Warships of Japan: Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers of the Second World War

Japanese Aircraft Carriers of the Second World War

Heavy carriers

Fleet Carrier, Class, Type, Ships, Years in Service, Displacement

Akagi-class

(IJN Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi undergoing trials off Iyonada, 17 June 1927. Early in her career, she was fitted with three flight decks; the two lower decks were later plated over in a mid-1930s refit.

Akagi (Japanese: 赤城, "Red castle", named after Mount Akagi) was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Though she was laid down as an Amagi-class battlecruiser, Akagi was converted to an aircraft carrier while still under construction to comply with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. The ship was rebuilt from 1935 to 1938 with her original three flight decks consolidated into a single enlarged flight deck and an island superstructure. The second Japanese aircraft carrier to enter service, and the first large or "fleet" carrier, Akagi and the related Kaga figured prominently in the development of the IJN's new carrier striking force doctrine that grouped carriers together, concentrating their air power. This doctrine enabled Japan to attain its strategic goals during the early stages of the Pacific War from December 1941 until mid-1942.

Akagi's aircraft served in the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s. Upon the formation of the First Air Fleet or Kido Butai (Striking Force) in early 1941, she became its flagship, and remained so for the duration of her service. With other fleet carriers, she took part in the Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the invasion of Rabaul in the Southwest Pacific in January 1942. The following month, her aircraft bombed Darwin, Australia, and assisted in the conquest of the Dutch East Indies. In March and April 1942, Akagi's aircraft helped sink a British heavy cruiser and an Australian destroyer in the Indian Ocean Raid.

After a brief refit, Akagi and three other fleet carriers of the Kido Butai participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on the atoll, Akagi and the other carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. A single dive bomber from Enterprise severely damaged Akagi. When it became obvious she could not be saved, she was scuttled by Japanese destroyers to prevent her from falling into enemy hands. The loss of Akagi and three other IJN carriers at Midway was a crucial strategic defeat for Japan and contributed significantly to the Allies' ultimate victory in the Pacific. Her wreck was located in 2019 by the Research Vessel Petrel. (Wikipedia)

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi at Kobe, Japan sometime in 1930.

(IJN Photo, Kure Maritime Museum)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi in April, 1942 during the Indian Ocean Raid as seen from an aircraft that has just taken off from her deck. The aircraft on the flight deck preparing for takeoff are Aichi D3A Type 99 dive bombers, 1 April 1942.

(Official U.S. Navy Photo NH 73058 from the U.S. Navy Naval Heritage Command)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi in Sukumo Bay, southern Shikoku (Japan), on 27 April 1939, following her extensive 1935-38 modernization.

(U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation Photo No. NH 73059)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi, summer of 1941.

Aircraft carrier Akagi (1927–1942), 36,500 tonnes. Converted from an Amagi-class battlecruiser. Sunk at Midway on 5 June 1942.

(IJN Photo)

Aircraft prepare to launch from the Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi for the second wave of attacks on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 7 Dec 1941.

(IJN Photo)

A gun crew mans their weapon aboard the Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Akagi. This is a twin 120mm, 45-caliber Type 10 anti-aircraft gun position mounted on the port side of the carrier. Note that the position is mounted too low to enable it to fire across the flight deck. The photo was taken in November or December 1941 as the carrier headed towards Hawaii for the attack on Pearl Harbor.

(USAAF Photo)

The Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi and a destroyer (probably Nowaki) maneuvering below thin clouds while under high-level bombing attack by U.S. Army Air Forces Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress bombers, shortly after 0800 hrs, 4 June 1942. No aircraft are visible on her flight deck and her forward elevator is in the down position. Akagi launched fighters at 0808 hrs and 0832 hrs. The photo was probably shortly taken after the 0808 hrs launch.

Kaga-class

(Yamato Museum Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy Carrier Kaga, after her massive refitting. Its smokestack is directed downwards to extinguish the smoke with seawater.

Aircraft carrier Kaga (1928–1942), 38,200 tonnes. Converted from a Tosa-class battleship. Sunk at Midway on 4 June 1942.

Kaga (Japanese: 加賀, named after the ancient Kaga Province) was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Originally intended to be one of two Tosa-class battleships, Kaga was converted under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty to an aircraft carrier as the replacement for the battlecruiser Amagi, which had been irreparably damaged during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Kaga was rebuilt in 1933–1935, increasing her top speed, improving her exhaust systems, and adapting her flight decks to accommodate more modern, heavier aircraft.

The ship figured prominently in the development of the IJN's carrier striking force doctrine, which grouped carriers together to give greater mass and concentration to their air power. A revolutionary strategic concept at the time, the employment of the doctrine was crucial in enabling Japan to attain its initial strategic goals during the first six months of the Pacific War. Kaga's aircraft first supported Japanese troops in China during the Shanghai Incident of 1932 and participated in the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s. With other carriers, she took part in the Pearl Harbor raid in December 1941 and the invasion of Rabaul in the Southwest Pacific in January 1942. The following month her aircraft participated in a combined carrier airstrike on Darwin, Australia, and helping secure the conquest of the Dutch East Indies by Japanese forces. She missed the Indian Ocean raid in April as she had to return to Japan for repairs after hitting a reef in February.

