Top 10 Biggest Air Battles in War History

The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot

The Battle of the Philippine Sea is the largest carrier battle in history, eclipsing even the Battle of Midway. Hoping to halt American advances in the Pacific by crippling the American carrier fleet, Japan assembled 11 carriers with around 450 aircraft to supplement approximately 300 land-based aircraft in the Mariana Islands. Facing off against them would be 15 American carriers with more than 950 aircraft. Those carriers were there to provide air support for American efforts to capture Saipan from the Japanese. Though slightly outnumbered, in theory the Japanese should have had a significant advantage. The American carriers were tied down defending the beachheads at Saipan, while the Japanese could strike when and where they wished. Unfortunately for Japanese ambitions, significant losses among their experienced pilots at Midway and the Coral Sea had robbed them of critical skills. When the two sides met on the 19th, American pilots were able to score five kills for every one the Japanese accomplished. The Japanese fleet was forced to withdraw with the loss of three carriers and 85% of its air strength, and they would never recover from the defeat.