 During World War II, U.S. carrier-based torpedo bombers made 1,287 attacks against ships, 65% against warships, and scored hits 40% of the time.However, the low, slow approach required for torpedo bombing made the bombers easy targets for defended ships; during the Battle of Midway, for example, virtually all of the American torpedo bombers—nearly all of the obsolete Douglas Devastator design—were shot down by the Japanese.After World War II, anti-aircraft defenses were sufficiently improved to render aerial torpedo attacks suicidal.