anti-ship weapons question

On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 12:05:17 +1000, rb wrote:

Greg Hennessy wrote:
On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 15:11:44 +0200, Rob van Riel wrote:


In WWII, aircraft used torpedoes to attack ships. Since the 1980s, various
anti-ship missiles are in use. However, unless I'm seriously mistaken,
torpedoes went out of fashion soon after WWI. What did aircraft use to
attack enemy ships in the meantime? Bombs, rockets and guns? Or was the
torpedo still in use?


The delivery profile required to launch an anti shipping torpedo
successfully just wasnt feasible when the other side was throwing large
quantities of proximity fuzed shells at you in everything from 40mm
upwards.


Surely the delivery profile of a dumb bomb (antiship) couldn't be that
much fun either (but it was done)?

True enough. But, for example, at Midway the torpedo aircraft were
shot down in droves while the dive bombers were not. Further, a
diving aircraft is a MUCH more difficult target for ship's gunners
than one flying straight and level.

Both, however, could be classified as "a tough way to make a living."

Bill Kambic