Ryūjō's practical 1942 air group

By August 1942 Ryūjō carried 24 A6M Zeros and nine B5N torpedo bombers. That fighter-heavy force could maintain combat air patrol while retaining a limited strike element, but its 33 aircraft fell well below the original headline figure of 48. Larger modern aircraft and Japan's shrinking pool of available machines both reduced what the ship could deploy. Disassembled or crated replacement aircraft did not contribute to immediate sorties. On that basis, a practical 1942 capacity near 36 aircraft is more credible than the nominal total. The distinction shows why carrier totals can exaggerate immediate sortie-generating power.