Materials of IJN (Vessels - Hosho class Aircraft carriers)

Hosho class aircraft carriers

Displacement	7470t standard, 9330t trial, 10,000t full load
Length	155.45m pp, 165.0m wl, 168.1m oa
Width	18.0m
Draught	6.17m
Machinery	2-shaft geared turbine, 12 boilers, 30,000shp
Fuel	oil 2695t, coal 940t
Speed	25kt
Armament	4-14cm/50cal gun (1x4), 2-8cm/40cal AA gun (1x2), 2 MGs, 26 aircraft
Complement	550

Name	Plan	Builder	Laid down	Launch	Complete
Hosho	FY1918	Asano Dock/Yokosuka NYd	1919.12.16	1921.11.13	1922.12.27	CV	1945.10. 5 disc 1945.12. 1 Transport for retreat 1946. 8.31 BU 1947. 5. 1 BU complete
Shokaku	FY1920	-	-	-	-		1923 cancelled

The first aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She has been planned as a transport in budget, however laid down as an aircraft carrier. Based on the cruiser style hull, a flight deck and one-layer hanger has been equipped. An island was placed on starboard, fore-part of flight deck has been declined to accelerate plane's liftoff. Three funnels stood starboard after island, they can be laid horizontally during flight operation. Just after some flight trial, she must be modified to improve operability - island was removed and flight deck was flatted. Now she became a typical 'flush-deccker'.
Hosho was served during Shanghai incident in 1932, Chinese War in 1937, and so on. In 1934, funnels were fixed downwards to improve stability - the mechanism weighed more than 60 tons to make funnels stand or lay, because it was useless at that time. After outbreak of the Pacific War, she was regarded too small and too slow to operate heavier, larger carrier-planes, therefore the flight deck was significantly enlarged in length and width. By this modification, ocean-going navigability was lost because of overhung of the flight deck from hull. Hosho was used as training carrier at inland sea after 1943. After Japan's surrender, she was served as transport for retreat (flight deck overhung was cut down) and broken up later.
Japanese aircraft carriers were usually named after birds or flying animals (often imaginal). Hosho means 'Flying Phoenix' in Japanese.

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