Shallow “glide bombing” often resulted in short hits and made the attacking aircraft more vulnerable. Second, high dive angles significantly enhanced bombing accuracy. Attacks by Japanese Zeros also were complicated by the high dive angles. Barrage fire (shooting at a predetermined spot) forced an aircraft to fly through the anti-aircraft (AA) fire, but because of the high dive angle, they quickly traversed the area. Guns on the carriers had to be elevated to high angles, making tracking and leading much more difficult. SBDs used a dive angle of about 70 degrees, virtually straight down, which provided two great advantages:įirst, with an angle that steep, it was difficult for Japanese gunners to score hits. Lieutenant Junior Grade Kleiss rose to the grade of Captain before retiring from the Navy. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions. He was the only dive-bomber pilot during the battle to score three direct hits on Japanese ships. He flew two more missions over the next two days, making a direct hit on the Mikuma. Later that day, Kleiss and 23 other SBDs attacked the Hiryu. His bomb struck the Kaga’s flight deck, starting major fires that led to its sinking. On the morning of June 4, 1942, he joined 31 other SBDs of Scouting Squadron 6 (VS-6) in one of several American attacks on the Japanese carriers. SBD pilot Norman “Dusty” Kleiss flew from the Enterprise. ![]() They were credited with sinking all four Japanese carriers and the Mikuma. ![]() Navy, Marine Corps and Army Air Forces planes were involved, but the carrier-based SBD Dauntless dive-bombers were the only American planes to score significant hits. lost 307 men, 1 aircraft carrier (Yorktown), 1 destroyer (Hammann), and 147 aircraft.Īmerican planes from Midway Atoll and three carriers (Enterprise and Hornet, in addition to Yorktown) attacked the Japanese carriers. Sources differ, but Gordon Prange’s “Miracle at Midway” says Japanese losses were about 2,500 casualties, 4 carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu), 1 heavy cruiser (Mikuma), and 332 aircraft. The Battle of Midway has been described as the turning point of World War II in the Pacific. SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber – A Pilot’s Perspective
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