On this day 28 July 1914
Published: 28 Jul 2013
On this day 28 July 1914 First aerial torpedo drop.
The RNAS took delivery of the Sopwith Special floatplane which was specifically designed to drop a 14 inch torpedo in early July 1914, but it proved unable to take-off carrying the torpedo, so Squadron Commander Arthur Longmore, commander of the Calshot seaplane station which was carrying out the torpedo trials, suggested that one of the Short Folder Tractor biplane seaplanes should be modified for torpedo dropping. Drawings for torpedo gear were produced by Shorts, and the 160hp, Gnome engined, Short S84 Folder seaplane No. 121, flown by Longmore, carried out the first torpedo drop by a British aircraft, with a 14-inch 850lb Whitehead torpedo, on 28 July 1914.