![]() ![]() One was ordered, though none was ever laid-down. Production of five of these new improved Taiho’s was proposed in late 1942 (Hulls 5021-5). To accommodate these and their ammunition stores the length of the ship was extended (the new flight deck was 4m longer), and resulted in an overall displacement some 1600 tons heavier. ![]() The revised design boosted the number of heavy anti-aircraft mounts from six twins to eight twins. So two slightly improved Taiho’s were listed in the 1942 construction program – Hulls 801 and 802. The Japanese navy considered the Shokaku class to be the baseline for all future carriers. She also had an enclosed ‘hurricane’ bow – and radar.īut she wasn’t quite right. She had an unusually large island for a Japanese carrier. She was considerably larger than Illustrious and her later sisters at 29,300 tons standard / 37,270 tons deep load. On March 5, 1943, the new design – Construction number 130 - was named Taiho (Grand Phoenix). The ship that finally emerged was very different to what had originally looked like a slightly modified Shokaku. After a string of delays, possibly due to lessons learnt from RN and German war experience, she was only laid down on July 10, 1941. The new carrier was approved on Decembut detailed design work did not begin until December 1939 – designated Project G-13. The outcome would become Japan’s most advanced purpose-built carrier. This ship had an upright funnel and an open forecastle with no hurricane bow.īut the design then entered a phase of protracted development. The deck park would hold 7 bombers and 5 torpedo planes. This was a total air group of 57 active and 7 spare aircraft. Her air group was to be 18+3 (reserve) Type 96 fighters, 18+3 Type 96 bombersand 21+1 Type 97 torpedo bombers. Armament was to be 6x twin 10cm AA, and 8x triple 25mm mounts. Her top speed was to be 33.4kts with a range of 10,000 nautical miles at 18knots. The outline was for a 33,600 ton ship, 250m long by 27.7m wide. ![]() It was overly ambitious.ĭesign work on Project W02 (later W102) began as early as 1937, with the first drawings submitted in November. In 1936, Japan formulated a policy which sought to field 12 battleships, 10 aircraft carriers, 20 armoured cruisers and 8 light cruisers. The Royal Navy, however, was still bound by separate agreements with Germany and Italy.Īs a result, it approached the design of Taiho without any of the limitations RN design staff were struggling with. Japan had abandoned the various international naval treaties by 1936. Like the Royal Navy, Japan looked at improving their carriers’ passive defences. The ship that failed to get in the first strike was usually the first to be sunk. And the carrier was obviously unsuited to sea battles: Any hit on her hangar or flight deck could instantly render her inoperative. Like Britain and the United States, Japan had become increasingly concerned at the lessons being delivered by extensive war gaming.Ĭarriers were immensely vulnerable weapons. While naval aviation was the one area Japan strove to maintain equal numbers, it also sought to ensure its new ships would have greater survivability than their US counterparts. So it sought to gain a decisive qualitative edge. Japan had given up the idea of achieving numerical fleet parity with the United States. Taiho, in many ways, mirrored the application of the philosophy that produced the battleship Yamato. It represented a radical departure from established doctrine Taiho was the Japanese Navy’s last pre-war carrier design. ![]()
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