Fleet of Books

Chapter 22 - Information Support

"Enemy formation, five minutes until contact with your unit. Altitude is approximately 4.500 to 5.000 meters. All units, ascend to 5.500 meters. The enemy force consists of 70 single-engine planes and 30 twin-engine planes. The single-engine planes appear to be Wildcats, and the twin-engine planes are likely Lightnings. Both are unfamiliar aircraft. All planes, be cautious and vigilant."

In response to the orders from the reconnaissance officer in charge of aerial combat, Lieutenant Commander Itaya, the leader of the first wave, instructed his 95 wingmen to climb and transition from cruising speed to combat speed. According to prior information, the F4F is a carrier-based fighter used by the US Navy and Marine Corps, while the P-38 is a twin-engine fighter used by the US Army. To be more precise, some crew members had seen the F4Fs during the attack on Oahu. However, those F4Fs were destroyed while parked on the ground, and no one had engaged in actual combat with them.

The F4F is equipped with four low-velocity 12,7 mm machine guns on both wings, and even a Zero, with its bulletproofing, could suffer fatal damage if hit directly. Therefore, they were formidable opponents that required constant attention. On the other hand, there was limited information available about the P-38, and many aspects of its armament and speed were unknown. However, it was reasonable to assume that, being a twin-engine aircraft, it prioritized speed over maneuverability in combat.

When Japanese and American fighter planes made contact, Japan had the advantage in altitude. The most crucial aspect of aerial combat was providing proper information support to the pilots, as emphasized in the Chronicle of Intense Reflection. Now, all 96 crew members were realizing the truth of that statement. In addition to the command and control aircraft, the Type 1 recon planes accompanying them were equipped with anti-aircraft radar, keeping an eye out for attackers from the sky. Thanks to this, they could maintain good condition and face the enemy without being worn down by surprise attacks on the way. Furthermore, the Type 1 recon planes on forward patrol could immediately notify the Zero fighters if a new threat appeared, ensuring enough reaction time and avoiding unexpected situations.

'Information support and air control are essential.'

During the time they fought against the Chinese air forces with A5M fighters, hand signals still played a significant role. It was an era of heroism, relying on individual skills. However, now, the presence or absence of information determines life or death. It was, in a sense, an era of collective warfare dominated by impersonal systems. Thinking about such things, Itaya began to observe the enemy formation emerging below and gave the order.

"All units, attack! We have the altitude advantage. Crush them all at once!"

Responding to Itaya's urging command, the Zeros descended one after another, pointing their noses at the enemy formation. Like unleashed hunting dogs, they enveloped the enemy planes from above and showered them with 20 mm bullets. The reactions of the enemy planes varied—some tried to escape with a rapid dive, others attempted evasive maneuvers by turning, and some raised their noses to engage in a head-on confrontation. Consequently, the number of rockets launched was significantly lower compared to the fiery arrows from 384 sources of 20 mm bullets. The difference in numbers became apparent, and while only a few Zero fighters were hit, almost none were shot down, whereas F4Fs and P-38s were falling one after another.

As a result, the nearly equal balance of forces at the time of the collision was decisively shifted in favor of the Zeros with just one attack. The Zero squadron paid no attention to the enemy planes that had descended to escape. In this era, once a fighter descended, it required a significant amount of time to return to its original altitude. Therefore, the Zeros focused their attacks on the F4Fs and P-38s attempting evasive maneuvers through turns. Many P-38s, utilizing their speed, barely managed to escape the clutches of the Zero fighters, but the slower F4Fs couldn't evade. They were relentlessly showered with 20 mm bullets from the numerous Zeros. The Wildcats, which had a reasonable resistance to 7,7 mm and 12,7 mm rounds, could not withstand the high-velocity Mark 2 autocannons' 20 mm rounds.

F4Fs, which had chosen to avoid by turning, were mostly defeated by the Zeros. Half of the Zeros had maintained their altitude to prepare for the P-38s' counterattack and the remaining half focused on dealing with the F4Fs and P-38s that had escaped through rapid descent. Taking advantage of the altitude advantage they still held, the Zeros attacked from above. The surviving F4Fs and P-38s had significantly reduced in number since the initial engagement, making the concentration of 20 mm bullets on each aircraft formidable.

F4Fs and P-38s hit by the 20 mm bullets from above spewed fire, trailing thick smoke as they were successively knocked into the sea off the coast of Brisbane. The Zeros did not relent. With no attack planes to support, the Zero fighters of the first wave, whose sole purpose was the annihilation of enemy fighters, were allowed to pursue quite deeply.

On the other hand, the P-38s took advantage of their agility and fled towards the land, with a considerable number successfully withdrawing from the front lines. However, the slow F4Fs couldn't outrun the Zeros and ended up being ambushed.

'Emphasizing speed performance over turning combat performance for the Zero was the right decision.'

The difference in speed performance decided the fate of the fleeing F4Fs and P-38s. Itaya understood, in theory, that having superior speed allowed for both disengagement and pursuit at will. However, seeing that reality unfold on the battlefield brought forth a new understanding.

"All units, cease combat. Proceed to the airspace above the enemy mobile fleet. If there are remaining enemy fighters, engage them; otherwise, return as is. Aircraft with sufficient fuel and remaining ammunition may continue."

A new order came from the command and control aircraft, judging that most of the enemy fighters had been annihilated. Following the instructions, the Zeros regrouped and reformed their formations. Initially numbering 96, the Zero fighters had now reduced to around 70 after the aerial battle had concluded. As the number of shot-down planes was quite limited, those unseen might have returned to the mother ship due to damage or engine issues.

'Even though it was an overwhelmingly victorious battle, nearly 30% of the aircraft were hit. If these were Type 96 (A5M) fighters without any armor, many might not have survived.'

Itaya, glimpsing the reality of the furball, recalled the most crucial requirement emphasized in the development of the Zero. It was the excessive bulletproofing designed for the protection of the pilot.

'Despite some expressing negativity toward enhanced bulletproofing due to the added weight, seeing the reality of naval aerial combat proves that it was a mistake. Excellent communication systems and superior bulletproofing are absolutely necessary for future fighter planes.'

With these thoughts in mind, Itaya felt gratitude towards the higher-ups who made the correct decisions during the development of the Zero.