weapon in the naval battlefield was discovered during World War I. During the interwar period, the main powers began to modernize naval aviation and manufacture aircraft designed exclusively for this purpose. The zenith of its importance would come during World War II, where naval aircraft were broadly used in different theaters of operations and many times had decisive impact on the course of events. The most famous was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, but there were many more famous actions, such as the Taranto raid of Fairey "Swordfish" biplanes in November 1940, or the battles between aircraft carriers in the Pacific, such as those of Midway or the Coral Sea. In this "Aces High" issue we will focus on six aircraft which became legends for the simple fact of carrying torpedos during their missions.

However, the use of ship-based combat aircraft reached its peak during the Second World War, where naval air forces were involved in a large number of operations, quite a few of which had a decisive influence on the course of the entire war. Best known is the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, but there were many other famous naval air battles, such as the raid by British torpedo bombers on the Italian naval base at Taranto in 1940 or the battles between Japanese and American aircraft carrier battle groups in the Pacific, such as the battles at Midway or in the Coral Sea. In this issue of "Aces High" the reader will find step-by-step instructions for building, additional detailing, painting and weathering six torpedo bombers: 1. TBM-3 "Avenger"; 2. Bristol "Beaufighter" TF.Mk.X; 3. Nakajima B5N "Kate"; 4. Lockheed P-3C "Orion"; 5. Fairey Swordfish Mk.I.; 6. Latecoere 298.