Hornet could not operate its own air group while B-25s covered the flight deck, leaving Enterprise responsible for both carriers' air defense. A coordinated attack by several Japanese carriers could therefore have overwhelmed the available fighter defense. A force of two or three Kongo-class ships appearing at night with cruisers, destroyers, and long-range torpedoes presented another serious danger in early 1942. These possibilities expose the risks accepted during otherwise successful raids. The effect that losing one of these forces would have had on subsequent American operations remains an open counterfactual.
Notable Point · 2:04:44-2:07:27
What if Japanese fast battleships caught a raid force?
Hornet's obstructed flight deck left Enterprise defending both carriers, creating serious risks from a coordinated Japanese carrier attack or a night interception by Kongo-class ships.