home

fighting ships of the world

IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY (JAPAN)

AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS

RYUJO light aircraft carrier (1933)

Ryujo 1933

       Ryujo 1942

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
龍驤 [Ryujo]     Yokohama Co, Yokohama 26.11.1929 2.4.1931 9.5.1933 sunk 24.8.1942

 

Displacement standard, t

8000

Displacement full, t

10150

Length, m

167.0 pp 175.4 wl 179.9 oa

Breadth, m

20.3 wl 23.0 fd

Draught, m

5.56

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 sets Kampon geared steam turbines, 6 Kampon boilers

Power, h. p.

65000

Max speed, kts

29

Fuel, t

oil 2490

Endurance, nm(kts) 10000(14)
Armour, mm machinery and magazines: light splinter protection

Armament

6 x 2 - 127/40 89-shiki, 24 x 1 - 6.5/115, 48 aircraft (A1N, A2N fighters, C1M recon planes, B1M, B2M, B3Y torpedo bombers)

Complement

600

Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,600m², ha - ?m² / ?m³): Flight deck: 156.5x23.0m. Upper and lower hangars. There were fore (11.1x15.7m) and aft (10.8x8.0m) lifts. Aircraft fuel stowage: ?.         

Year fighters diving bombers torpedo bombers
12.1933 5 A1N2 --- 12 B1M
7.1937 12 A2N and A4N 15 D1A2 ---
12.1941 22 A5M4 --- 16 B5N2
8.1942 22 A6M2 --- 6 B5N2

Project history: She was built under the 1927 Programme. Small dimensions of the ship were formed by the limit of tonnage assigned on aircraft carriers by Washington Threaty. Though real displacement of Ryujo (nearby 10000t) appreciably exceeded officially declared (8000t), all the same her battle possibilities remained limited.

On an original design the hangar was assumed single-level, but during building it transformed to the two-level. It has allowed to increase number of air group, but simultaneously led to strong overload and decrease in stability of ship. In a year after commission of Ryujo it was necessary to send the ship on shipyard for reconstruction. During works in 1934-1936 carrier was equipped with bulges, increased a hull breadth on 0.5 m, and 1200t of a led ballast were laid. For decrease in the upper weight two twin 127mm mounts were demounted. The flight deck has not undergone changes. Small area of a flight deck did not allow to carry on it during runway operations more than six aircrafts because of what actions of Ryujo air group were ineffective. Because of the limited displacement it was impossible to apply on rigorous protection. As a result light splinterproof armour protection was received only by magazines and engine rooms.

Ship protection: Machinery and magazines had light splinter protection.

Modernizations: 1936: hull was bulged, 1200t of solid ballast were added. Displacement increased to 10600 / 13650t, dimensions were 179.9x20.8(wl)x7.08m; - 2 x 2 - 127/40, 24 x 1 - 6.5/115

1940: forecastle was raised at one deck; + 2 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki, complement was 924.

1942: + 9 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki, 12 x 2 - 13.2/76

Naval service: In battle at Eastern Solomons 24.8.1942 Ryujo was badly damaged by American carrier aircraft (Saratoga air group). One torpedo and four 454kg bomb hits called extensive fires and underwater breaches. 3.5 hours after attack carrier has turned over and sunk.

Ryujo 1934

Ryujo

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14