NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Chitose 1938

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
千歳 [Chitose]			Kure K K	26.11.1934	29.11.1936	25.7.1938	converted to carrier from 1.1943
千代田 [Chiyoda]			Kure K K	14.12.1936	19.11.1937	15.12.1938	converted to carrier from 8.1942

Technical data

Data variant	as seaplane tenders	as aircraft carriers
Displacement standard, t	11023	11190
Displacement full, t	12550	15300
Length, m	174.0 pp 183.9 wl 192.5 oa	174.0 pp 185.9 wl 192.5 oa
Breadth, m	18.8	20.8 wl 23.0 fd
Draught, m	7.21	7.51
No of shafts	2	2
Machinery	2 sets Kampon geared steam turbines, 4 Kampon boilers + 2 Kampon diesels	2 sets Kampon geared steam turbines, 4 Kampon boilers + 2 Kampon diesels
Power, h. p.	44000 + 12800	44000 + 12800
Max speed, kts	29 / 18	28.9
Fuel, t	oil 1000	oil + diesel oil 3000
Endurance, nm(kts)	11000(18)	11000(18)
Armour, mm	---	deck: 70 - 20
Armament	2 x 2 - 127/40 89-shiki, 6 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki, 24 seaplanes (E4N, E7K, E8N, E10A, E11A)	4 x 2 - 127/40 89-shiki, 10 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 30 aircraft (A6M fighters, D3A, D4Y diving bombers, B5N, B6N torpedo bombers)
Complement		800

Air group

Year	Fighters	torpedo bombers
2.1944	15 A6M2, 6 A6M5	9 B5N
10.1944	6 A6M2, 6 A6M5	---

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

There were 4 catapults. Seaplanes based on deck and in hangar. There were 2 lifts. 5 additional seaplanes carried as reserve. Aircraft fuel stowage was 900t.

Aircraft facilities after modernization(fd - 4,140m², ha ? m² / ? m³): Flight deck: 180.0x23.0m. There was hangar. There were fore (13.0x12.0m) and aft (12.5x12.0m) lifts. Aircraft fuel stowage: 900t.

Project history

The first Japanese purpose built seaplane tenders, built under 1st Supplementary Programme of 1931. Interesting feature of these ships was mixed diesel-turbine machinery, ensured the big endurance. Boiler room and No1 engine room (turbines) have been moved fwd, and engine room No2 (diesels) placed more close to stern. Boiler smoke ducts were pooled into one funnel. Diesels were connected with shafts by hydraulic clutches. Astern from engine room No1 in the hull extensive hangar has been arranged.

All upper deck astern from funnel has been assigned for placing of aircraft equipment. Aside there were four turning catapults grouped on two in fore and astern from mid-span. The space between catapults has been covered by hinged platform, leaning on four massive masts. Cargo booms were fastened to latter, and aft pair contained diesels smoke ducts. Between the second pair of catapults there was an elevator for handling of aircrafts stored in hangar astern from ER No2. Second elevator placed between pylons of a hinged platform. 5 more aircrafts were stored in the taken apart kind.

After loss of four carriers in battle at Midway it has been decided to rebuilt Chitose and Chiyoda as light carriers. A task was simplified that at a phase of working out of their project possibility of conversion of ships to rigorous carriers was provided. Conversion project basically repeated Zuiho and Ryuho, but did not provide replacement of machinery. Ships have equipped with a flush flight deck. For raise of stability and strengthening of underwater protection the hull was equipped with bulges which have increased hull breadth on 2m. Feature of architecture of aircraft carriers there was a presence of two far delivered funnels on starboard side: the former serviced boilers, second diesels.

Ship protection

after modernization: There was underwater protection (bulges). Magazines and aircraft fuel tanks had 25mm local protection. Main deck covered machinery

Modernizations

1941, both: + 12 "A"-gata midget submarines instead of half of seaplanes, 2 catapults were removed.

31.10.1943, Chiyoda; 1.1.1944, Chitose: were converted to aircraft carriers with data as given in the table.