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21st October 1940
170 miles off the coast of Italy.
20:40
Just after the sun sets aircraft from the carriers Illustrious,Eagle and Ark Royal launch 84 aircraft. Twenty two Blackburn skua and twenty Fairey swordfish launch from Ark Royal. Fourteen swordfish launch off the deck of Eagle. Twenty six swordfish take to the air from Illustrious.
The plan is for twelve skuas to drop flares the remaining ten carrying a single 500ib bomb to hit the fuel farm.Half the swordfish are carrying torpedoes and the other half carrying six 250 ib bombs each. There target is the five battleships, sixteen cruisers and thirteen destroyers along with the other auxiliaries of the Italian fleet.
21:50
Half the swordfish carrying the torpedoes drop to wave top height and streak towards the battleships moored in the inner harbour. The other half of the swordfish carrying the torpedoes split up and head for the 16 cruisers. The swordfish carrying the bombs climb to 500 feet and head to the auxiliaries and destroyers moored in the outer harbour.