Battering Ram of the Sea

Chapter 60 - Zero vs F6F

From the aircraft carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku of the Second Fleet, one each, and from the four Unryū-class aircraft carriers of the Third Fleet, two each, totaling thirty aircraft, the D4Y Suisei dive bombers split into two waves, forming fifteen search lines from northeast to southeast in search of the US task force. Meanwhile, Task Force 58 deployed a significant number of SB2C aircraft to assist in locating the Japanese fleet. Both the Japanese and American forces understood the importance of reconnaissance based on their past experiences. The reconnaissance battle, in which both sides vied to locate each other, ended in a draw or a slight advantage for both sides as they nearly simultaneously spotted each other.

After discovering the enemy fleet, both commanders of the Japanese and American forces took aggressive actions. Vice Admiral Ozawa of the 1st Mobile Fleet launched a squadron of 216 Zero fighters, including all the carriers except Chitose as the first attack group, along with three Suisei for guidance. Furthermore, the second attack group, consisting of 156 Zero fighters, 135 Suisei, and 117 B6N Tenzan torpedo bombers, followed closely behind the first attack group.

On the other hand, the TF 58 dispatched attack squadrons from a total of 16 carriers in four task groups, including 192 F6F Hellcat fighters, 192 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, and 264 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers, making it the largest attack force in history, sent towards the Third Fleet.

The first clash involved the fast-moving Japanese first attack group and the fleet's air defense with F6Fs. When the radar detected the Japanese first attack group, American Task Groups 58.1 to 58.4 each had 80 F6Fs. Admiral Mitscher, the commander of TF 58, ordered all F6Fs except the 32 night fighters to engage the first attack group. He also instructed TG 58.1 and 58.2 to eliminate escort fighters, TG 58.3 to target enemy dive bombers, and TG 58.4 to destroy enemy torpedo bombers.

Following these orders, 144 F6Fs from TG 58.1 and 58.2 engaged the first attack group. The Zero fighters faced them head-on. Due to this encounter, the initial numerical advantage of 4 to 3 in favor of the F6Fs was reversed to 2 to 3, with the F6Fs at a disadvantage.

The Japanese Zero fighter pilots, both veterans and skilled navigators, quickly exploited this opportunity. The Zero fighters were divided into formations of four or two aircraft and used their 20 mm cannons to shoot down the F6Fs that had entered the numerical disadvantage. As a result of this battle, the Japanese carrier-based Zero fighter units changed their formation from three aircraft per section to four aircraft per section, similar to the German concept of Schwarm, although the Zero Model 53 fighters aimed for one-hit-and-run tactics, unlike the more aggressive tactics of the Model 21 and Model 32. The Schwarm was the right approach for Model 53.

The F6F pilots from TG 58.3 and 58.4, realizing that the other fighters were engaged with Zero fighters, rushed to the area of the dogfight between Zero and F6Fs to help their comrades from TG 58.1 and 58.2. However, by the time the F6Fs from TG 58.3 arrived, the F6Fs from TG 58.1 and 58.2 had scattered. The F6Fs from TG 58.4 were still climbing as they had descended to low altitudes in preparation for attacking enemy torpedo bombers. In the narrow gap between fleeing and late-arriving allies, the Zero fighter squadron overwhelmed the F6Fs from TG 58.3.

Despite their performance and numerical superiority, the F6F fighters were, due to errors in judgment and some negligence, largely defeated. Shortly after, a second attack group consisting of 408 aircraft passed through the nearby airspace with ease.