Ryuho 1942
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| 龍鳳 [Ryuho] (ex-態芸 [Taigei]) | Yokosuka K K | 12.4.1933 | 16.11.1933 | 31.3.1935 // 28.11.1942 | damaged 19.3.1945, never repaired, BU 1946 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
13360 |
|
Displacement full, t |
16700 |
|
Length, m |
197.3 pp 210.0 wl 215.6 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
19.6 wl 23.0 fd |
|
Draught, m |
6.67 |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
2 sets Kampon geared steam turbines, 4 Kampon boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
52000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
26.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 2900 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 8000(18) |
| Armament |
4 x 2 - 127/40 89-shiki, 10 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 4 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki, 31 aircraft (A6M fighters, D3A, D4Y diving bombers, B5N torpedo bombers) |
|
Complement |
989 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 4,255m², ha - 2,306m² / ~11,530m³): Flight deck: 185.0x23.0m. There was hangar (124x18.6x?m). There were 2 lifts (13.6x12.0m). Aircraft fuel stowage: ?.
| Year | fighters | torpedo bombers |
| 6.1943 | 21 A6M2 | 9 B5N |
| 6.1944 | 9 A6M2, 18 A6M5 | 9 B6N |
Project history: Former submarine tender Taigei (10000t standard, 2 diesels, 14000hp, 20kts, 2x2 127mm/40, 12 light AA guns, 3 seaplanes), completed in March, 1935. As well as in a case with Tsurugisaki (later Zuiho), she was built taking into account of possibility of conversion to carrier, however was unsuccessful: welded hull was too weak, and high freeboard at shallow draught did not ensure a demanded stability. In 1936-1937 she passed capital reconstruction: the hull was strengthened, bulges were fitted. Displacement has thus increased on 500t. In 1941-1942, according to confidential mobilisation plan, Taigei was converted to aircraft carrier Ryuho. On design ship in many respects repeated Zuiho and Shoho, but was a little bit larger. Diesel machinery of tender also should be replaced by turbine, unified with Kagero class destroyers. But owing to larger displacement and presence of bulges on speed Ryuho yielded to predecessors 1.5-2kts. Greatest thickness of decks over machinery was only 13mm.
It is necessary to mark, that Ryuho has appeared one of the most unsuccessful carriers of Japanese Navy. Weak construction, absence of any protection and unsatisfactory sectioning of hull into compartments in an underwater part have significantly limited her usage in operations.
Ship protection: There was poor underwater protection.
Modernizations: 8.1943: + 4 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki, 3 x 2 - 13.2/76, 1-shiki 2-go radar
8/1944: flight deck was lengthened to 198.1 m; + 19 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki, 11 x 1 - 13.2/76, 6 x 28 - 120 AA RL
Naval
service: 12.12.1942
Ryuho was damaged by a torpedo from American submarine Drum
and was under repair till March, 1943. 19.3.1945 in the Japanese Interior Sea
she was attacked by American carrier aircraft (TF.58), received three hits of 227kg of
air bombs and hardly damaged. She was never repaired, 20.4.1945 stricken and in 1946
scrapped.
Ryuho
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14