What if the Taffy groups had prepared for ships?

How much damage could Taffy 3 have done if its aircraft were equipped for anti-ship attack?

With warning and coordination from all three Taffy groups, a prepared alpha strike could have inflicted much larger Japanese losses.

The historical carriers were caught in land-support posture and at unfavorable distance. If warned, all three groups could increase separation, arm for ships, and combine their aircraft in a coordinated strike likely to cause far heavier Japanese losses. Taffies 1 and 2 would have time to load proper anti-ship weapons while the groups maneuvered away from the Center Force. That outcome depends on advance intelligence and coordination because Taffy 3 alone did not have a ready fleet strike.