Q&A · 10:17-13:35

Could the Royal Navy have stopped Yamato in Operation Ten-Go?

A comparison of British and American carrier strength against Yamato in the final Japanese sortie.

Question

If U.S. Task Force 58 were unavailable, could the Royal Navy force positioned for Operation Ten-Go have done better against Yamato?

Short answer

It would probably have achieved the same result: enough aircraft and carriers to overwhelm Yamato, even if British methods and aircraft mixes differed.

Notes

The answer argues that the Royal Navy would not need to outperform the U.S. Navy to defeat Yamato. Six fleet carriers and several light carriers would provide more than enough aircraft, many of them using the same Avenger torpedo bomber as American forces. Repeated strike cycles could overwhelm Yamato before she reached her objective even if British deck handling and aircraft mixes differed. Tribal-class destroyers might also press in for torpedo attacks once the carrier strikes had weakened her.