Aircraft carrier Akagi shortly after leaving Port Stirling, Celebes for the Indian Ocean, 26 Mar 1942; note B5N torpedo bombers on flight deck

Caption     Aircraft carrier Akagi shortly after leaving Port Stirling, Celebes for the Indian Ocean, 26 Mar 1942; note B5N torpedo bombers on flight deck ww2dbase
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseMaritime History and Science Museum, Kure, Japan via Wikimedia Commons
Link to Source    Link
More on...   
B5N   Main article  Photos  
Raids into the Indian Ocean   Main article  Photos  Maps  
Akagi   Main article  Photos  
Soryu   Main article  Photos  
Hiryu   Main article  Photos  
Shokaku   Main article  Photos  Maps  
Zuikaku   Main article  Photos  Maps  
Kongo   Main article  Photos  
Hiei   Main article  Photos  
Kirishima   Main article  Photos  Maps  
Haruna   Main article  Photos  
Photo Size 3,510 x 2,408 pixels
Photos on Same Day 26 Mar 1942
Added By C. Peter Chen
Licensing  This work originating in Japan is in the public domain. According to Article 23 of the 1899 Copyright Act of Japan and Article 2 of Supplemental Provisions of Copyright Act of 1970, a work is in the public domain if it was created or published before 1 Jan 1957.

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed C. Peter Chen says:
7 Mar 2009 07:55:59 AM

Note carriers and battleships in background; they are, from left to right: Soryu, Hiryu, Hiei, Kirishima, Haruna, Kongo, Zuikaku, and Shokaku.
2. Anonymous says:
21 Apr 2010 05:00:08 PM

RE: Caption above (carrier Akagi).
I cannot find a 'Stirling Bay' but I can find a Staring Baai or Staring Bay. I would have written you more info but your screen rejected my interpretation of the Sec Code and I'm sure as hell not going to write it all out again for you. So I will copy this in case the Sec Code fails again.
3. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
12 Jan 2013 02:46:39 PM

AIRCRAFT LAUCHING OPERATIONS:

The Air Operations Officer was in command of launching aircraft and had a position on the rear of the island.
Japanese carriers didn't have a catapult system, to launch her planes, the ship had to turn into the wind at full steam planes were launched every 30 seconds to accomplish this, both air and ground crews were highly trained.

BUY THE NUMBERS:

First aircraft off the deck were the lighter planes, and needed less of a takeoff run to become airborne, The A6M Zero fighter needed less than 250 feet to leave the deck while the heaver D3A Dive Bombers and B5N Torpedo planes needed more takeoff distance.

PREPARE TO RECOVER AIRCRAFT:

Carriers could recover returning aircraft landing between 30 to 45 seconds, ground crews were highly trained in moving the aircraft below deck for any maintenance or to refuel and rearm.
With the loss of four carriers, along with aircraft, trained pilots and ground crews, at the Battle of Midway, June 1942 the Imperial Navy never recovered. The Japanese rushed into training the replacement pilots and ground crews that were less experienced against the later highly trained Allied and US Navy aviators.
4. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
8 Apr 2015 05:10:24 PM

COMBINED FLEET: IMPERIAL NAVY

Ships have been identified as seen from Akagi's flight deck Battleships Hiei, Kirishima, Haruna and Kongo. Carriers Zuikaku, Shokaku, Soryu and Hiryu. Location off Islands of Celebes, March '42 transit to the Indian Ocean.
Aircraft could be Mitsubishi A6M Model-21 Zeros
allied code name (Zeke). The Nakajima B5N (Kate) and Aichi D3A (Val) didn't have spinners on props
that's my guess, but I've been wrong before...

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