Aircraft Carriers: Light Fleet Carrier Zuihō

[Brian James]

Light Carrier Zuihō pictured on sea trials off Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on December 17th 1940...The Zuihō Class, also known as the Shōhō Class, consisted of two Aircraft Carriers built for the IJN before World War II, both ships were originally built as Submarine Tenders, but were subsequently converted into Carriers. Completed in early 1942, Shōhō supported the invasion forces in Operation MO, the invasion of Port Moresby, New Guinea, and was sunk by American Carrier aircraft on her first combat operation during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7th. Shōhō was the first Japanese Carrier to be sunk during World War II. Zuihō played a secondary role in the Battle of Midway in mid-1942 and did not engage any American aircraft or ships during the battle. She participated in the Guadalcanal campaign during the rest of 1942. She was lightly damaged during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands during this campaign and covered the evacuation of Japanese forces from the island in early 1943 after repairs..Afterwards, her aircraft were disembarked several times in mid to late 1943 and used from land bases in a number of battles in the South West Pacific. Zuihō participated in the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf in mid-1944. In this last battle, Zuihō mainly served as a decoy for the main striking forces and she was finally sunk by American aircraft during the Battle off Cape Engaño, on October 25th 1944.

[Brian James]

Submarine Tender Takasaki pictured at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on February 20th 1939...She was laid down on June 20th 1935 and was designed to be converted to either a Fleet Oiler or a Light Aircraft carrier as needed. She was launched on June 19th 1936 and began a lengthy conversion into a Carrier while fitting out. She was renamed Zuihō during the process which was not completed until December 27th 1940 when she was commissioned. She was sunk by air attack off Cape Engano on October 25th 1944.

[Brian James]

Seaplane Tender Takasaki pictured under construction at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on December 20th 1938..She would be converted to Carrier Zuihō prior to completion...*Note the newly commissioned Lead Ship, Heavy Cruiser Tone on the left......Always keen on cheating on the Washington Naval Treaty, the IJN staff planned a way to circumvent the limitations imposed upon them, by creating 'convertible' vessels, declared as auxiliaries left free as per treaty conditions, but planned at the start to be transformed as Aircraft Carriers in a few months in wartime, that would have made the treaty obsolete. Four ships were concerned: The first of these were the Taigei, Tsurugisaki and Takasaki, all Seaplane Tenders, followed by Chitose, Chiyoda, Mizuho and Nisshin, all Seaplane Carriers, not capped in any way. Potentially in 1941, the IJN could reinforce its fleet with seven Light Aircraft Carriers in substantially far less time than required to build entirely new ships.

[Brian James]

Light Fleet Carrier Zuihō pictured on completion at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on December 28th 1940...She was sunk by air attack during the Battle off Cape Engaño on October 25th 1944.

[designeraccd]

Here is the SHOHO in her "glamor" completion photo!

Also, the well known picture of her becoming IJN's first carrier war loss. DFO