Following repairs, Kaga rejoined the 1st Air Fleet for the Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on Midway Atoll, Kaga and three other IJN carriers were attacked by American aircraft from Midway and the carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. Dive bombers from Enterprise severely damaged Kaga; when it became obvious she could not be saved, she was scuttled by Japanese destroyers to prevent her from falling into enemy hands. The loss of Kaga and three other IJN carriers at Midway was a crucial setback for Japan, and contributed significantly to Japan's ultimate defeat. In 1999, debris from Kaga including a large section of her hull was located on the ocean floor northwest of Midway Island. In 2019, RV Petrel discovered her wreck on the ocean floor. (Wikipedia)

(IJN Photo)

IJN Kaga being fitted out in 1928. Note the long funnel below the flight deck and the three 8-inch guns in casemates.

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Kaga anchored off Ikari, Japan sometime in 1930.

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Kaga undergoes post-launch trials off of Tateyama, Japan.

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Kaga conducts air operations training. On the upper deck are Mitsubishi B1M Type 13 bomber aircraft and Nakajima A1N Type 3 fighters are on the lower deck.

(IJN Photo)

Lieutenant Ichiro Kitajima, group leader of the Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Kaga's Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 torpedo bomber group, briefs his flight crews about the Pearl Harbor raid which will take place the next day. A diagram of Pearl Harbor and the aircraft's attack plan is chalked on the deck.

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Kaga

Soryu-class

(IJN Photo)

Japanese Aircraft Carrier Soryu at anchor in the Kurile Islands, shortly before the start of the Pacific War.

Aircraft carrier Soryu (1937–1942). Soryu took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Wake Island, and supported the conquest of the Dutch East Indies. She was sunk at Midway on 4 June 1942.

Sōryū (Japanese: 蒼龍, meaning "Blue (or Green) Dragon") was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the mid-1930s. A sister ship, Hiryū, was intended to follow Sōryū, but Hiryū's design was heavily modified and she is often considered to be a separate class.[Note 1] Sōryū's aircraft were employed in operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s and supported the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in mid-1940. During the first months of the Pacific War, she took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Wake Island, and supported the conquest of the Dutch East Indies. In February 1942, her aircraft bombed Darwin, Australia, and she continued on to assist in the Dutch East Indies campaign. In April, Sōryū's aircraft helped sink two British heavy cruisers and several merchant ships during the Indian Ocean raid.

After a brief refit, Sōryū and three other carriers of the 1st Air Fleet (Kidō Butai) participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on Midway Atoll, the carriers were attacked by aircraft from the island and the carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. Dive bombers from Yorktown crippled Sōryū and set her afire. Japanese destroyers rescued the survivors but the ship could not be salvaged and was ordered to be scuttled so as to allow her attendant destroyers to be released for further operations. She sank with the loss of 711 officers and enlisted men of the 1,103 aboard. (Wikipedia)

(Photo from the Archives of the Kure Maritime Museum)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Soryu rushed on trials, Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture.

(USAAF Photo)

Aerial photograph of the Japanese aircraft carrier Sōryū and its circular wake during the Battle of Midway. The ship was circling as an evasion maneuver while under attack from United States Army Air Forces Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress bombers from Midway Island, shortly after 08:00h, 4 June 1942. This attack resulted in near misses, but no hits. The circular wake is approximately 1,160 meters (0.72 miles) in diameter.

Hiryū-class

‍

(U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph Donation of Kazutoshi Hando, 1970, Photo NH 73063)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Hiryū running her speed trials, 28 April 1939.

Hiryū (Japanese: 飛龍, meaning "Flying Dragon") was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1930s. Generally regarded as the only ship of her class, she was built to a modified Sōryū design. Her aircraft supported the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in mid-1940. She took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Wake Island. During the first few months of the Pacific War, the ship supported the conquest of the Dutch East Indies in January 1942. The following month, her aircraft bombed Darwin, Australia; and continued to assist in the Dutch East Indies campaign. In April, Hiryū's aircraft helped sink two British heavy cruisers and several merchant ships during the Indian Ocean Raid.

After a brief refit, Hiryū and three other fleet carriers of the First Air Fleet (Kido Butai) participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on the atoll, the carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the carriers USS Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. Dive bombers from Yorktown and Enterprise crippled Hiryū and set her afire. She was scuttled the following day after it became clear that she could not be salvaged. (Wikipedia)

(Photo from the Archives of the Kure Maritime Museum)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Hiryu in Yokosuka naval port.

Hiryū (1939–1942), 16,200 tonnes. Hiryū is often considered to be a separate class. Sunk at Midway on 5 June 1942.

(USAAF Photo)

The Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu maneuvers to avoid bombs dropped by USAAF Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress bombers during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.

The Battle of Midway

Concerned by the American carrier strikes in the Marshall Islands, Lae-Salamaua, and the Doolittle raids, Yamamoto was determined to force the U.S. Navy into a showdown to eliminate the American carrier threat. He decided to invade and occupy Midway Atoll, which he was sure would draw out the American carriers to defend it. The Japanese code-named the Midway invasion Operation MI. Unknown to the Japanese, the U.S. Navy had divined the Japanese plan by breaking its JN-25 code and had prepared an ambush using its three available carriers, positioned northeast of Midway.

