Later, the Pacific War's greatest battle, known as the Second Battle of Midway, unfolded. The catalyst for this was the launch of 108 Tenzan and 96 escorting Shiden, taking off from the Third Fleet's Shōkaku, Zuikaku, Kamikaku, and Amakaku.
In response, 72 F4U Corsair fighters took to the skies to defend Midway. Originally developed as carrier-based fighters, the F4U faced challenges in operating from carriers due to limited forward visibility and some mechanical reliability issues. Consequently, they were mainly used as land-based fighters. Nevertheless, equipped with the powerful P&W R-2800 engine producing 2.000 horsepower, the F4U achieved a top speed well beyond 600 kilometers per hour. Additionally, armed with twelve 12,7 mm machine guns on both wings, it boasted formidable firepower, surpassing the combat capabilities of the previously deployed F2A Buffalo and F4F Wildcat fighters at Midway. On the other hand, although the Shiden had slightly less horsepower at 1.850, it was over a ton lighter than the F4U, resulting in superior acceleration and climbing performance.
The battle unfolded with the F4U leading in top speed, while the Shiden excelled in acceleration and climbing. Surprisingly, the outcome was unexpectedly swift. The key factor was the difference in information. The introduction of the Shiden, an unknown aircraft to American crew members who assumed Japan's carrier-based fighters were still Zeros, constituted a kind of psychological ambush. In contrast, the F4U, having appeared on the front lines in the first half of 1943, was well known to the Japanese. The Imperial Navy, which has placed the highest value on information since the Meiji period, is not an organization that would neglect research and countermeasures against a known enemy.
The F4U pilots, intending to outmaneuver the Zero with an output over 50% higher, were astonished by the Shiden's superior speed. By the time they realized the Shiden was a new type of aircraft, they found themselves outmaneuvered, with the Shiden's powerful bullets relentlessly targeting them. Furthermore, Shiden pilots not only employed linear hit-and-run tactics but also fully utilized the newly equipped automatic air combat flaps. They swiftly maneuvered to the rear of their opponents, using the high torque of the powerful Kasei engine to close the distance rapidly and showering them with 20 mm rounds from the four guns on each wing. Although the F4U was well-equipped with bulletproof armor, it couldn't withstand the onslaught of high-velocity 20 mm rounds from close range.
In the first encounter, more than 20 F4Us were easily shot down. This shifted the initial force ratio from 3:4 to 2:4, meaning the opposing force had lost half of its strength. While the overall aircraft performance favored the F4U over Shiden, the vast difference in skill and experience between Japanese pilots, who had gained combat experience since the Battle of Wake Island, and American pilots, many of whom were engaging in combat for the first time, proved decisive. Furthermore, the Shiden, using a two-aircraft formation as the smallest combat unit, skillfully separated and isolated the F4Us, disrupting their coordination. Unable to maintain even the smallest combat unit after the initial chaos, the F4Us were systematically taken down by the two-fold Shiden assault.
By then, the 108 Tenzan attackers were bombarding Midway base amidst intense anti-aircraft fire. Each plane, carrying four 250 kg or sixteen 60 kg bombs, pounded the base with over 100 tons of iron and explosives. Midway's runways were riddled with holes, rendering them incapable of facilitating takeoffs and landings. The widespread dispersal of bombs also inflicted significant damage on the anti-aircraft positions, and many construction vehicles, crucial for maintaining the base, were damaged by the blast and fragments.
After the Tenzan bombing, the Shiden, having already dealt with the F4Us, descended upon Midway. Exploiting the weakened barrage from the ground, they descended to low altitudes, unloading 20 mm rounds as if disposing of excess ammunition. They particularly targeted the surviving construction vehicles, relentlessly attacking them and rendering most of them inoperable.
In anticipation of aerial attacks from the Japanese carrier-based aircraft, B-17 bombers, TBF Avengers, as well as transport and liaison aircraft, had taken refuge by evacuating to Hawaii. Except for some B-17s carrying sufficient fuel to fly back, the rest were forced to make emergency landings or crash landings. As a result, Midway's air power was practically annihilated.
The Combined Fleet had successfully taken the initiative.
YOU ARE READING
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...
