Fleet of Books

Chapter 68 - Kyōryū-1

Having won the battle between fighter planes, they acquired air superiority. As a result, it became possible for the Japanese to search for the Pacific Fleet near the vicinity of Oahu along the reconnaissance line. In response to this reconnaissance line, the 1st Mobile Fleet deployed an excessive number of Type 1 recon planes. Subsequently, these planes discovered multiple fleets southeast of Oahu Island. Moreover, they succeeded not only in obtaining the fleets' positional information but also in finding out their approximate force compositions.

Regarding the strength of the discovered fleets, it was as we had anticipated beforehand. Six groups consisted of six escort carriers as the core, surrounded by eight destroyers each. Similarly, one group consisted of four escort carriers and eight destroyers. And one group constituted a surface strike force with six battleships as its main strength.

In response to these, the 1st Mobile Fleet command designated the fleet consisting of six escort carriers as A-1 to A-6, and the unit consisting of four escort carriers as A-7. Furthermore, the surface strike force was designated as B-1.

"For the carrier attack units, apart from those assigned to escort missions for the fighter squadrons, all should attack B-1 battleships. As for the fighter squadrons, the First Fleet will target A-1 and A-2, the Second Fleet will target A-3 and A-4, and the Third Fleet will target A-5 and A-6. Also, the Fourth Fleet will target A-7, and the Fifth Fleet will attack B-1. Type 1 attackers will be equipped with Kyōryū-1s, while Zero fighters will be equipped with Kyōryū-2s. If there's any interception by enemy fighters, the fighters should jettison the Kyōryū-2s and repel them."

The 1st Mobile Fleet had deployed a total of 216 Type 1 attackers as anti-ship strike forces: 54 each for the First Fleet, Second Fleet, and Third Fleet, and 27 each for the Fourth Fleet and Fifth Fleet. Among these, 16 units were assigned the guiding task for Zeros and timing for bomb drops, while the remaining 200 units were to attack the enemy surface strike force.

Meanwhile, at the beginning of the battle, Zeros had 1.068 units, but due to successive intense battles, the number of damaged aircraft kept increasing. As a result, operational aircraft were reduced to less than 70%, and currently, the number has decreased to 744. Furthermore, among these, 200 units are engaged in fleet air defense duties, so only 544 units will sortie to attack the American fleet.

. . .

There was no sight of the feared F6F Hellcats. In previous battles, the F6Fs suffered what could be described as a humiliating defeat against the Zeros, and most of them were lost. The difference in the number of operational aircraft is already significant. Even if the surviving F6Fs were to be sent out for interception, they would be vastly outnumbered with no chance of success. It would be better not to launch the few surviving pilots to an unproductive end. Or perhaps, the enemy commander had reached the same conclusion. It was the right decision, but undoubtedly a bitter choice.

"We are transitioning to bombing formations. Each unit, take your designated positions."

Following the orders from the command aircraft, the 200 Type 1 attackers shifted from loose formations to tightly packed formations. Against these formations of the attackers, the surface strike force, designated as B-1, centered around six battleships, flanked by two cruisers each and reinforced by eight destroyers on each side, opened fire in retaliation.

Numerous incendiary shells were launched, and explosions erupted around the Type 1 attackers flying at high altitudes. The density of the barrage was not much different from when we fought in the Battle of Midway. However, what significantly differed was the precision timing of the shell explosions. Every shell burst near the bombers. Thanks to their robust armor, the number of Type 1 attackers shot down so far wasn't remarkably high, but many were being damaged by shell fragments.