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Taiho

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
大鳳 [Taiho]			Kawasaki, Kobe	10.7.1941	7.4.1943	7.3.1944	sunk 19.6.1944

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	29300
Displacement full, t	37720
Length, m	238.0 pp 253.0 wl 260.0 oa
Breadth, m	27.7 wl 29.9 fd
Draught, m	9.59
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Kampon geared steam turbines, 8 Kampon boilers
Power, h. p.	160000
Max speed, kts	33.3
Fuel, t	oil 5700
Endurance, nm(kts)	8000(18)
Armour, mm	belt: 55 (165 - 150 abreast magazines), flight deck 79, lower hangar deck 90 - 48
Armament	6 x 2 - 100/65 98-shiki, 17 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 84 aircraft (A6M fighters, D3A, D4Y diving bombers, B5N, B6N torpedo bombers, C6N recon planes)
Electronic equipment	2x 1-shiki 2-go, 3-shiki 1-go radars
Complement	1751

Air group

Year	Fighters	diving bobers	torpedo bombers	recon planes
3.1944	27 A6M5	27 D4Y1	18 B6N	3 D4Y1C

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

 (fd - 7,693m², ha - 6,840m² / 34,200m³): Flight deck: 257.5x29.9m. Upper hangar: 152.0x22.5x5.0m, lower hangar: 152.5x22.5x5.0m. There were fore (14.0x13.6m, 5.5t) and aft (14.0x14.0m, 5.5t) lifts. Aircraft fuel stowage: 1400t.     

Project history

Most powerful and perfect carrier of IJN. Her designing has begun in 1939, according to 4th Supplementary Programme. Originally the ship reflected as enhanced Shokaku, however in the course of design efforts she was transformed to absolutely new project of the ship with armoured flight deck: some kind of answer to occurrence of British Illustrious and American Essex classes. The construction of Taiho contained many foremost decisions. Flight deck represented an integrated part of hull and participated in providing of its longitudinal strength. The bow has been fulfilled full closed: Japanese have applied such decision for the first time. Atypically for Japanese Navy island on the big sponson with raked funnel, created on similarity to Junyo, looked also.

Horizontal protection included 95mm flight deck (76mm protection on 19mm shipbuilding steel plating) over the upper hangar and 48mm (32 + 16) lower hangar deck; over magazines deck thickness increased to 40-90mm. Hangar sides had 25mm thickness. Upper hangar deck was not protected. 55mm belt covered only hardly more than 50% of hull length; on height it reached lower hangar deck. Local protection of magazines, tanks of aviation petrol and two steering compartments was strongest (to 165mm).

Under the 1942 Programme it was supposed to build seven more a few advanced aircraft carriers of Taiho class (G-15 design) with increased area of flight deck (261.5х29.9m). Two ships were ordered to Kawasaki (No801 and 802) and five to Mitsubishi (No5021-5025). However war and economic situations forced Japanese to refuse this planes.

Ship protection

Main 55mm belt protected about half of hull length. It connected with lower hangar deck. Hangars sides had 25mm protection. Thickness of lower hangar deck was 48mm (32mm armor on 16mm plating) increasing to 90mm over magazines. Flight deck had 95mm (76mm armor on 19mm plating) thickness over hangar. Lifts had 50mm protection. Magazines had 165-70mm, aircraft fuel tanks 85-50mm and steering gear 125-50mm local vertical protection. Underwater protection included 76mm longitudinal bulkhead. Funnel uptakes were protected by 25mm armor.

Modernizations

none.

Naval service In the morning 19.6.1944 during battle at Mariana Islands Taiho has received torpedo hit from American submarine Albacore to starboard fwd part. As a result of l

In the morning 19.6.1944 during battle at Mariana Islands Taiho has received torpedo hit from American submarine Albacore to starboard fwd part. As a result of leaking of steams of aviation petrol in six hours after attack there was an explosion, and carrier has sunk.