On 25 May 1942, Hiryū set out with the Combined Fleet's carrier striking force in the company of Kaga, Akagi, and Sōryū, which constituted the First and Second Carrier Divisions, for the attack on Midway. Her aircraft complement consisted of 18 Zeros, 18 D3As, and 18 B5Ns. Also aboard were three A6Ms of the 6th Kōkūtai intended as the aerial garrison for Midway. With the fleet positioned 250 nmi (460 km; 290 mi) northwest of Midway at dawn (04:45 local time) on 4 June 1942, Hiryū's portion of the 108-plane airstrike was an attack on the facilities on Sand Island with 18 torpedo bombers, one of which aborted with mechanical problems, escorted by nine Zeros. The air group suffered heavily during the attack: Two B5Ns were shot down by fighters, with a third falling victim to antiaircraft fire. Heavy damage forced a fourth, flown by squadron leader Rokuro Kikuchi, to crash-land on Kure Atoll, where he and his crew were later discovered and killed by U.S. forces. A fifth B5N was forced to ditch on its return, and five more were damaged beyond repair. In addition, two Zeros were also deemed unserviceable, although none were lost.

The carrier also contributed three Zeros to the total of 11 assigned to the initial CAP over the four carriers. By 07:05, the carrier had six fighters with the CAP, which helped to defend the Kido Butai from the first U.S. attackers from Midway Island at 07:10. At this time, Nagumo's carriers were attacked by six U.S. Navy Grumman TBF Avengers and four USAAC Martin B-26 Marauders, all carrying torpedoes. The Avengers went after Hiryū while the Marauders attacked Akagi. The 30 CAP Zeros in the air at this time, including the six from Hiryū, immediately attacked the American airplanes, shooting down five of the Avengers and two of the B-26s. The Avengers shot down one of Hiryū's Zeros. The surviving aircraft dropped their torpedoes, but all missed.At 07:15, Nagumo ordered the B5Ns on Kaga and Akagi rearmed with bombs for another attack on Midway Island. This process was slowed by the number of ordnance carts used to handle the bombs and torpedoes and the limited number of ordnance elevators. This meant that the torpedoes could not be struck below until after all the bombs were moved up from their magazine, assembled and mounted on the aircraft. This process normally took about an hour and a half; more time would be required to bring the aircraft up to the flight deck, and to warm up and launch the strike group. Around 07:40, he reversed his order when he received a message from one of his scout aircraft that American warships had been spotted. Depleted of ammunition, two of Hiryū's CAP Zeros landed aboard the carrier at 07:40.

At 07:55, the next American strike from Midway arrived in the form of 16 Marine Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers of Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 241 (VMSB-241) under Major Lofton R. Henderson.[Note 3] Hiryū's three CAP fighters were among the nine still aloft that attacked Henderson's planes, shooting down six of them as they executed a fruitless glide bombing attack on Hiryū. In return, the gunner of one of the Dauntlesses shot down one of Hiryū's Zeros. At roughly the same time, the Japanese carriers were attacked by 12 USAAC B-17s, bombing from 20,000 feet (6,100 m). The high altitude of the B-17s gave the Japanese captains enough time to anticipate where the bombs would land, and they successfully maneuvered out of the impact area. Four B-17s attacked Hiryū, but missed with all their bombs.

Hiryū reinforced the CAP with launches of three more Zeros at 08:25. These fresh Zeros helped defeat the next American air strike from Midway, 11 Vought SB2U Vindicator dive bombers from VMSB-241, which attacked the battleship Haruna starting around 08:30. Haruna escaped damage and three of the Vindicators were shot down.[49] Although all the American air strikes had thus far caused negligible damage, they kept the Japanese carrier forces off-balance as Nagumo endeavored to prepare a response to news, received at 08:20, of the sighting of American carrier forces to his northeast.Hiryū began recovering her Midway strike force at around 09:00 and finished shortly by 09:10. The landed aircraft were quickly struck below, while the carriers' crews began preparations to spot aircraft for the strike against the American carrier forces. The preparations were interrupted at 09:18, when the first attacking American carrier aircraft were sighted. These consisted of 15 Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers of VT-8, led by Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron from the Hornet. They attempted a torpedo attack on Soryū, but all of the American planes were shot down by the 18 CAP fighters, leaving one surviving aviator treading water.

Shortly afterwards, 14 Devastators from Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6) from Enterprise, led by Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, attacked. Lindsey's aircraft tried to sandwich Kaga, but the CAP, reinforced by four additional Zeros launched by Hiryū at 09:37, shot down all but four of the Devastators, and Kaga dodged the torpedoes. Hiryū launched another trio of CAP Zeros at 10:13 after Torpedo Squadron 3 (VT-3) from Yorktown was spotted. Two of her Zeros were shot down by Wildcats escorting VT-3 and another was forced to ditch. While VT-3 was still attacking Hiryū, American dive bombers arrived over the Japanese carriers almost undetected and began their dives. It was at this time, around 10:20, that in the words of Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully, the "Japanese air defenses would finally and catastrophically fail." Three American dive bomber squadrons now attacked the three other carriers and set each of them on fire. Hiryū was untouched and proceeded to launch 18 D3As, escorted by six Zeros, at 10:54. En route, the Zeros engaged a group of Enterprise SBDs that they had spotted. They failed to shoot down any of the dive bombers, but two of the Zeros were shot up by the bombers' rear gunners, with one Zero forced to ditch near a destroyer on its return.

American radar detected the incoming Japanese dive bombers at 11:52 and vectored Yorktown's CAP of 20 Wildcats against them. The Wildcats shot down three of the remaining Zeros for the loss of one of their own and engaged the D3As. Only seven of the dive bombers survived long enough to make their attack on Yorktown and two of those were shot down by flak during their dive, but they made three direct hits and two near misses that badly damaged the carrier and set her on fire.

