That Time When I Was Suddenly Reincarnated in a Fleet Battle

Chapter 27 - Fighter Sweep

The first attack group consisted of 12 Zeros each from Shōkaku and Zuikaku, six from Ryūjō, and three from Zuihō took off. Additionally, one D4Y reconnaissance plane from both Zuikaku and Kaga and a total of one from each engaged in advance reconnaissance and guided the other aircraft. The mission of the first attack group, which comprised all aircraft except the two D4Ys, was to sweep enemy fighters, similar to what is known as a Fighter Sweep in the West.

Leading the first attack unit was Lieutenant Commander Itaya, who launched from Shōkaku. Itaya had temporarily transferred to Shōkaku as the Akagi entered the dock and had become the temporary leader of the fighter squadron. Many of the Zero fighter pilots participating in the first attack unit, like Itaya, had been temporarily transferred from other carriers.

In naval aerial battles between mobile fleets, the usual tasks assigned to carrier-based fighter pilots are escorting torpedo bombers or dive bombers or protecting friendly ships from enemy aircraft. In any case, the freedom of action for fighter pilots is highly restricted because there are specific targets to protect. However, the mission given to the Zero fighter pilots of the first attack group this time was to sweep enemy fighters. They didn't have to protect sluggish torpedo or dive bombers carrying bombs or torpedoes; their sole focus was on shooting down enemy fighters.

Most fighter pilots prefer missions with high freedom of action, so when the pilots selected for the first attack unit heard about their mission, they were delighted. Alternatively, it might have been a consideration from the Third Fleet headquarters to give the best stage to the temporary guests who had been transferred.

Itaya thought along these lines, but he couldn't shake off a slight regret from the previous Battle of Midway. Despite being asked in advance by the flight leader and Commander Genda to deal with the SBDs, he failed to intercept them, allowing Thach to escape. Later, he heard that a considerable number of friendly aircraft had been shot down by what seemed to be the Thach's squadron, resulting in casualties.

"I will repay that debt from that time."

Countermeasures against new tactics, such as the Thach Weave that the American fighter squadrons would likely employ, had not yet been developed. At the moment, the only treatment available was to avoid one-on-one dogfights and be attentive not only to the rear but also to the sides. Nevertheless, with skilled Zero fighter pilots, the best in the Imperial Navy, capable of taking off and landing on the narrow flight deck, it was expected that they wouldn't easily fall behind even if the enemy introduced new tactics.

Before launching, Itaya had been informed that the expected number of enemy fighters was around 50 to 70. The three American carriers carried about 100 fighters, and half to one-third of them were expected to be dedicated to escorting the attack squadrons. Therefore, the calculation was based on having approximately 50 fighters if half were dedicated and around 70 fighters if one-third were dedicated to escorting the attack squadrons.

Itaya received a transmission from the Zuikaku's D4Y, which was conducting advance reconnaissance. Thanks to the modification of the wiring based on the advice of a divine servant named Jun, the radio equipment of the Zero fighters became somewhat usable at close range, despite the presence of considerable noise.

"An enemy formation consisting of three groups is approaching. Each group has approximately 20 to 30 aircraft at the same altitude. Fighter squadron, raise your altitude to intercept."

If the D4Y's report were to be believed, the enemy's strength would be around 60 to 90 aircraft. It's a bit more than expected, but still within the anticipated range. The D4Y from Kaga, responsible for guiding, began to climb, followed by 45 Zeros. After a while, three distinct clusters appeared ahead. Thanks to the earlier reconnaissance mission of the D4Ys, they held the advantage in altitude. The enemy began to climb in a panic, but it was too late.

"Zuikaku and Ryūjō squadrons to the left flank, Kaga and Zuihō squadrons to the right flank. Shōkaku squadron, strike the center. All units, commence attack!"

Ensuring the forces are not biased towards one side, Itaya gave instructions on targets while lowering the nose to convert potential energy into speed. The 20 mm shells, even if they don't extend much, will have a higher hit rate, and the less powerful 7,7 mm bullets will gain some effectiveness. An F4F Wildcat, descending from above, tried to evade the Zero's attack by maneuvering, but the Zero's superior agility was evident. Despite the F4F's desperate evasion, both 20 mm and 7,7 mm bullets mercilessly rained down on its upper surface. Hit by the initial attack, 15 F4Fs were shot down, significantly reducing their numerical advantage, and chaos ensued. The dogfight, a swirling melee of friend and foe, is the domain of the Zero fighters, or more precisely, their uncontested territory.

On the other hand, some F4Fs, veteran pilots who quickly dove to escape the clutches of the Zeros, did exist, but their numbers were scarce. What made it difficult for the F4Fs assigned to fleet air defense duty was that many skilled pilots capable of solo navigation were deployed for escort missions for attack squadrons. As a result, the direct defense mission near the fleet was entrusted to mid-level or excellent young pilots with little to no combat experience which resulted in overall lower proficiency.

In contrast, on the Japanese side, every pilot was a seasoned veteran. If the side with inferior skills fights on the opponent's favored stage, victory is uncertain, even with a numerical advantage. The skilled pilots in the Zero fighters took turns maneuvering behind the F4Fs, relentlessly showering them with machine gun bullets. If there were another half-year, these American pilots would have become splendid veterans, but they scattered their lives in the skies of the Coral Sea.

By the end of the battle, the initial 73 F4Fs had been reduced to 16, many of them with bullet holes in their fuselages. On the other hand, only three Zero fighters were lost, resulting in a kill ratio of 19 to 1. Later called the Second Battle of the Coral Sea, this battle was initially dominated by the Japanese side.