Air operations from the IJN carrier RYUJO, April 1942

[Mark E Horan]

Malcolm;

Don't know how readable this will be - it comes from an excel spreadsheet. The source is the Ryujo Air records:

Date Mission Target TO Land Aloft VF VT Ordnance
42.04.04 Search - 08:00 11:00 03:00 0 4
42.04.04 Search - 14:54 18:23 03:29 0 3

Date Mission Target TO Land Aloft VF VT Ordnance
42.04.05 Search - 08:44 11:10 02:26 0 3
42.04.05 Armed Recon - 14:33 18:58 04:25 0 2 60 (4)
42.04.05 Armed Recon - 14:33 18:56 04:23 0 2
42.04.05 Armed Recon - 14:33 18:55 04:22 0 2 60 (4)
42.04.05 Armed Recon - 14:33 14:33 00:00 0 2
42.04.05 Armed Recon - 15:10 19:45 04:35 0 2 60 (2)

Date Mission Target TO Land Aloft VF VT Ordnance
42.04.06 Armed Recon - 09:00 13:40 04:40 0 2 250 (1), 60 (4)
42.04.06 Armed Recon - 09:00 13:00 04:00 0 2 60 (4)
42.04.06 Strike shipping 12:20 18:57 06:37 0 3 250 (1), 60 (4)
42.04.06 " " 12:20 18:57 06:37 0 2 Torpedo (1)
42.04.06 Armed Recon - 13:30 18:27 04:57 0 2
42.04.06 Strike Port 14:43 17:20 02:37 0 5 250 (1), 60 (4)
42.04.06 Strike Port 16:30 18:57 02:27 0 2 800 (1)
42.04.06 " " 16:30 18:57 02:27 0 3 250 (1), 60 (4)
42.04.06 Strike Port 19:55 21:30 01:35 0 5 250 (1), 60 (4)

Date Mission Target TO Land Aloft VF VT Ordnance
42.04.08 Search - 14:54 17:45 02:51 0 4

Additionally, the information on the website found at the second link above is incorrect in several matters. First, The Ryujo Fighter unit did NOT have A6M2s at any point in 1941-42 prior to her return to Japanese home waters for a refit AFTER operation C and prior to her inclusion in operation AF in the Aleutians in June. Rather, the unit was operating 12 A5M4 Claudes.

Second, by Operation C the Ryujo Attack Unit, like all other 18-plane Attack units with the exception of Kaga's 27-plane unit, was formed in three Chutais of six nominal aircraft, though bombing operations were actually based on 2-3 plane shotais and 5-plane chutais. Further, the unit which had 17 operational planes, had started the war composed primarily of B5N1 model attack planes, with but 2-3 newer B5N2 models which were NOT formed into a separate unit, but were interspersed in mixed Chutais with the B5N1s. Losses suffered in 1941 and early 1942, which were light, were replaced in part by some additional B5N2s, but the total number aboard in April was no more than 3-5.

Even in the June foray to the Aleutians after an influx of new pilots and planes while in Japan, the unit only was about 50% B5N2 models, with the chutais composed of mixed types. It would appear that the chutai leaders were given the -2s and later shotai leaders received them as well, though this was not a hard rule.

Hope this helps. If you have further questions, you can contact me at mhoran -at- snet -dot- net

Mark E. Horan