Confident that his men had sunk Yorktown, Yamaguchi launched a second wave of ten B5Ns (including one from Akagi), escorted by six Zeros (two from Kaga), at 13:30, with the instruction that they attack a separate carrier than that hit by the first wave. However, the Americans had managed to extinguish the fires on Yorktown by 14:00, and the carrier was making 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) by 14:30 when the second strike group approached. As a result, the strike pilots mistook her for one of her undamaged sisters, and launched the attack. At that moment, six Wildcats were on CAP duty, and four of these were vectored toward the attacking aircraft while the other two were retained to cover the takeoff of ten Wildcats fueling on deck. The Japanese were jumped at 14:38 by two Wildcats, which shot down one torpedo bomber before they were both shot down by the escorting Zeros (two Zeros were shot down later for the loss of one Wildcat). Four more B5Ns fell during the attack, but two of the survivors managed to score hits on Yorktown that damaged three boilers and knocked out all electrical power so that she could not pump fuel oil to starboard to counteract her six-degree list to port. Seventeen minutes later, after the list increased to 23 degrees, the crew was ordered to abandon ship.

Of the four Zeros and five B5Ns that returned to Hiryū, only two Zeros and three bombers were still airworthy.Yamaguchi radioed his intention to Nagumo at 16:30 to launch a third strike against the American carriers at dusk (approximately 18:00), but Nagumo ordered the fleet to withdraw to the west. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, Enterprise and Hornet had already launched airstrikes well before then. Enterprise launched a total of 26 Dauntlesses at 15:25 using her own aircraft plus those from Yorktown that had been forced to recover aboard her after Yorktown was damaged, and Hornet launched 16 more of her own Dauntlesses at 16:00. At this point in the battle, Hiryū had only four airworthy dive-bombers and five torpedo-planes left. She also retained 19 of her own fighters on board, as well as a further 13 Zeros on CAP (a composite force of survivors from the other carriers). At 16:45, Enterprise's dive bombers spotted the Japanese carrier and began to maneuver for good attacking position while reducing altitude. At 16:56, just as the first Dauntlesses were beginning their dives, Nagumo ordered a change in course to 120 degrees, possibly to prepare to recover his reconnaissance floatplanes, that threw off the aim of the leading SBDs.

The Japanese did not even spot the Americans until 17:01. The CAP shot down two of the American aircraft in their dives and another after it was forced to abort its dive when some of Yorktown's SBDs passed in front of it, starting their own dives. Hiryū was struck by four 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs, three on the forward flight deck and one on the forward elevator. The explosions started fires among the aircraft on the hangar deck. The forward half of the flight deck collapsed into the hangar while part of the elevator was hurled against the ship's bridge. The fires were severe enough that the remaining American aircraft attacked the other ships escorting Hiryū, albeit without effect, deeming further attacks on the carrier as a waste of time, because she was aflame from stem to stern. Beginning at 17:42, two groups of B-17s attempted to attack the Japanese ships without success, although one bomber strafed Hiryū's flight deck, killing several anti-aircraft gunners.

Although Hiryū's propulsion was not affected, the fires could not be brought under control. At 21:23, her engines stopped, and at 23:58 a major explosion rocked the ship. The order to abandon ship was given at 03:15, and the survivors were taken off by the destroyers Kazagumo and Makigumo. Yamaguchi and Kaku decided to remain on board as Hiryū was torpedoed at 05:10 by Makigumo as the ship could not be salvaged. One torpedo missed and the other struck near the bow without the typical plume of water, although the detonation was quite visible. Around 07:00, one of Hōshō's Yokosuka B4Y aircraft discovered Hiryū still afloat and not in any visible danger of sinking. The aviators could also see crewmen aboard the carrier, men who had not received word to abandon ship. They finally launched some of the carrier's boats and abandoned ship around 09:00. Thirty-nine men made it into the ship's cutter only moments before Hiryū sank around 09:12, taking the bodies of 389 men with her. The cutter drifted for 14 days before being discovered by a PBY Catalina and rescued by the seaplane tender USS Ballard. Four men died of their wounds or exposure before being picked up and a fifth died that night.

The loss of Hiryū and the three other IJN carriers at Midway, comprising two thirds of Japan's total number of fleet carriers and the experienced core of the First Air Fleet, was a strategic defeat for Japan and contributed significantly to Japan's ultimate defeat in the war. In an effort to conceal the defeat, the ship was not immediately removed from the Navy's registry of ships, instead being listed as "unmanned" before finally being struck from the registry on 25 September 1942.The IJN selected a modified version of the Hiryū design for mass production to replace the carriers lost at Midway. Of a planned program of 16 ships of the Unryū class, only six were laid down and three were commissioned before the end of the war. (Wikipedia)

(USN Photo)

USS Yorktown (CV-5) is hit on the port side, amidships, by a Japanese Type 91 aerial torpedo during the mid-afternoon attack by planes from the carrier Hiryu, in the Battle of Midway, on 4 June, 1942. Yorktown is heeling to port and is seen at a different aspect than in other views taken by USS Pensacola (CA-24), indicating that this is the second of the two torpedo hits she received. Note very heavy anti-aircraft fire.

(IJN Photo)

The burning Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, photographed by a Yokosuka B4Y aircraft from the carrier Hosho shortly after sunrise on 5 June 1942. Hiryu sank a few hours later. Note collapsed flight deck at right. Part of the forward elevator is standing upright just in front of the island, where it had been thrown by an explosion in the hangar.

Shokaku-class

(Hiroshima Prefecture Yamato Museum Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Shokaku (Japanese Aircraft Carrier, 1941-1944) At Yokosuka, 23 August 1941, shortly after she was completed.

