At the start of Pacific War, Kanoya Air Group was considered the most highly trained medium bomber unit in torpedo attacks. Therefore, its main body at Saigon was selected as the main torpedo attack unit for the attack on the newly arrived British naval Force Z, centered around the battleship and battlecruiser . The attack formation of 26 G4M bombers was led the unit's "Hikōtaichō" Lieutenant Commander Shichiso Miyauchi, who flew as an observer in the lead aircraft, piloted by "Buntaichō" Lieutenant Miyoshi Nabeta. By the time they arrived to the area off the south-east coast of Malay Peninsula, where the ship were heading back to Singapore, the Royal Navy ships had been already attacked by the older G3M bombers from Mihoro Air Group and Genzan Air Group. A high level attack by Mihoro's bombers hit "Repulse" with a single 250 kg bomb that caused a minor damage, while Genzan's bombers hit "Prince of Walse" with two torpedoes that hindered her steering ability. Kanoya's torpedo attack then hit "Repulse" with four torpedoes and finished off "Prince of Walse" with additional four torpedoes. The attack sank both battleships at the cost of two Kanoya's bombers.