At the same time, the radar detected the enemy formation, 24 Zero fighters from Shōkaku and Zuikaku flying over the Third Fleet received radio guidance and headed east in haste. Simultaneously, squadrons from Shōkaku, Zuikaku, Mizuho, and Nisshin, a total of 48 Zero fighters, hastily ascended from the flight decks. By then, about 50 aircraft were displayed on the radar of the Third Fleet's ships, rapidly moving from west to east. Half of the 96 Zero fighters assigned to the direct air cover mission for the Second Fleet rushed to join the interception battle as reinforcements for the Third Fleet.
The unwelcome reception awaited them as they faced dozens of bombers launched from Midway Island, as well as a combined attack force of 216 planes consisting of 36 F4F Wildcat fighters, 126 SBD Dauntless dive bombers, and 54 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers launched from the Yorktown and Wasp of the Task Force 17, and the Hornet and Saratoga of Task Force 16.
The first to intercept was the 24 Zero fighters from Shōkaku and Zuikaku, challenging the overwhelmingly numerous American attack forces. While 36 F4Fs formed a defensive line to protect the SBD and TBD, the Zero fighters, facing an enemy outnumbering them by 50%, boldly engaged them head-on without showing any hesitation. In the midst of a fierce battle between 60 Japanese and American fighters, the SBDs and TBDs continued their advance toward the Japanese fleet.
At that moment, 48 Zero fighters, urgently launched from the four carriers of the Third Fleet, rushed like starving wolves into the flock of sheep that had lost their shepherd. These Zeros concentrated their attacks on the TBDs passing below the enemy formation. Despite the formidable defensive capabilities of the armored carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku, they were relatively vulnerable to torpedoes. The TBDs carrying deadly torpedoes were the primary target that needed to be eliminated first.
On the other hand, for the targeted TBDs, the situation was dire. Only 54 TBDs faced the onslaught of 48 Zero fighters. Descending to sea level and desperately maneuvering to escape the clutches of the Zero fighters, the TBDs were at a significant disadvantage in both speed and maneuverability compared to the dive bombers and fighters. Pierced by 12,7 mm bullets fired from both wings of the Zero fighters, the TBDs were shot down one by one, crashing into the sea.
By that time, the 48 Zero fighters from four squadrons dispatched as reinforcements from the Second Fleet had also commenced their attack. Against more than double the number of SBDs, the Zero fighters unleashed machine gun fire from the rear, upper, lower, and sides, causing successive explosions. However, as the Zero fighters from the Second Fleet had already engaged what seemed to be a group of American planes launched from Midway, they had limited opportunities for repeated attacks against the SBDs. They managed to destroy only the Wasp bombing squadron and its reconnaissance-bombing squadron, as well as the Hornet bombing squadron and the Saratoga reconnaissance-bombing squadron.
The narrowly escaped Yorktown bombing squadron and Hornet reconnaissance-bombing squadron, along with the Saratoga bombing squadron, broke through the Third Fleet's circular formation and targeted only the carriers.
The Shōkaku was targeted by the Yorktown bombers.
The eighteen SBDs, piloted by some of the US Navy's most skilled men, lost one to the anti-air barrage from the destroyers in formation before they began their dive, and another was shot down by the Shōkaku's anti-air guns. However, the remaining 16 aircraft initiated a steep descent, managing to score three hits on the carrier, desperately evading its defenses.
Of the three hits, two were repelled by the armored flight deck. However, the remaining one pierced through the non-armored section at the portside centerline, pulverizing the nearby crew living quarters situated between the hangar and causing extensive damage. Simultaneously, the Zuikaku was also targeted by the Saratoga bombing squadron. She suffered hits from three bombs, with two being deflected by the armored flight deck, similar to the Shōkaku. However, the remaining bomb penetrated through the front elevator, unleashing its explosive force in the hangar.
The Shōkaku-class carriers were equipped with armor defense capable of withstanding 500-kilogram bombs over a width of 20 meters along the ship's centerline. However, the elevator section had only 50 mm of armor due to weight restrictions and could not deflect a 1.000-pound bomb. Fortunately for the Zuikaku, at that time, the hangar only contained planes with removed guns and fuel, allowing for swift firefighting efforts without gasoline explosions or exploding ammunition. If, however, aircraft returning from the Midway base attack had been left in the hangar without removing fuel or ammunition, the Zuikaku might have suffered fatal damage.
The Sōryū and Nisshin were targeted by the Hornet reconnaissance-bombing squadron. The reconnaissance-bombing squadron split into two groups, with nine planes attacking the Sōryū and the remaining nine targeting the Nisshin. Unlike other squadrons, the Hornet reconnaissance-bombing squadron had recently been formed, and as a result, many of its crew members were inexperienced. The overall proficiency was noticeably lower compared to other carriers.
Moreover, dividing the squadron into two groups meant that, through skillful maneuvering by the captains of the Sōryū and Nisshin, all bombs were successfully evaded. In the end, the best they could achieve was to score one or two near misses on each of the carriers. Certainly, the American attackers had successfully disabled two large carriers and caused damage equivalent to minor damage on two small carriers. However, on the flip side, the relentless assault by the Zero fighters resulted in the loss of over 80% of their aircraft and crews.
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Drastically Modified Combined Fleet
Historical Fiction「All of these ships are all weird. It's like a magical fleet.」 An organization built on the knowledge and experience gained from past accidents and incidents, using them as lessons to stack up and ensure that the same mistakes are never repeated aga...