Shōkaku (Japanese: 翔鶴, meaning "Soaring Crane") was the lead ship of her class of two aircraft carriers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) shortly before the Pacific War. Along with her sister ship Zuikaku, she took part in several key naval battles during the war, including the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, before being torpedoed and sunk by the U.S. submarine USS Cavalla at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. (Wikipedia)

(USN Photo)

Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku under dive bombing attacks by USS Yorktown (CV-5) planes, during the morning of 8 May 1942. Flames are visible from a bomb hit on her forecastle.

(IJN Photo)

Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighters onboard IJN aircraft carrier Zuikaku, 1942.

(IJN Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Zuikaku, November 1941.

Zuikaku (1941–1944, )25,675 tonnes. With the exception of the Battle of Midway, Shokaku and Zuikaku participated in every major naval action of the Pacific War, including the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Indian Ocean Raid, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Guadalcanal Campaign. Both carriers were sunk during the 1944 Pacific campaigns.

Zuikaku (Japanese: 瑞鶴, meaning "Auspicious Crane") was the second and last Shōkaku-class aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) shortly before the beginning of the Pacific War. Zuikaku was one of the most capable Japanese aircraft carriers of the entire war.Her aircraft took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor that formally brought the United States into the war, destroying numerous land positions, and saw heavy and successful action throughout numerous battles during the Pacific War, starting with numerous assaults on allied land positions, and her participation in the Indian Ocean raid, where her dive bombers sank or helped to sink several major British warships. Zuikaku's torpedo bombers inflicted the fatal damage to the aircraft carrier USS Lexington at the battle of the Coral Sea, before she fought US carriers at the battle of the Eastern Solomons, and helped to sink the aircraft carrier USS Hornet at the battle of Santa Cruz. She was damaged by carrier attacks during the battle of the Philippine Sea, before being sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Throughout her career, Zuikaku sank or helped to sink at least twelve ships, including the fleet carriers Lexington and Hornet, the light carriers HMS Hermes and USS Princeton, the cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire, the destroyers USS Sims, USS Meredith, and HMS Tenedos, the submarine USS Grayback, the oil tanker USS Neosho, and the cargo ship SS Sagaing.Zuikaku was one of six carriers to participate in the Pearl Harbor attack and was the last of the six to be sunk in the war (Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, and Sōryū in the Battle of Midway; Shōkaku in the Battle of the Philippine Sea; and Zuikaku in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.) (Wikipedia)

(IJN Photo)

A Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 carrier attack aircraft equipped with a torpedo takes off from the Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Zuikaku on May 8, 1942 to attack United States Navy carrier forces during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

(USN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Zuikaku with Akizuki-class destroyer Wakatsuki underway during U.S. carrier plane attacks at about 1330 hrs. on 25 October 1944 during the Battle off Cape Engaño. The light carrier Zuiho is in the right distance.

Unryu-class

(Yamato Museum Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Unryu leaving Yokosuka, 16 July 1944.

Aircraft carriers Unryu (1944–1944), Amagi (1944–1945), Katsuragi (1944–1945), 17,480 tonnes. The design for these ships was based on the aircraft carrier Hiryu. The IJN planned to build 16 ships, however only 3 were completed and 2 almost completed (one of which was sunk as a target then salvaged and later scrapped) before the project was abandoned in favour of Shinano's construction. Unryū was sunk by the USS Redfish, Amagi capsized after air attacks and Katsuragi was the only heavy carrier to survive the war.

(IJN Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Amagi, 1944. Amagi (天城) was an Unryū-class aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War. Named after Mount Amagi, and completed late in the war, she never embarked her complement of aircraft and spent the war in Japanese waters. The ship capsized in July 1945 after being hit multiple times during airstrikes by American carrier aircraft while moored at Kure Naval Base. Amagi was refloated in 1946 and scrapped later that year. (Wikipedia)

(USN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Amagi, capsized after U.S. navy air raid, Kure, Japan, 1946

(IJN Photo)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Katsuragi. Katsuragi (葛城) was the third and final Unryū-class aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy built during the Second World War. Named after Mount Katsuragi, in Nara Prefecture, and completed late in the war; she never embarked her complement of aircraft and spent the war in Japanese waters. The ship was badly damaged in a July 1945 airstrike by American carrier aircraft on Kure Naval Base. Repaired after the end of the war, Katsuragi was then used as a repatriation transport for a number of months, bringing Japanese soldiers and civilians back to Japan from overseas locations. She was scrapped in Japan beginning in late 1946. (Wikipedia)

Katsuragi's keel was laid down by the Kure Naval Arsenal in Kure, Hiroshima, on 8 December 1942. She was launched on 19 January 1944 and completed on 15 October 1944. The ship was transferred among a number of ports on the Inland Sea until she arrived in Kure on 15 February 1945 and she was ordered to be camouflaged. Her flight deck was disguised with fake trees, houses and roads; however, her anti-aircraft batteries remained fully manned. Her intended air group, Air Group 601, was committed to the Battle of Iwo Jima about that same time. On 19 March, the ship was attacked by aircraft from Task Force 58 and lightly damaged by several rocket hits; one man was killed and three wounded in the attack. Five days later, the ship was semi-permanently moored at the island of Mitsukojima in Kure harbor and extensively camouflaged. On 20 April, Captain Toshio Miyazaki was appointed commanding officer of Katsuragi.

