Drastically Modified Combined Fleet

Chapter 22 - D3A Dive Bomber

Even after capturing the enemy fleet below, not a single fighter such as the F4F Wildcat or F2A Buffalo appeared. The Zero fighters, 48 in total, that had escorted the D3A dive bombers and B5N carrier attack bombers so far seemed truly idle. Nevertheless, they did not relax their vigilance against enemy fighter ambushes, and each squadron dispersed, keeping a keen eye on the surrounding airspace.

"Did the enemy direct all or some of their planes to attack the Third Fleet?"

With a somewhat uneasy feeling and a hint of impatience, Lieutenant Commander Takahashi acting as the attack group leader ordered the attack to commence. There was no use worrying about the Third Fleet far away, and besides, they should have nearly a hundred Zero fighters remaining for close air support, so everything should be fine unless something extraordinary happened.

The allocation of attack targets had already been decided upon confirming the composition of the enemy fleet. The 36 D3As of the 5th Carrier Division's Shōkaku and Zuikaku were to attack the front, while the 36 D3As from the 6th Carrier Division's Kamikaku and Amakaku were to attack the rear of the enemy carrier group. Command of the attack on the rear carrier group had already been entrusted to the leader of the Kamikaku dive bombers.

Takahashi, with six planes of the first squadron's first section and the second squadron's third section of the Shōkaku dive bombers, approached the cruiser on the left front of the carrier from the rear. The second and third sections of the first squadron will go to the right front of the carrier, while the first and second sections of the second squadron will attack the cruisers in the rear. The Zuikaku air group split into three-plane sections to target the destroyers. When the D3As had inflicted damage on the enemy formation, the B5Ns carried out daring assaults, delivering lethal aerial torpedoes to the enemy carriers.

Anti-aircraft fire was launched from cruisers and destroyers positioned on the outer edge of the enemy fleet. The surrounding sky was quickly dyed black, and as the D3As took hits from close-range anti-aircraft fire, one or two planes fell off like teeth from a comb. In the midst of this, Takahashi and his subordinates, without suffering fatal damage, reached the bombing point and began their dive.

The unmistakable silhouette of the enemy cruiser, the target, became apparent. There it was, a typical heavy cruiser of the United States, equipped with two triple turrets at the front and one at the rear. The US Navy quite generously assigned three heavy cruisers or vessels of equivalent size, the Brooklyn-class light cruisers, and six destroyers to escort a single aircraft carrier. While feeling slight envy for the significantly stronger escort vessels protecting the American aircraft carrier compared to the Third Fleet's nine destroyers guarding four carriers, Takahashi detached the 250 kg bomb held in his plane's belly at an altitude of 500 meters and continued to race through at low altitude.

The anti-aircraft fire from the American heavy cruiser seen up close was even more formidable. Flashing lights were repeated throughout the ship, and bullets shot towards them. The density of black clouds and bullets surging around was extraordinary. It seemed that shell fragments were hitting the fuselage, causing incessant loud noises and unpleasant shocks.

Nevertheless, the D3As were equipped with bulletproof armor and leak-proof tanks for crew protection. These were lessons learned from the G3Ms, without such protective equipment, which were easily brought down even by 7,7 mm machine gun bullets during the Sino-Japanese War. While the increased weight negatively impacted maneuverability, top speed, and fuel efficiency, it undeniably provided a considerable sense of security to the crew. Thanks to the bulletproof equipment, not a single plane was shot down by the time Takahashi and his wingmen reached the bombing point.

However, in the harsh reality of the battlefield, such luck wouldn't last long. Immediately after releasing the bombs, one aircraft from the second squadron's third section took a direct hit from a bullet and exploded. Even with the bulletproof equipment, the D3A couldn't withstand a direct hit from large-caliber carrier-based machine guns and autocannons. Ignoring the deaths of his subordinates for the moment, Takahashi finally managed to shake off the anti-air barrage from the enemy cruiser. Looking over the surviving aircraft of his subordinates, all of them, upon closer inspection, showed signs of damage, to varying degrees.

Already, they knew from the reports of their subordinates that two hits had been scored on the targeted heavy cruiser. Six planes dropped bombs, resulting in two direct hits. While a hit rate of 33,3% might be a somewhat disappointing outcome, considering it was their first battle, it might be considered satisfactory.

Raising his altitude, Takahashi looked down at the enemy fleet. Eight out of the nine cruisers and destroyers that had deployed around the carrier were emitting smoke and struggling on the open sea. It seemed that the dive bombers had successfully filled the formidable moat surrounding the enemy carrier. Now, from the breach opened by the dive bombers, numerous B5N torpedo bombers were closing in on the American aircraft carrier.