247: Taranto Pt. 1 - Plans and Preparations

History of the Second World War

Wesley Livesay

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.5 • 626 Ratings

🗓️ 9 February 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In November 1940, the Royal Navy launched one of the most audacious carrier operations of the Second World War—a nighttime air attack on the Italian fleet anchored at Taranto. This episode explores the planning and preparations behind Operation Judgement, examining why Admiral Cunningham and his Mediterranean fleet turned to airpower when traditional fleet engagements proved elusive. From the capabilities of the seemingly obsolete Fairey Swordfish biplane and its torpedoes to the Italian defenses protecting their prized battleships, this episode sets the stage for an attack that would fundamentally shift the balance of naval power in the Mediterranean and foreshadow the future of carrier-based warfare. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
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0:33.6	Hello, my name's Matt, host of the Pirate History podcast.
0:38.3	Pirates rank among the most mythologized and romanticized of all historical figures.
0:45.3	It can become easy to forget that pirates were real people that had real world concerns.
0:51.3	If you like tales of high seas adventure, daring do, and also want to learn more about
0:56.5	who Blackbeard supported to be king, you can learn more about all of that at the Pirate History
1:01.8	Podcast.
1:16.4	Hello everyone and welcome to History of the Second World War,
1:21.6	Episode 247, Toronto Part 1, Planning and Preparations.
1:30.5	This week, a big thank you goes out to ABCD, SiegeArt, Hayden, Jim, Matt, Christopher, and Trina for supporting the podcast by becoming members. Members get access to ad-free versions of all of the podcast episodes,
1:35.4	plus special member-only episodes roughly once a month. Head on over to History of the Second
1:40.0	World War.com slash members to find out more. Now, before we get into this episode, I have to offer a
1:47.9	correction for something I said back in episode 245. During that episode, I said that Bulgaria
1:55.0	joined in the German attack on the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa. That is completely and totally wrong.
	...

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