{"product_id":"9781399643474-swordfish","title":"Swordfish","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Story of the Taranto Raid\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe astonishing true story of the Royal Navy's most daring operation of the Second World War - the British air raid that inspired the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe astonishing true story of the Royal Navy's most daring operation of the Second World War - the British air raid that inspired the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReaders say:\u003cbr\u003e'A fitting tribute to these extraordinary planes and the men who flew them' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e'A page-turning read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e'I recommend it to anyone who has any interest in the war at sea 1939-45'   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003c\/b\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn November 1940 Britain was isolated in its stand against the Axis powers. The country could not afford to lose control of the Mediterranean, but the Royal Navy was already overstretched by the U-boat war and the threat of invasion. Italy's fleet of modern battleships presented a grave threat to Britain's communications with Egypt and the Suez Canal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the night of 11 November 1940, 42 members of the Fleet Air Arm took off in 21 obsolete 'Swordfish' biplanes, launched from HMS \u003ci\u003eIllustrious\u003c\/i\u003e. Their target: the Italian fleet anchorage at Taranto. Pressing home their attack in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and searchlights, they torpedoed and sank three battleships. Incredibly, all but two of the biplanes survived. The Italian fleet was crippled and the world took note that Britain was far from defeated. No-one was more impressed than the Japanese, who noted how a fleet in harbour could be demolished by air attack.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this spellbinding account of the Royal Navy's most daring operation of the Second World War, David Wragg draws on British and Italian records as well as interviews with the aircrew to tell the full story of a night that changed the course of the war.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57160005484918,"sku":"9781399643474","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781399643474-swordfish","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}