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Article: Short answer to long shots; answers to correspondents.
- Article from:
- Daily Mail (London)
- Article date:
- July 21, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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QUESTION What type of plane was the first to sink a ship at sea by torpedo?
IN June 1913, Oswald Short, one of the famous Short Brothers, modified the Short 41 to carry a 14in naval torpedo, weighing 180lb, and it was tested by Lieutenant Gordon Bell in July that year.
A year later, Short 120 Folder seaplanes arrived at the naval air station at Calshot for trials with airborne torpedoes, but when Lt Robert Peel tried to take off with a 'tinfish' on July 22, the aircraft refused to leave the water.
After modifications to the seaplane, Lt Bell tried again on July 27, but the choppy sea dislodged the torpedo. The next day Lt R. P. Ross took off ...