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Ryujo 1934

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
龍驤 [Ryujo]			Yokohama Co, Yokohama	26.11.1929	2.4.1931	9.5.1933	sunk 24.8.1942

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	8000
Displacement full, t	10150
Length, m	167.0 pp 175.4 wl 179.9 oa
Breadth, m	20.3 wl 23.0 fd
Draught, m	5.56
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets Kampon geared steam turbines, 6 Kampon boilers
Power, h. p.	65000
Max speed, kts	29
Fuel, t	oil 2490
Endurance, nm(kts)	10000(14)
Armour, mm	machinery and magazines: light splinter protection
Armament	6 x 2 - 127/40 89-shiki, 24 x 1 - 6.5/115, 48 aircraft (A1N, A2N fighters, C1M recon planes, B1M, B2M, B3Y torpedo bombers)
Complement	600

Air group

Year	Fighters	diving bombers	torpedo bombers
12.1933	5 A1N2	---	12 B1M
7.1937	12 A2N and A4N	15 D1A2	---
12.1941	22 A5M4	---	16 B5N2
8.1942	22 A6M2	---	6 B5N2

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

 (fd - 3,600m², ha - ?m² / ?m³): Flight deck: 156.5x23.0m. Upper and lower hangars. There were fore (11.1x15.7m) and aft (10.8x8.0m) lifts. Aircraft fuel stowage: ?.         

Project history

She was built under the 1927 Programme. Small dimensions of the ship were formed by the limit of tonnage assigned on aircraft carriers by Washington Threaty. Though real displacement of Ryujo (nearby 10000t) appreciably exceeded officially declared (8000t), all the same her battle possibilities remained limited.

On an original design the hangar was assumed single-level, but during building it transformed to the two-level. It has allowed to increase number of air group, but simultaneously led to strong overload and decrease in stability of ship. In a year after commission of Ryujo it was necessary to send the ship on shipyard for reconstruction. During works in 1934-1936 carrier was equipped with bulges, increased a hull breadth on 0.5 m, and 1200t of a led ballast were laid. For decrease in the upper weight two twin 127mm mounts were demounted. The flight deck has not undergone changes. Small area of a flight deck did not allow to carry on it during runway operations more than six aircrafts because of what actions of Ryujo air group were ineffective. Because of the limited displacement it was impossible to apply on rigorous protection. As a result light splinterproof armour protection was received only by magazines and engine rooms.

Ship protection

Machinery and magazines had light splinter protection.

Modernizations

1936: hull was bulged, 1200t of solid ballast were added. Displacement increased to 10600 / 13650t, dimensions were 179.9x20.8(wl)x7.08m; - 2 x 2 - 127/40, 24 x 1 - 6.5/115

1940: forecastle was raised at one deck; + 2 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki, complement was 924.

1942: + 9 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki, 12 x 2 - 13.2/76

Naval service

In battle at Eastern Solomons 24.8.1942 Ryujo was badly damaged by American carrier aircraft (Saratoga air group). One torpedo and four 454kg bomb hits called extensive fires and underwater breaches. 3.5 hours after attack carrier has turned over and sunk.