The carriers' prewar service shows that Japanese naval air groups were not inseparable from their flight decks. Sōryū supported operations from Hainan and the blockade of southern China, while Hiryū's air group was sent south for operations connected with French Indochina. The carrier functioned as one air base among several while remaining the main organizational framework for the unit. That flexibility let the navy shift aviation strength ashore without dissolving the carrier-based structure. This practice adds an institutional dimension to the ships' history before they were paired in the Second Carrier Division.
Notable Point · 53:01-55:24
Carrier air groups operate as mobile shore forces
Sōryū and Hiryū supported operations around Hainan, French Indochina, and China by sending air groups ashore while the carrier remained their organizational home.