Aircraft from USN Task Force 38 attacked the ship on 24 July as part of a major raid on Kure and the Inland Sea, but she was only hit once. A 500-pound (230 kg) bomb struck one of the ship's anti-aircraft mounts on the port side. Thirteen men were killed and five wounded, but the bomb did little other damage. A second raid on 28 July did far more damage to the ship as a 2,000-pound (910 kg) bomb penetrated the flight deck and detonated in the upper hangar, between the elevators. The explosion blew out a 20-foot (6.1 m) section of the port hangar wall and the walls of the upper hangar deck were bulged and perforated multiple times. The flight deck between the elevators was bulged up and buckled; one section of the flight deck was blown out and flung over to starboard to land across the funnels. Only 13 men were killed (including her executive officer) and another 12 men were wounded during the attack.

(USN Photo)

A Japanese aircraft carrier under intense bombing attack by US Navy carrier planes, in the inland sea, 19 March 1945. A submarine is underway at left. Note bomb falling in center. Carrier is probably Amagi or Katsuragi. Photographed from a USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) plane. Note camouflage paint on the carrier's flight deck.

Katsuragi survived the war without sustaining any further damage, and was designated as a Special Transfer Ship on 2 October and then assigned to repatriation duty on 13 October after the necessary repairs were made. Her crew at this time consisted only of 12 officers, one warrant officer, and 40 petty officers and crewmen, with Captain Miyazaki still in command. The damage from the July attack was only repaired enough to allow the hangar deck to house some 5,000 returning soldiers and civilians and the ship began her first voyage outside Japanese waters on 19 December. On this first voyage, she called upon Minamidaitojima, Rabaul and Australia. Upon her return, further repairs were necessary to make her rain-tight. These were completed by 15 January 1946 and she made a number of trips in early 1946 to bring back Japanese nationals. before being placed on standby in April.. Katsuragi was stricken from the Navy List on 15 November and transferred to the Home Ministry for disposal five days later. Scrapping of the ship began on 22 December 1946 at the Hitachi Zosen facility in Osaka-Sakurajima and was completed on 30 November 1947. (Wikipedia)

(USN Photo)

USS Essex (CV-9) planes attack two Japanese aircraft carriers at Kure, 19 March 1945. A Curtiss SB2C Helldiver scout bomber is visible in the upper right, painted in Essex markings. The aircraft carrier at bottom is either Amagi or Katsuragi. The other carrier is Kaiyo.

(U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo, 80-G-485841)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Kasagi, 84% complete, November, 1945. Sasebo, Japan

Taiho-class

(IJN Photo)

IJMS Taiho anchored in Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines, May 1944.

Aircraft carrier Taiho (1944–1944), 30,250 tonnes. Taihō (大鳳, "Great Phoenix") was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War. Possessing heavy belt armour and featuring an armored flight deck (a first for any Japanese aircraft carrier), she represented a major departure from prior Japanese aircraft carrier design and was expected to not only survive multiple bomb, torpedo, or shell hits, but also continue fighting effectively afterwards.Built by Kawasaki at Kobe, she was laid down on 10 July 1941, launched almost two years later on 7 April 1943 and finally commissioned on 7 March 1944. She sank on 19 June 1944 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea due to explosions resulting from design flaws and poor damage control after suffering a single torpedo hit from the American submarine USS Albacore. (Wikipedia)

Shinano-class

(Collection of Kure Maritime History Science Museum, Photo)

Japanese aircraft carrier Shinano underway during her sea trials, 11 November 1944.

Aircraft carrier Shinano (1944–1944), 65,800 tonnes. Initially laid down as the third of the Yamato-class battleships, Shinano was converted into an aircraft carrier due to the Japanese defeat at Midway. She was sunk on 29 November 1944, by torpedoes from USS Archerfish.

Shinano (Japanese: 信濃, named after the ancient Shinano Province) was an aircraft carrier built by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II, the largest such built up to that time. Laid down in May 1940 as the third of the Yamato-class battleships, Shinano's partially complete hull was ordered to be converted to an aircraft carrier following Japan's disastrous loss of four of its original six fleet carriers at the Battle of Midway in mid-1942. The advanced state of her construction prevented her conversion into a fleet carrier, so the IJN decided to convert her into a carrier that supported other carriers.

Her conversion was still not finished in November 1944 when she was ordered to sail from the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal to Kure Naval Base to complete fitting out and transfer a load of 50 Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka rocket-propelled kamikaze flying bombs. She was sunk en route, 10 days after commissioning, on 29 November 1944, by four torpedoes from the U.S. Navy submarine Archerfish. Over a thousand sailors and civilians were rescued and 1,435 were lost, including her captain. She remains the largest ship ever sunk by a submarine. (Wikipedia)

Light Aircraft Carriers

Hosho-class

(Kure Maritime Museum Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Hōshō conducts tests in Tokyo Bay in December 1922.

Hōshō participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942 in a secondary role. After the battle, the carrier resumed her training role in Japanese home waters for the duration of the conflict and survived the war with only minor damage from air attacks. She was surrendered to the Allies at the end of the war and used to repatriate Japanese troops until she was scrapped in 1946. (Wikipedia)

Light aircraft carrier Hosho (1922–1945), 7,470 tonnes. This was the first purpose-built carrier in the world. It was scrapped in 1946.

Ryujo-class

(Photo from the Archives of the Kure Maritime Museum)

The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Ryūjō underway on 6 September 1934.

