Fleet of Books

Chapter 80 - Battlefield Instinct

When the radar detected a formation of approximately 800 to 900 planes, each of the sixteen Essex-class aircraft carriers had three squadrons, totaling 576 F4U Corsair fighters prepared for direct cover. Ideally, there should have been numerous fighter planes from the Oahu base air squadron coming to support here as well. However, the island's air force had been devastated by attacks from the naval artillery of Japan, Germany, and Italy's surface strike forces, as well as by the onslaught of new planes they had never seen before, and there was no hope for reinforcements.

Still, there was no sense of resignation in the expressions of the Fifth Fleet's officers and men. The pilots of the F4U Corsairs were all top aces selected from either the Army or the Marine Corps. The officers and men of the Fifth Fleet were not entirely comfortable with the fact that they were not naval aviators. However, they could not deny the skill they had witnessed in their training. In terms of piloting alone, they would likely not be inferior to the average skill level of Japanese fighter pilots, if not surpassing it. Or perhaps they were surpassing it. In any case, the reputation of being an elite unit was not unfounded.

Meanwhile, the pilots of the F4U, who bore the expectations of their comrades from a separate organization, took off without a single launch mishap, and all the aircraft ascended safely into the sky. And within a very short time, they formed an impressive formation. The officers and men of the Fifth Fleet cheered at their beautiful yet powerful appearance. They believed that these pilots would surely stop the Japanese's large attack fleet.

Everyone believed that.

. . .

By observing the formation, one could gauge the opponent's skill. It was the most orderly formation one had ever seen. The crew of the reconnaissance aircraft Saiun, tasked with the forward patrol mission, swallowed nervously as they issued the alert.

"Enemy formation confirmed, altitude 5.000, 60 aircraft. They are maintaining an unusually orderly formation. Clearly different from previous enemies. Everyone, be cautious."

To the somewhat anxious warning, the 852 crew members tightened their focus. It was unclear where the Americans had pooled such talent, but it was undoubtedly a highly skilled group.

"Each squadron leader is entrusted with the timing of the launch, but for the Funryū-2s, launch without hesitation on the initial strike. If you hold back, you might end up being eaten by the enemy."

The Funryū-2 was an air-to-air rocket equipped with proximity fuses. Weighing up to 120 kilograms and designed for extended range and increased firepower, the Reppū carried ten of these heavy rockets, more than double the load of the Zero, which could only carry four due to payload limitations. However, due to the Reppū's large size and the added air resistance of carrying such heavy loads under its wings, it would suffer a significant decrease in maneuverability and agility, even against inferior opponents like the Zero or F6F Hellcat, it would easily become vulnerable.

On the other hand, the American fighter squadrons facing the Reppū had no specific countermeasures against the Funryū-2s. The Americans were aware that Japanese fighter planes were equipped with air-to-air rockets, likely with proximity fuses, offering much greater accuracy than time-delay fuses. However, since the Japanese fighters had only used the Funryū-2s once in the summer air campaign over Oahu, its workings remained unclear.

Nevertheless, whether with proximity fuses or time-delay fuses, it was equally lethal for a plane. So, when sighting enemy rockets, besides attempting to maneuver as far away from their axis as possible, there was no other effective countermeasure. Alternatively, one could say that simply avoiding being within the blast radius of the rockets at the moment of detonation would be sufficient.

Thus, when the 576 F4Us confirmed the enemy's rocket launch, they immediately dispersed from their previous close formation in all directions. However, the Japanese rocket attack surpassed their imagination. Unbeknownst to the F4U pilots, the rockets launched by the 852 Reppū fighters numbered as many as 8.520, and they spread out in a fan shape to engulf the Corsairs. Despite attempting evasive maneuvers such as sharp turns and dives, the F4Us were too slow compared to the deployment speed of the Funryū-2s.

F4Us were caught directly in the expanding net of death from the rockets' explosions one after another. Even the fortunate F4Us that barely escaped the unprecedented aerial area attack were not spared. The barrage of 20 mm shells, numbering up to 3.408 lines, mowed down the F4Us one after another, unable to transition to a counter-attack posture after their rapid maneuvers.

After enduring the saturation attack of the Funryū-2 rockets and the baptism of 20 mm shells, the surviving F4Us were swarmed by Reppū fighters. Multiple fighters targeted each F4U from behind or the sides, perforating the aircraft with large holes one after another. Even the F4U, renowned for its defensive capabilities, couldn't withstand the onslaught of numerous 20 mm shells. Some F4Us spewed flames from their engines and plummeted to the ground, while others exploded in mid-air—the demise of the F4Us was varied.

Still, very few managed to survive. These remaining F4Us, realizing the hopeless situation, retreated from the aerial battlefield. Then, the Reppū in the high altitude executed maneuvers that seemed like vertical dives, raining bullets down upon the retreating F4Us, picking them off one by one.

Among the 12 Reppū, the lead aircraft bore the inscription "虎徹" (Toratōru).

It was the Zuikaku third squadron led by Ensign Iwamoto, who had been promoted from warrant officer to officer last month. The fact that Iwamoto, rather than a sub-lieutenant or lieutenant, was leading the squadron was a testament to his past achievements being recognized. After launching the rockets, Iwamoto's squadron rapidly gained altitude to overlook the battlefield. They were positioned to intercept the F4Us emerging from the chaos of battle.

'Choosing to retreat early, once the odds were against us, was a wise decision. Their technique in evading the barrage of rockets and countless 20-millimeter shells was impressive. In terms of pure piloting skill, they might rival or even surpass the seasoned pilots of the Imperial Navy. However, they lacked battlefield intuition entirely. Perhaps they had undergone decent training, but their actual combat experience was likely lacking. Hence, they were devoured by us, the wolves sent to hunt them, all too easily.'

Muttering these thoughts to himself, Iwamoto and his subordinates began to climb. Transitioning back to high altitude, they prepared to deliver a harsh blow to the F4Us attempting to flee the aerial battlefield.