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Ryuho

Ships

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

Technical data

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

Air group

Year	Fighters	torpedo bombers
6.1943	21 A6M2	9 B5N
6.1944	9 A6M2, 18 A6M5	9 B6N

Standard scale images

Graphics

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: ?.         

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 attac

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.