IJN Detected Before Pearl Harbor

Cook

Banned
The Japanese aircraft that sank the PoW and Repulse were land based large bombers, not carrier capable aircraft.
I will spell it out again: The aircraft that sank the Prince of Wales and Repulse used the exact same type of torpedo, launched from the same height and same close range, as Japanese carrier based aircraft carried.

The absence of American Battleships from the list of vessels sunk at sea in the first year of the Pacific war is not because Japanese carrier based aircraft could not do it, it is because the American Battleships were safely back in California; the US navy would not risk their use.
 
I will spell it out again: The aircraft that sank the Prince of Wales and Repulse used the exact same type of torpedo, launched from the same height and same close range, as Japanese carrier based aircraft carried.

The absence of American Battleships from the list of vessels sunk at sea in the first year of the Pacific war is not because Japanese carrier based aircraft could not do it, it is because the American Battleships were safely back in California; the US navy would not risk their use.

Absolutely correct! Prince of Wales and Repulse had no air cover as the carrier Indomitable had been damaged in a training accident and the RAF squadrons that were supposed to provide air cover did not. Would air cover for Kimmel’s fleet make a difference? Japanese carrier planes were able to torpedo both Yorktown and Lexington despite air cover although they suffered heavy losses. I would assume that the same would have happened had the Japanese found Kimmel’s fleet. They would have scored some hits and lost some planes. There also would have been a chance for Enterprise and Lexington to attack or be attacked. My guess is that 2-3 battleships would have been sunk, 1 or 2 damaged. If Kimmel could have gotten within range He clearly had more fire power than the Japanese escorts. However, all of the Japanese ships were faster than his battle line so it would have been a fleeting battle.
 

Delta Force

Banned
I will spell it out again: The aircraft that sank the Prince of Wales and Repulse used the exact same type of torpedo, launched from the same height and same close range, as Japanese carrier based aircraft carried.

The absence of American Battleships from the list of vessels sunk at sea in the first year of the Pacific war is not because Japanese carrier based aircraft could not do it, it is because the American Battleships were safely back in California; the US navy would not risk their use.

If the US decides to chase the Japanese down the Japanese ships might end up running out of fuel. They barely had enough fuel to make it there and back, add in a battle or a high speed chase and they could end up stranded in the middle of the ocean.
 
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