Japanese aircraft carriers

The Hosho was the first aircraft carrier to be built for the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was one of the few to survive the Second World War intact.
The Akagi (Red Castle) was the oldest of the six aircraft carriers that took part in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and as the flagship of the Vice Admiral Nagumo became the most famous of all the Japanese carriers.
The Kaga was the third aircraft carrier to be built for the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was constructed on a hull originally laid down as a 39,900t battleship.
The Ryujo was originally designed as an aircraft carrier that would be too small to count towards the total tonnage of aircraft carriers allowed to Japan under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty.
The Soryu was the first Japanese fleet carrier to be built for that purpose from the keel up, and was the model for most Japanese carriers to follow.
TheHiryuwas a slightly larger and improved version of the aircraft carrier Soryu. Like the Soryu she was lightly built but fast and capable of operation a large air group
The two Shokaku class aircraft carriers were the first purpose built fleet carriers to be constructed in Japan after the Washington Naval Treaty expired, and are considered to have been the most effective Japanese aircraft carriers of the Second World War.
The Shokaku (Flying Heron) was the name ship of the Shokaku class of aircraft carriers, the best designed carriers to serve with the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War.
The Zuikaku was the second member of the Shokaku class of aircraft carriers, the best carriers to see service with the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War.
The small aircraft carrier Shoho and her sister ship the Zuiho were the result of a Japanese attempt to avoid the restrictions imposed on naval construction by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.
The Zuiho was a light carrier that resulted from a Japanese attempt to bypass the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty.
The Ryuho was the least successful of a series of Japanese aircraft carriers produced by modifying fleet auxiliary ships.
The two Junyo class aircraft carriers were originally laid down as the passenger liners Kashiwara Maru and Izumo Maru, which were funded by the Imperial Japanese Navy as part of a scheme to provide a number of ships that could easily be converted into aircraft carriers.
The Junyo was the name ship of the Junyo class of aircraft carriers, two slow medium sized fleet carriers that were built on hulls that had been laid down as large passenger liners, and was one of the small number of Japanese carriers to survive the Second World War.
The Hiyo was the second of two Junyo class aircraft carriers produced by modifying two semi-completed passenger liners.
The Taiho was the only purpose built Japanese fleet carrier constructed during the Second World War that was finished in time to take part in any of the great carrier battles.
The two aircraft carriers of the Chitose class were the last of a series of Japanese carriers produced by modifying existing auxiliaries, in this case two seaplane carriers built in the late 1930s.
The Unryo class of aircraft carriers was rushing into production in 1942 in an attempt to increase the wartime strength of the Japanese carrier fleet, but of the seventeen carriers ordered only six were laid down and the three that were completed arrived too late to take part in any carrier battle.
The Shinano was the largest and one of the shortest lived aircraft carriers to see service during the Second World War.
The three ships in the Taiyo class of aircraft carriers were part of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s shadow carrier programme, and had originally been laid down as passenger liners.
The Kaiyo was the smallest of a series of passenger liners converted into auxiliary aircraft carriers for the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The Shinyo was a Japanese escort carrier produced by converting the German passenger line Scharnhorst.
24 November