Japanese Aircraft Carrier Specifications
Editor's Note: The following content is a transcription of a period document or a collection of period statistics. It may be incomplete, inaccurate, or biased. The reader may not wish to take the content as factual.
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Commission Date | Standard Displacement (tons) | Length (feet) | Speed (knots) | Range (nautical miles) | Crew | Operational Aircraft | Reserve Aircraft | Sunk By | |
SPECIFICATION RANGES FOR EACH CARRIER TYPE | |||||||||
Fleet Carriers-Low | 15,900 | 718 | 26 | 7,750 | 1,103 | 48 | 0 | ||
Fleet Carriers-High | 64,800 | 873 | 34 | 10,000 | 2,400 | 75 | 18 | ||
Light Carriers-Low | 7,470 | 551 | 25 | 8,000 | 550 | 21 | 0 | ||
Light Carriers-High | 13,360 | 712 | 29 | 11,810 | 1,500 | 48 | 0 | ||
Escort Carriers-Low | 13,600 | 546 | 21 | 7,000 | 587 | 23 | 0 | ||
Escort Carriers-High | 17,830 | 651 | 23 | 8,500 | 948 | 30 | 6 | ||
SPECIFICATIONS FOR EACH CARRIER | |||||||||
Fleet Carriers | |||||||||
Akagi | 25-May-27 | 36,500 | 855 | 31 | 8,200 | 1,630 | 66 | 15 | 1 bomb |
Kaga | 30-Nov-29 | 38,200 | 812 | 28 | 10,000 | 1,708 | 72 | 18 | 4 bombs |
Soryu | 29-Sep-37 | 15,900 | 746 | 34 | 7,750 | 1,103 | 63 | 8 | 3 bombs |
Hiryu | 05-Jul-39 | 17,300 | 746 | 34 | 10,330 | 1,103 | 57 | 16 | 4 bombs |
Shokaku (Syokaku) | 08-Aug-41 | 26,675 | 845 | 34 | 9,700 | 1,660 | 72 | 12 | 4 torpedoes |
Zuikaku | 25-Sep-41 | 29,800 | 845 | 34 | 6,588 | 1,660 | 72 | 12 | 9 bombs+7 torpedoes |
Junyo (Hayataka) | 03-May-42 | 24,100 | 718 | 25.5 | 10,000 | 1,224 | 48 | 5 | -- |
Hiyo (Hitaka, Haytaka, Hijo) | 31-Jul-42 | 26,949 | 718 | 25.5 | 10,000 | 1,224 | 48 | 5 | 2 torpedoes |
Taiho | 07-Mar-44 | 29,300 | 855 | 33 | 10,000 | 1,751 | 75 | 0 | 1 sub. torpedo |
Unryu (Unrju) | 06-Aug-44 | 17,150 | 742 | 34 | 8,000 | 1,595 | 57 | 6 | 2 sub. torpedoes |
Amagi | 10-Aug-44 | 17,460 | 742 | 34 | 9,700 | 1,595 | 57 | 6 | many bombs |
Katsuragi | 15-Oct-44 | 17,260 | 742 | 33 | 9,700 | 1,595 | 57 | 6 | -- |
Shinano | 19-Nov-44 | 64,800 | 873 | 27 | 10,000 | 2,400 | 47 | 0 | 4 sub. torpedoes |
Light Carriers | |||||||||
Hosho (Hosyo) | 27-Dec-22 | 7,470 | 551 | 25 | 8,680 | 550 | 21 | 0 | -- |
Ryujo (Ryuzyo, Rjudzo) | 09-May-33 | 12,732 | 590 | 29 | 10,000 | 924 | 48 | 0 | 4 bombs+1 torpedoes |
Zuiho | 27-Dec-40 | 11,262 | 712 | 28 | 9,236 | 785 | 30 | 0 | many bombs+2 torpedoes |
Shoho | 30-Nov-41 | 11,262 | 674 | 28 | 9,236 | 785 | 30 | 0 | 13 bombs+7 torpedoes |
Ryuho (Rjuho) | 28-Nov-42 | 13,360 | 707 | 26 | 8,000 | 989 | 30 | 0 | -- |
Chitose | 01-Nov-43 | 11,190 | 631 | 29 | 11,000 | 1,500 | 30 | 0 | 3 torpedoes |
Chiyoda | 21-Dec-43 | 11,190 | 631 | 29 | 11,810 | 1,500 | 30 | 0 | 4 bombs + gunfire |
Escort Carriers | |||||||||
Taiyo (Toiyo, Utaka, Taijo) | 15-Sep-41 | 17,830 | 591 | 21 | 8,500 | 850 | 23 | 4 | 1 sub. torpedoes |
Unyo (Un'yo, Otaka) | 31-May-42 | 17,830 | 649 | 21 | 8,500 | 850 | 30 | 0 | 1 sub. torpedoes |
Chuyo | 25-Nov-42 | 17,830 | 591 | 21 | 8,500 | 850 | 30 | 0 | 2 sub. Torpedoes |
Shinyo (Jinyo, Shingo) | 15-Nov-43 | 17,500 | 651 | 22 | 8,000 | 948 | 27 | 6 | 4 sub. Torpedoes |
Kaiyo | 23-Nov-43 | 13,600 | 546 | 23 | 7,000 | 587 | 24 | 0 | bombs |
Notes
"Commission Date" is the date the ship was first commissioned as an aircraft carrier.
"Standard Displacement" is the weight of the ship with full load of stores and ammunition, but with no fuel, lubricating oil, or reserve feed water. (See Stille, p. 61)
"Operational Aircraft" is the number that could be launched for attacks or Combat Air Patrol. It excludes spares and cargo aircraft. (See Parshall and Tully, p. 478)
Various specifications changed over time. Values shown here are typically for the 1942 to 1944 timeframe. ww2dbase
Source(s):
Mark Stille (2013), The Imperial Japanese Navy
Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully (2005), Shattered Sword
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Imperial Japanese Navy Page
Naval War In The Pacific, 1941-1945
Royal and Dominion Navy Warships
Wikipedia
Added By:
Bob Bryant
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