Ryujo (1931–1942), 8,000 tonnes. Sunk in 1942. Ryūjō (Japanese: 龍驤 "Prancing Dragon") was a light aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the early 1930s. Small and lightly built in an attempt to exploit a loophole in the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, she proved to be top-heavy and only marginally stable and was back in the shipyard for modifications to address those issues within a year of completion. With her stability improved, Ryūjō returned to service and was employed in operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War. During World War II, she provided air support for operations in the Philippines, Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies, where her aircraft participated in the Second Battle of the Java Sea. During the Indian Ocean raid in April 1942, the carrier attacked British merchant shipping with her guns and aircraft. Ryūjō next participated in the Battle of Dutch Harbor, the opening battle of the Aleutian Islands campaign, in June 1942. She was sunk by American carrier aircraft in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August 1942. (Wikipedia)

Battle of the Eastern Solomons

The American landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi on 7 August caught the Japanese by surprise. The next day, Ryūjō was transferred to Carrier Division 1 and departed for Truk on 16 August together with the other two carriers of the division, Shōkaku and Zuikaku. Her air group consisted of 24 Zeros and nine B5N2s.[22] Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, ordered Truk to be bypassed and the fleet refueled at sea after an American carrier was spotted near the Solomon Islands on 21 August.[23] At 01:45 on 24 August, Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo, commander of the Mobile Force, ordered Ryūjō and the heavy cruiser Tone, escorted by two destroyers, detached to move in advance of the troop convoy bound for Guadalcanal and to attack the Allied air base at Henderson Field if no carriers were spotted. This Detached Force was commanded by Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara in Tone.

Ryūjō launched two small airstrikes, totaling 6 B5Ns and 15 Zeros, beginning at 12:20 once the Diversionary Force was 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) north of Lunga Point. Four Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters from Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-223 on combat air patrol (CAP) near Henderson Field spotted the incoming Japanese aircraft around 14:20 and alerted the defenders. Ten more Wildcats from VMF-223 and VMF-212 scrambled, as well as 2 United States Army Air Corps Bell P-400s from the 67th Fighter Squadron in response. Nine of the Zeros strafed the airfield while the B5Ns bombed it with 60-kilogram (132 lb) bombs to little effect. The Americans claimed to have shot down 19 aircraft, but only three Zeros and three B5Ns were lost, with another B5N forced to crash-land. Only three Wildcats were shot down in turn.

Around 14:40, the Detached Force was spotted again by several search aircraft from the carrier USS Enterprise; the Japanese ships did not immediately spot the Americans. They launched three Zeros for a combat air patrol at 14:55, three minutes before two of the searching Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers narrowly missed Ryūjō 150 meters (164 yd) astern with four 500-pound (227 kg) bombs. Two more Zeros reinforced the patrol shortly after 15:00, just in time to intercept two more searching Avengers, shooting down one. In the meantime, the carrier USS Saratoga had launched an airstrike against the Detached Force in the early afternoon that consisted of 31 Douglas SBD Dauntlesses and eight Avengers; the long range precluded fighter escort. They found the carrier shortly afterward and attacked. They hit Ryūjō three times with 1,000-pound (454 kg) bombs and one torpedo; the torpedo hit flooded the starboard engine and boiler rooms. No aircraft from either Ryūjō or Saratoga were shot down in the attack.

The bomb hits set the carrier on fire and she took on a list from the flooding caused by the torpedo hit. Ryūjō turned north at 14:08, but her list continued to increase even after the fires were put out. The progressive flooding disabled her machinery and caused her to stop at 14:20. The order to abandon ship was given at 15:15 and the destroyer Amatsukaze moved alongside to rescue the crew. The ships were bombed several times by multiple B-17s without effect before Ryūjō capsized about 17:55 at coordinates 06°10′S 160°50′E with the loss of seven officers and 113 crewmen. Fourteen aircraft that she had dispatched on raids returned shortly after Ryūjō sank and circled over the force until they were forced to ditch. Seven pilots were rescued. (Wikipedia)

Hiyo-class

(U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo, 80-G-701429)

IJN Junyo, in Ebisu Bay, Sasebo, 25 September 1945.

(AGC-7, 80-G-352473)

IJN Junyo, in Ebisu Bay, Sasebo, 25 September 1945.

Light aircraft carriers Hiyo (1942–1944), and Jun'yo (1942–1946), 24,150 tonnes. Converted from an ocean liner in 1939. Hiyō was sunk and Jun'yō was scrapped 1946–1947.

Zuiho-class

Japanese aircraft carrier Zuihō at Yokosuka, Japan, on 28 December 1940.

(IJN Photo)

Japanese aircraft carrier Zuihō at Yokosuka, Japan, on 28 December 1940.

Light aircraft carrier Zuiho

(1940–1944), sunk during the war.

(IJN Photo)

Japanese aircraft carrier Shōhō, 20 December 1941.

Shoho (1939–1942), 11,443 tonnes. Shōhō was the first Japanese aircraft carrier lost during the Second World War.

Chithose-class

(IJN Photo)

Japanese aircraft carrier Chitose.

Light aircraft carrier Chitose (1938/1944–1944), Chiyoda (1938/1944–1944), 11,200 tonnes. Both ships were seaplane tenders before their conversion in 1943. Both ships were sunk in 1944.

Ryuho-class

(IJN Photo)

Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūhō, 1942.

Light aircraft carrier Ryuho (1934/1942–1945), 16,700 tonnes. Converted from the submarine tender Taigei 1941–1942. Recommissioned as Ryūhō 1942. Scrapped 1946.

Escort Carrier Taiyo-class

Escort carrier Taiyo (1941–44), Chuyo (1942–43), Unyo (1942–44), 17,830 tonnes. All were sunk during the war.

