HISTORY

Aircraft prepare to launch from Japanese carrier Shōkaku during Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, October 26, 1942. In the foreground, crewmen are getting ready Zero “EI-112”.

(Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

conducted over 200 reconnaissance and bombing sorties over Australia. Because of their long

range, the A6M2 Type 21 continued to be used in

these missions. Actual recorded losses were close to 1:10 in favor of the Zeros, with their frequent

opponents being Spitfires Mk.V. This result was

remarkably different compared to the air battles

in the Solomon Islands and Rabaul area.

Guadalcanal

The Japanese started building an air base on

Guadalcanal in July 1942, posing a serious threat to shipping between the US and Australia.

The Americans therefore landed on Guadalcanal

on August 7 and were soon able to begin air operations from the occupied Japanese airfield, and

from new ones they subsequently built.

In terms of fighter operations, for the first weeks

it was main responsibility of Tainan Kōkūtai.

During bomber escort flights to Guadalcanal and

convoys patrols, pilots flew from Rabaul, a 1065

km distance. The Japanese command gradually

deployed other fighter units in the area, primarily

the 2nd Kōkūtai, part of the 3rd Kōkūtai, the 6th

Kōkūtai and the Kanoya Kōkūtai. In September

1942, the Japanese managed to get the airfields

operational on the islands of Buka and Bougainville, which were closer to Guadalcanal.

In mid-1942, a new version of the Zero designated

the A6M3 Type 32 began arriving on the battlefield. It was equipped with the more powerful

Sakae 21 engine and had a shortened wingspan.

However, it was unsuitable for missions over

Guadalcanal due to its shorter range. In late 1942,

its production was discontinued and replaced by

the A6M3 Type 22 from early 1943. Thanks to the

modified design of the fuel tanks and wing, which

looked similar to the Model 21, the range of this

April 2022

newer version was even extended by 160 km.

The Type 21 Zeros, however, continued to be the

important armament of IJN fighter units engaged

in the Salomon Islands, whether at ground bases

or on aircraft carriers.

Two naval engagements occurred during the Battle of Guadalcanal, with aircraft carriers deployed on both sides. The first was the Battle of the

Eastern Solomons on August 24 and 25. Simultaneously with the Japanese convoy heading for

Guadalcanal, a task force with the aircraft carriers Shōkaku, Zuikaku and Ryūjō headed for the

same area. The Japanese had no intelligence on

the location of the American carriers and therefore conducted a raid on Henderson Airfield on

Guadalcanal. Aircraft from the USS Saratoga succeeded in sinking the Ryūjō and the Japanese

later damaged the USS Enterprise. Some Zero

fighters from the remaining carriers then briefly

operated from ground bases.

During October 1942, the Japanese also deployed

the carriers Zuihō, Junyō and Hiyō in the Salomon

Islands in addition to Shōkaku and Zuikaku. During October 25 to 27, the Battle of the Santa Cruz

Islands occurred, in which only Hiyō did not participate. IJN carriers were confronted by the USS

Hornet and Enterprise. American naval aircraft

damaged the Zuihō and Shōkaku, but Hornet was

lost and Enterprise suffered damage. Although

the Japanese achieved a tactical victory, their

aircrew losses were higher than in the Battle of

the Coral Sea. Therefore, even the carriers that

were not damaged had to withdraw from the battlefield. The fighter unit of carrier Hiyō remained

in the area. For almost the next two years, this

was the last carrier engagement in the Pacific.

In early November 1942, the designation of naval air units with bases abroad was changed.

They were now designated by a three-digit code

that indicated, among other things, their purpose

and home naval district in Japan. If the first digit

was 2 or 3, it was the Kōkūtai, whose specialty

was exclusively fighter aircraft. The Tainan Kōkūtai became Kōkūtai 251, and similarly were designated Kōkūtai 201 (formerly Chitose Kōkūtai),

Kōkūtai 202 (formerly 3rd Kū.), Kōkūtai 204 (formerly 6th Kū.), Kōkūtai 252 (formerly Genzan Kū.),

and Kōkūtai 253 (formerly Kanoya Kū. Fighter

Squadron). The mixed purpose 2nd Kōkūtai was

designated Kōkūtai 582 and retained both the

single-engine bombers and the fighter unit. The

former Tainan Kōkūtai moved to Japan in mid-November to replace losses, to train reinforcements,

and to take over new equipment. Guadalcanal,

which the Japanese called “Ga Shima”, was a high

risk target during any long distance flight due to

unpredictable weather, possible engine failure,

fatigue, or nausea caused by tropical diseases.

At the same time, the Japanese faced an enemy

that was constantly improving its technology,

tactics, logistics, and infrastructure.

In late 1942, the Japanese attempted to open

an airfield on Munda Island, just 300 km from

Guadalcanal, but Allied air raids made using

this base very difficult. In late January 1943,

the evacuation of Japanese troops from Guadalcanal was completed. At that time, the fighter unit

of the carrier Zuikaku began operating from Bougainville and withdrew to Truk after two weeks.

A month later, a fighter unit from the carrier Zuihō was deployed in a similar way. This practice

proved successful for the Navy and was used in

the area for the following year.

The Japanese command decided in late March

1943 to achieve air supremacy in the New Guinea

and Solomon Islands area. Therefore, the Opera-

INFO Eduard

9