Aviation-Centric Combined Fleet

Chapter 53 - Concern

With the peace treaty between the United Kingdom and the Axis powers, the British Royal Navy saw a significant reduction in its military capabilities. Only a few small vessels, including outdated destroyers, were allowed to be retained, while the remaining ships were seized by Germany, Italy, and Japan as compensation.

Germany acquired the new battleships Howe and Anson. Although the main gun caliber of these late-model King George V-class ships was slightly smaller at 36 centimeters, their electronic warfare equipment, such as search and fire control radars, clearly surpassed those of the Axis powers. The German battleship Tirpitz, the strongest in Germany, was undoubtedly more powerful than cruisers like Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Furthermore, the British acquired a considerable number of cruisers and destroyers, filling the void left by auxiliary vessels lost in previous intense battles.

Adolf Hitler, who disliked large ships, permitted the acquisition of two British battleships as a gesture of consideration for the navy or as a form of propaganda. As Hitler aimed for the upcoming decisive battle with the Soviet Union, he wanted to concentrate the country's resources on air and land forces. However, with the United States still in the war, leaving naval defenses unguarded was not an option. Additionally, as advocated by the naval high command, relying solely on U-boats and air fleets lacked tactical flexibility, forcing Hitler to acknowledge the need for a substantial fleet.

On the other hand, the Italian Navy acquired two under-construction armored aircraft carriers. While the Italian Navy possessed powerful battleships like Vittorio Veneto and Littorio, they only had one carrier, the Aquila, under construction, and it had lower defensive capabilities as it was a converted passenger ship. By incorporating the two armored aircraft carriers into their forces, Italy aimed to establish a formidable mobile fleet, although not comparable to the Japanese Navy. Italy, like Germany, also seized numerous British cruisers and destroyers. With agreements assigning Italy the defense of the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, a substantial number of vessels were necessary. However, since both the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean were virtually Axis-controlled, the burden on the Italian Navy was not as significant.

In the Pacific, facing the United States, Japan acquired four Fiji-class light cruisers. Although these cruisers, equipped with 15,2-centimeter guns, were not as powerful as American heavy cruisers or Brooklyn-class light cruisers, they were undoubtedly stronger than the Japanese Kako and Aoba classes. These four ships were designated to be deployed to the vulnerable northern front. While not as many as Germany or Italy, Japan received a considerable number of destroyers, which were incorporated into the naval escort force to protect Japanese merchant ships from American submarines. In contrast to Germany and Italy, Japan had a modest allocation of combat vessels, but in return, the majority of support vessels, including excellent British repair ships, oilers, submarine tenders, and laying vessels, were obtained. Due to limitations in national power and budget, the Imperial Japanese Navy had to focus on frontline equipment, making the addition of support vessels akin to a godsend.

Considering these factors, Yamamoto likely inquired whether the joint large-scale diversion by Japan and Germany, specifically the attack on Oahu from the Japanese side, had sufficient military strength. And military strength was not just about ships and planes; most importantly, it involved the people who operated them.

"What you are concerned about is not just the ships but the soldiers who will be on them. If we increase cruisers, destroyers, and support vessels, we will also need more soldiers. But rest assured, for this operation, I won't pull personnel from one ship to another. Certainly, the personnel on one ship are all highly experienced, and everyone is a valuable asset as core personnel for new ships or as instructors and lecturers at naval schools. However, I, as the Minister of the Navy, will never do something foolish like transferring such individuals before a major operation. However, after the operation, it's a different story. We don't have the luxury in the Imperial Navy to concentrate skilled personnel in one unit, but once the operation is over, things will change."

Expressing satisfaction with Hori, who had shared his own concerns, Yamamoto raised another issue with Shiozawa.

"How is the current situation on Oahu? Despite turning Pearl Harbor into ashes, considering their recovery capabilities, it wouldn't be surprising if they have made significant progress in reconstruction."

For Yamamoto, who was well aware of the strength of the United States, the primary concern was not the Pacific Fleet, which was still in the midst of reconstruction, but rather the air power on Oahu. In fact, he had heard that the deployment of new aircraft was occurring frequently.

"Infrastructure such as water, electricity, and road networks on Oahu has already fully recovered, and the scattered airfields on the island are likely operational. However, the recovery of Pearl Harbor, which was burned with heavy oil, seems to be uncertain, with only some facilities, such as loading facilities, possibly returning. Nevertheless, if it's the American military, they could compensate for that by deploying support vessels and floating docks in Pearl Harbor. In fact, despite Australia withdrawing from the war, submarine attacks continue, believed to be launched from Oahu. And, regarding the airpower on Oahu, it's entirely different from last year. During last year's attack on Oahu, the main airpower consisted of P-40, F4F, and F2A, but as of now, the only aircraft still in service is the F4F. The rest have all been replaced with new models or are expected to have been replaced. The Army has P-38 and P-47, and the Navy and Marine Corps have F4U, all new-generation fighters with around 2.000 horsepower. Each of them boasts a speed performance comfortably exceeding 600 kilometers per hour."

Given that the Zero, the main fighter of the 1st Mobile Fleet, has 1.300 horsepower, in terms of simple output, American fighters are more than 50% superior. Moreover, even the latest model of the Zero has a top speed of around 570 kilometers per hour, so there might be at least a 30-kilometer per hour difference, or possibly close to 100 kilometers per hour, if not more.

"Can we win with Zeros?"

Yamamoto, having been informed of the specifications of American fighters by Shiozawa, asked about the chances of success with a strained voice.

"If the skill of the crews is equal, Zeros would have no chance at all," replied Shiozawa in straightforward language, leaving Yamamoto speechless at the conclusion.