My buddy Brian, is building a 1:48 scale model of Lcdr John S. "Jimmy" Thatch's F4F-4 "Wildcat" that he flew from USS Yorktown, during the Battle of Midway. Thatch was credited with developing the "Beam Defense" tactic, that enabled Navy pilots to mutually protect each others a**, while providing an opportunity to get some shots in at the enemy. During the battle, Thatch was able to shoot down two, Mitsubishi A6M2, Type 0, Model 21, Carrier Fighters, more commonly known as "Zekes" or "Zeros".
Why Lt. Tomanaga? I chose him, because he was one of Thatch's kills later in the day, 4 June 1942, and was also well documented.
Lt Tomonaga, Joichi, was the CO of the Air Group aboard the Japanese carrier, Hiryu. On the morning of 4 June 1942, Tomanaga led the morning strike against Midway. While much damage was done to the American base, it was not enough, and follow up strikes would be needed to knock down the American defenses. When Tomanaga radioed that Midway needed more airstrikes, he set in motion a chain of events, that would ultimately lead to the loss of the Japanese carriers and their defeat at Midway. His aircraft, also took hits from AAA fire, which damaged his wing, rupturing the fuel tanks.
After the first three Japanese carriers were hit, Tomanaga landed back aboard Hiryu, The only Japanese carrier still able to conduct air operations, and had his plane serviced and rearmed, and prepared to lead another strike against the Americans, who now had a carrier, or two, off Midway, to the northeast. A previous strike comprised of Aichi D3A1, Type 99 Carrier Bombers had departed previously. While they and their escort were savaged by the Yorktown's CAP, and AAA fire, Yorktown was hit by at least two bombs that left her burning and dead in the water. Superhuman efforts by Yorktown's damage control teams, got her fires out, and underway.
Tomanaga led his men and their escort, found Yorktown who he believed to be the second US carrier, and was directing the attack, when they were set upon by F4F-4 "Wildcats", of VF-3. Another wild melee ensued with several attackers being shot down. Others, including the brave Lt Tomanaga, managed to get through the fighter screen and press home their attack on USS Yorktown.
It was at this critical point in the battle, that Lcdr Thatch, saw Tomonaga making his attack run, and having height advantage, dove down on the Japanese and riddled the plane, causing her to catch fire. Thatch kept shooting, killing the gunner, and smashing the cockpit, but Tomanaga bore in for the attack. The fire in his wing began to spread to the fuel tanks, yet he bravely held his course, and managed to drop his torpedo at Yorktown, before Thatch put another burst into the stricken aircraft, causing it's port wing to fold up and the B5N2, Carrier Attack Plane, plunged into the sea, killing the Tomanaga and his crew: his torpedo missed. Two of his other pilots however, did score two hits, which ultimately knocked Yorktown out of the battle, and led to her eventual sinking at the hands of a Japanese submarine.
5 attached images. Click to enlarge.
