loading coal in one of the Pacific ports
The color of the pipes is beautiful orange. Admiral Rozhenstvensky accepts the proposal to repaint the ships of both squadrons in the so-called «ball» (ugly gray) camouflage color, as the Japanese did, in the spirit that the Russian fleet has its own traditions. The Varyag crew meets the news of the beginning of the Russian-Japanese war in the neutral Korean port of Chemulpo. The approaching Japanese squadron invites the sailors to either surrender or take the battle at the exit from the harbor. Dozens of ships of other powers are in the roadstead near the port. At noon on February 9, 1904, the cruiser and gunboat Koreets leave the port. An artillery duel ensues. According to the estimates of the captain of «Varyag» Rudnev, his ship fires 1000 shells of the main caliber, sinks a cruiser, destroyer and seriously damages another enemy cruiser. Own losses, in addition to the main rangefinder, ventilation systems, guns and other equipment – 30 sailors and an officer. The Japanese only confirm the damage to one of the cruisers, which is undergoing long-term repairs, and deny any damage to the personnel. According to their own calculations, the main caliber of the Varyag manages to fire only fifty shells during an hour-long battle.
The ship returns to port. At the officers’ meeting, a resolution is passed on its flooding. And, on February 9 at 6 pm, the mechanics open the kingstones. «Varyag» lays down on the ground. «Korean» (whose crew has no losses in battle) is blown up. Crews are accepted on foreign ships. Later, by prior agreement with the Japanese command, the sailors, who pledged not to take part in hostilities against the Land of the Rising Sun, go to Russia. Photo – after submersion in shallow water. Here, on the ship, the bodies of the dead sailors remain
«Varyag» immediately after the rise
The Japanese are raising and restoring the Varyag. It is now called Soy. In the First World War, Russia and Japan become allies. For a small fee, the Land of the Rising Sun returns the cruiser. In 1917, the ship leaves for Britain for repairs. How much later, with the change of power in Russia, the British confiscated it. In 1925, while ferrying to German firms for scrap, in the Irish Sea, a ship breaks off the towing cables and wrecks off the Scottish coast. Subsequently, it is blown up
The cruiser «Varyag» near the Scottish village of Lendelfoot. Last photo
The second and first places are shared equally by the American Yorktown and the Japanese Akagi. The largest, pivotal battle of the war in the Pacific Ocean, Kursk on the waves – the battle of Midway Atoll. American cryptographers break the naval code and find out that the next attack by the Imperial Navy will be carried out on the base of the Midway Atoll. Forces of the parties. Japan – 4 heavy, 2 light aircraft carriers, 300 carrier-based fighter-bomber aircraft, 16 reconnaissance seaplanes, 30 large ships (cruisers, battleships, destroyers), the main armament of which is artillery. There is no information on submarines. USA – 3 heavy aircraft carriers, 240 carrier-based aircraft, 130 – land-based, 23 combat surface ships of various classes, 16 submarines. On the afternoon of June 3, 1942, nine B-17 bombers deliver the first strike against the approaching group. However, Flying Fortresses are more suitable for destroying targets the size of a city. They do not cause damage to ships. On the morning of June 4, an attack group of 108 aircraft stormed an American ground base and inflicted significant damage on it. Ten US bombers and torpedo bombers, without cover fighters, manage to take off again. They find the aircraft carriers of the Land of the Rising Sun, attack, but almost all of them die under the machine-gun and cannon fire of the Japanese «Zero». Photo – Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu escapes B-17 bombing from Midway Atoll
The Americans are desperate to rectify the situation. From the approaching aircraft carriers, they send new waves of Vindicator and Dontles dive bombers and Divasteyor torpedo bombers to the Japanese fleet, but they fail over and over again. The planes either do not find aircraft carriers, or fall from the fire of anti-aircraft guns and fighters. However, the pilots show courage… do not leave the line of attack under any circumstances, and this behavior impresses Fortuna. On the same hot morning of June 4, the aircraft carriers Yorktown and the Enterprise send their remaining dive bombers Dontles into battle. Groups of planes split up, lose targets, and find them again. The initiative allows you to smooth out roughness. The beginning of an attack from a great height, in cloudy conditions, goes unnoticed. Huge Japanese ships pivot to the wind to facilitate takeoff of hundreds of heavily loaded planes on the decks. At this moment, tons of American bombs fall on their decks. The aircraft carriers «Akagi», «Kaga» and «Soryu» receive catastrophic damage. According to some reports, the Nautilus submarine launches torpedoes into one of the ships two hours after the strike. In the evening of June 4 – in the morning of June 5, the aircraft carriers, having played the battle so well in the morning, go to the bottom. According to Japanese legend, the Imperial Naval Force takes five minutes to win the battle, and even the war itself. Photo – Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi after a deadly bombing raid. Noon, June 4, 1942
Somewhat outdated by 1942, but still formidable «Divasteyor». The maximum speed is 430 km. h. Defensive armament – two machine guns. Until 1944, torpedoes had to be dropped from a height of 15 m, at a speed of 200 km. h. In this case, many of the «self-propelled mines» even with a direct hit on the target (along the normal) do not explode. The speed of movement of the Japanese torpedoes is 40 knots (about 70 km. H.), The American Mark 13 – 30 knots (50 km. H.), With a cruising range of 5200 m. Practically in the same year, the Divasteyors were replaced by Avengers. Throughout the year, American scientists solve problems with non-explosive torpedoes.
The only now Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu still has 18 equipped Val and 6 Zero bombers. Samurai attack Yorktown. Seven dive bombers break through to the American aircraft carrier and achieve three hits. 5 dive bombers and 1 fighter are returning. 10 torpedo bombers are now ready to take off. Five surviving aircraft manage to achieve two hits. Yorktown is being towed to Pearl Harbor. A Japanese submarine sinks an aircraft carrier and a destroyer covering it on June 7. Photo – Japanese torpedo bomber stubbornly breaks through to Yorktown, second half of June 4, 1942. Armament – one machine gun, one 800-kilogram torpedo.
«Aichi D3A», in American terminology «Val», a Japanese carrier-based bomber. The maximum speed is 425 km. h., three machine guns, bomb load 250 kg.
Thirsty for revenge, the Enterprise and Hornet teams assemble a group of aircraft to attack. The Americans no longer have torpedo bombers, but they have 41 dive bombers. To repel the attack «Hiryu» has only 6 «Zero» fighters that have been put into operation. The Americans are losing three planes, but getting four hits with 450-kilogram bombs. The survivability teams succumb to numerous fires in the holds. On the morning of June 5, the Japanese command gives the order to sink the heroic Hiryu. Japanese light aircraft carriers, artillery and transport ships do not take part in the battle. The main group of Japanese retreats. American planes, as far as possible in conditions of worsening weather, damage it. Losses
