The first self-propelled torpedo was fired in the 1860s, and among other designs, the Whitehead design became very popular in the late 19th century. Torpedos were very inaccurate up to World War 1, and were more of a deterrent than a threat.
However in 1912, Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske took a patent out for an aerial torpedo bomber, as shown in the photo below.
The idea was far-fetched and seemed impractical, however in 1914 the British started testing with a Short Folder. On August 12th, 1915, Charles H.K. Edmonds made history when dropping a 14 inch, 810 pound torpedo in the Sea of Marmara from a Short Type 184. This torpedo hit a beached Ottaman merchant ship, destroying the ship. Five days later, a Turkish steamship was hit again by Edmonds aircraft with a similar torpedo. Finally, Edmond's wingmate also got a kill, hitting a Turkish tugboat near port.
On May 1st, 1917, a German torpedo bomber accidently dropped a torpedo, which hit a 2,800 ton steamship off Suffolk. The Americans in late 1917 also completed unsuccesful trials designing a torpedo bomber.
Shortly after the war, the world of torpedo craft took off, with dozens of improved aircraft being designed specifficaly for torpedoing enemy ships, such as the Sopwith Cuckoo.
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