"Bismarck" was spotted by a RAF Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat at 10:35 on 26 May, and the two battleships were able to join up as Tovey had realised his mistake and doubled back. Despite the heavy weather, the aircraft carrier launched her first airstrike of 14 Swordfish torpedo bombers against the German ship that afternoon. The pilots mistook the light cruiser for the "Bismarck" and attacked, although the cruiser was able to evade the six of eleven torpedoes dropped that did not detonate when they impacted the sea due to faulty magnetic detonators. Around dusk, "Ark Royal" launched a second airstrike of 15 Swordfish; their torpedoes had been fitted with contact detonators. Despite the heavy anti-aircraft fire, the Swordfish hit "Bismarck" with three torpedoes. Two of them struck forward of the aft gun turrets and caused no significant damage; the last struck the stern, disabled the battleship's steering and caused her to significantly reduce speed. That evening Tovey detached "Mashona" and "Somali" to refuel and had "Rodney" fall in behind "King George V" for the battle against "Bismarck". Although his ships could catch the German ship that night now that her steering had been disabled and her engines damaged, Tovey decided to reduce speed to save fuel and wait until dawn to allow his ships the maximum amount of time in which to sink the German ship.