(IJN Photo)

Escort carrier Taiyo (1941–44)

(IJN Photo)

Chuyo (1942–43).

(IJN Photo)

The escort carrier Un'yō steaming astern on Feb 4 or Feb 5 1944 after losing her bow in the stormy seas off Tateyama.

Kaiyo-class

Escort carrier Kaiyo (1943–1945), 13,600 tonnes. Converted from ocean liner Argentina Maru. Scrapped in 1946.

Shin'yo-class

(IJN Photo)

Escort carrier Shin'yo (1943–1944), 17,500 tonnes.

Akitsu Maru-class

(IJN Photo)

Escort carriers Akitsu Maru (1942–1944), and Nigitsu Maru (1942–1944), 11,800 tonnes. Operated by the Imperial Japanese Army. These were the worlds' first Amphibious Assault ships.

Shimane Maru-class

(IJN Photo)

Escort carrier Shimane Maru (1945–1945), 11,989 tonnes.

Yamashio Maru-class

(IJN Photo)

Escort carrier Yamashio Maru (1945–1945)16,119 tonnes.

Kumano Maru-class

(IJN Photo)

Escort carrier Kumano Maru (1945–1945), 8,258 tonnes. Operated by Imperial Japanese Army.

Seaplane Tender Nisshin-class

Seaplane tender Nisshin (1942–1943), 11,499 tonnes. Also a midget submarine carrier and minelayer. Nisshin was built at Kure Naval Arsenal as part of the (1937), she was originally planned as a minelayer but ultimately converted to a hybrid seaplane carrier/minelayer design, albeit the optional 700 mines reduced her seaplane complement from 20 to 12. Her seaplane operations were also hindered by the reduced number of catapults, 2 instead of 4 like in the Chitose class and Mizuho. Her armament was downgraded to three 14 cm/50 double mounts, but her diesel propulsion system was greatly enhanced compared to Mizuho, giving her more than twice the horse powers and allowing for a maximum speed of 28 knots. While she was launched in 1939 it took three more years before her formal completion because it was decided to modify her in order to carry 12 Type A midget submarines, like in the case of the mines this configuration halved her seaplane complement.Nisshin fst combat deployment was the Battle of Midway, where she was supposed to deploy her Type A midget submarines, together with Chiyoda, in order to reinforce the landing forces, but this never came to be. From 3 October 1942 she started doing runs, her high speed, large range and cranes capable of unloading heavy equipment like artillery pieces and tanks made her very valuable for this kind of missions (her half-sister Chitose was also part of the Tokyo Express for the same reasons). It was during one of such runs that Nisshin was sunk by American aircrafts in the Bougainville Strait on 22 July 1943; she was transporting troops, tanks, artillery pieces, food and fuel for the troops fighting the Americans at Buin (Shortland islands) but her anchorage position was discovered by the Americans thanks to decrypted communications and an elaborately planned ambush was prepared for her. The first attack by B-17 (13:45) was successfully evaded with Nisshin reaching up to 34 knots during her manoeuvring, but the second wave (13:53) of dive bombers managed to hit her three times, on her second turret, on the forward end of the aircraft deck starting a fire and most importantly inside her hangar deck that was opened at the time in preparation of off-loading operations. As result of these hits her electric power was cut, speed more than halved and her rudder was jammed, still some countermeasures were taken in time and the rudder was recovered. Just after some more minutes the third wave of American aircrafts hit her again twice (13:59) striking the port sides amidships, tearing a large hole in the deck and blowing through the bottom. Nisshin kept moving but she started listing visibly to starboard and settling rapidly by the bow, one last 6th bomb hit her starboard side amidships and accelerated her listing. Nisshin's gunners showed remarkable courage, manning their guns to the very end, until they were washed away from their positions. At 14:05 Nisshin disappeared under the sea, Captain Ito, his XO Tanaka Eichu and Chief Engineer Cdr. Terada Torao went down with her, only seven officers and eighty men of her crew escaped and despite the best efforts of Nisshin's crew just 91 soldiers out of 630 on board survived, in total 1085 lives were lost; her accompanying destroyers already loaded with evacuated soldiers couldn't spare more than two hours in search of survivors. (Wikipedia)

Kamikawa Maru-class

Seaplane tenders Kamikawa Maru (1937–1943), Kiyokawa Maru (1941–1946), (1937–1944), Kunikawa Maru (1937–1945), 6,862 tonnes. Hirokawa Maru of the same class was converted to an auxiliary (anti-aircraft) cruiser instead of seaplane tender when it was impressed for Navy service.

(IJN Photos)

Kamikawa Maru (1937–1943).

(IJN Photo)

Kiyokawa Maru (1941–1946).

Akitshushima-class

(IJN Photo)

Seaplane tender Akitsushima (1942–1944), 4,725 tonnes.

Kamoi-class

(IJN Photo)

Seaplane tender Kamoi (1922-1947), 17,273 tonnes.

Notoro-class

(IJN Photo)

Seaplane tender Notoro (1934-1947)15,647 tonnes. Of 7 oilers in class, Notoro was converted to seaplane tender and Shiretoko to munition ship.

Mizuho-class

Seaplane tender Mizuho (1939-1942), 10,930 tonnes. Also served as a midget submarine carrier. The American submarine USS Drum torpedoed Mizuho at 23:03 hours on 1 May 1942 40 nautical miles (74 kilometres) off Omaezaki, Japan. She capsized and sank at 04:16 hours on 2 May 1942 with the loss of 101 lives. There were 472 survivors, of which 31 were wounded.