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Sunday 12 November 2017

Japanese navy building aircraft carriers and seaplane tenders according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1938 no. 5

Soryu

Kaga

Chitose

Kamikawa Mary seaplane tender (1937)

An item referred to the magazine Marine Rundschau dated March 1938 reporting that  that the Japanese navy with the building of the Hiryu (1) Soryu (2) and Koryu (3) would posses over 7 carriers namely the Kaga, 26.900 ton, 60 aircraft (4), Akagi , 26.900 tons, 48 aircraft (5), Hosho, 7,470 tons, 20 aircraft (6), Ryujo, 7.600 tons, 30 aircraft (7), Soryu and Hiryu, each 10.050 tons and 40 aircraft and the Koryu. Further more were the floatplane transports Kamoi 10 aircraft (7) and Notoro 10 aircraft (8) available with under construction the Midzuka (9), Chiyoda (10) en Chitose (11). These ships were also fitted out with a very high superstructure and probably fitted out with gyro stabilizers.

Notes
1. Built under the 1931-1932 Supplementary Program. Laid down by the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on 8 July 1936, launched on 16 November 1937, commissioned on 5 July 1939 and scuttled after the Battle of Midway on 5 June 1942.
2. Built under the 1931-1932 Supplementary Program. Laid down by the Kure Arsenal on 20 November 1934, launched on 23 December 1935, commissioned on 29 December 1937 and scuttled after the Battle of Midway on 5 June 1942.
3. ?
4. Originally laid down as a Tosa-class battleship by Kawasaki and Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on 19 July 1920, converted into an aircraft carrier, completed on 31 March 1928, commissioned on 30 November 1929, refitted between 20 October 1933-25 June 1935 and scuttled at the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.
5. Originally laid down as an Amagi-class battle cruiser by Kure Naval Arsenal on 6 December 1920, converted into an aircraft carrier, commissioned on 25 March 1927, refitted between 24 October 1935-21 August 1938 and scuttled after the Battle of Midway on 5 June 1942.
6. Laid down by Mitsubishi, Yokohama, Japan on 26 November 1929, launched on 2 April 1931, commissioned on 9 May 1933 and sunk in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August 1942.
7. Seaplane tender/tanker. Laid down by New York Shipbuilding on 14 September 1921, launched on 8 June 1922, completed on 12 September 1922, decommissioned on 3 May 1947 and broken up.
8. Seaplane tender/tanker. Laid down by Kawasaki, Kobe, Japan in November 1919, launched on 3 May 1920, completed on 20 September 1920, converted into a seaplane tender in 1934 and scuttled off Singapore on 12 January 1947.
9. The seaplane tender Mizuho, laid down by Kawasaki Shipbuilding, Kobe, Japan on 1 May 1937, launched on 16 May 1938, commissioned on 25 February 1939 and torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine USS Drum on 2 May 1942.
10. Chitose-class. Building ordered in 1934, laid down by Kure Naval Arsenal on 14 December 1936, launched on 19 November 1937, commissioned on 15 December 1938,reclassified as light carrier on 15 December 1943 and sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944.
11. Chitose-class. Laid down by Kure Naval Arsenal on 26 November 1934, launched on 29 November 1936, commissioned on 25 July 1938, reclassified as light carrier on 15 December 1943 and sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944.