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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
JAPAN
AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS
CHITOSE seaplane tenders / light aircraft carriers (1938 / 1943 - 1944)


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 variantas seaplane tenders as aircraft carriers
Displacement standard, t11023

11190

Displacement full, t12550

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 shafts2

2

Machinery2 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, toil 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


<i>Chiyoda</i> 1941
Chiyoda 1941
<i>Chitose</i> 1941
Chitose 1941
<i>Chitose</i> 1944
Chitose 1944


Graphics


<i>Chitose</i> 1938
Chitose 1938
<i> Chitose</i>
Chitose
<i> Chiyoda</i>
Chiyoda


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.