Cape Engano - Aircraft Dispersal?

[ijnfleetadmiral]

I know Ozawa's Mobile Force had the following aircraft aboard its four carriers on 25 October 1944:

80 x A6M5
7 x D4Y3
4 x B5N2
25 x B6N3

My question is: How were they distributed amongst the four carriers? TIA for any info.

[Eugen Pinak]

Zuikaku - 28 A6M5, 16 A6M2-? (with bombs), 7 D4Y2-C (recon), 14 B6N2
Zuiho - 8 A6M5, 4 A6M2-? (with bombs), 5 B6N2
Chitose - 8 A6M5, 4 A6M2-? (with bombs), 6 B6N2
Chiyoda - 8 A6M5, 4 A6M2-? (with bombs), 4 B5N2 (guides)

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Thanks! Any idea who the Air Unit Commanders for Zuiho and Chiyoda were, and if they survived the battle? I have the other two:

Zuikaku - CDR AIOI Takahide (59) - survived the battle and the war.
Chitose - LT HAYASHI Chikahiro (65) - KIA (LTCDR posthumously)

[valentine III]

Which units did the airplanes carried by the Japanese Aircraft Carriers belong?

AFAIK the carier units that took part in the Philipine sea Battle had been disbanded.

What about Hyuga and Ise. Did they don't carry any airplane?

Many thanks

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Ise and Hyuga did not carry planes at Cape Engano as the air group assigned to them (Air Group 634) was sent to Formosa before the Battle of Leyte Gulf and decimated in strikes against TF 38.

As for the IJN Carrier Divisions in existence at this time:

CarDiv 1 - RADM Komura Keizo (45) - Unryu, Amagi, & Katsuragi - Not used for Cape Engano due to lack of fuel and trained pilots.
CarDiv 3 - VADM Ozawa Jisaburo (37) - Zuiho, Chitose, Chiyoda, & Zuikaku - Main carrier unit at Cape Engano.
CarDiv 4 - RADM Matsuda Chiaki (43) - Ryuho, Junyo, Ise, & Hyuga - First two ships not used due to lack of fuel and trained pilots.

[valentine III]

Thanks, Excelent information.

Even the Aichi E16 were sent to Formosa?

Any good source of information about those operations aganist TF38 ?

[valentine III]

Well, it seems Yes they were. But I've also seen a picture of one Aichi E16 floatplane from 634 AG captured in the Philipines.

[clifford13]

Battle to Save the Houston, a good book about the light cruiser , covers the Formosa battle pretty well..as thats where the Huston took 2 torpedos...
That air group shifting explains a lot, including the note captured in the Phillipenes mentioned in Bulltes Beans and black Oil,
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A ... =zAQHsURTK

[clifford13]

Ozawa was obviously expecting to execute shuttle raids , as orders to land based air indicates. Not surprising, considering his orders to try and hit TF 30.8, the fleet tankers, then some 400 miles east of Northern Luzon, a force halsey HAD to defend, and between his carriers and Ozawas..

[Eugen Pinak]

Ozawa was obviously expecting to execute shuttle raids , as orders to land based air indicates. Not surprising, considering his orders to try and hit TF 30.8, the fleet tankers, then some 400 miles east of Northern Luzon, a force halsey HAD to defend, and between his carriers and Ozawas..

No. All Ozawa hoped to do is to draw US carrier forces North to ensure Kurita will smash US transports.

[clifford13]

..but his written orders stated otherwise. As did Halseys..

[Eugen Pinak]

Actually, Ozawa's written orders said exactly the same thing.