Unryū-class aircraft carrier

In the lead-up to the Pacific War the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) attempted to build a large number of fleet carriers. For them to be built quickly, the design for these ships was based on the aircraft carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Hiryū||2}} rather than the newer and more sophisticated {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Taihō||2}} or the {{sclass|Shōkaku|aircraft carrier|4}}.Stille (2005), p. 37

The Unryū-class aircraft carrier design was very similar to that of Hiryū. The ships were lightly built, and the main difference from Hiryū was that the carriers' island was placed on the starboard side of the ships. The carriers were capable of carrying 63 aircraft in two hangars, and were fitted with two elevators. The Unryū class carried a smaller quantity of aviation fuel than Hiryū with fuel tanks protected by concrete. The ships were fitted with the same propulsion system used in the aircraft carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Sōryū||2}} to reach {{convert|34|kn|km/h}}, though {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Katsuragi||2}} was instead fitted with two turbines of the same type used in destroyers and had a maximum speed of {{convert|32|kn|km/h}}. The carriers also had a similar armament as Hiryū and were equipped with two Type 21 radars and two Type 13 radars.Stille (2005), p. 38

The first three Unryū-class aircraft carriers were laid down in 1942 and construction of a further three began the next year. Eventually, only three ({{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Unryū||2}}, {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Amagi||2}}, and {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Katsuragi||2}}) were completed and construction of the other three carriers ({{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Kasagi||2}}, {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Aso||2}} and {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Ikoma||2}}) was abandoned in 1945.

Project number was G16. General production model of the Unryū class. 3 carriers were completed. The IJN unofficial designation for Unryū and Amagi were {{nihongo|Modified Hiryū class|改飛龍型|Kai Hiryū-gata}},Shizuo Fukui, p.273 Ship Number 5002–5006 were {{nihongo|Modified Unryū class|改雲龍型|Kai Unryū-gata}}Shizuo Fukui, p.274 also.

• Unryū (built by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal used the same boilers and turbines as the heavy cruiser Suzuya.
• Amagi and Kasagi (built by Mitsubishi, Nagasaki Shipyard) were equipped with surplus stock of the Ibuki-class cruiser machinery.The Maru Special (1981), p.55
• Katsuragi and Aso (built by Kure Naval Arsenal) were equipped with two sets of the {{sclass|Kagerō|destroyer|1}} machinery, because Japanese industrial power became scarce. Dead space was replaced by fuel tanks.
• Ship Number 5002 and 5005 (built by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal) were to have been built simultaneously using {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Shinano||2}}'s dock. However, they were cancelled because Shinano was continued.Shizuo Fukui, p.331

The Ikoma subclass was a simplified and sped-up construction model of the Unryū class. They were equipped with shift-arrangement machinery (four sets of parallel boilers and one turbine).Shizuo Fukui, p.275 Therefore, their funnels were intended to be spaced out. The IJN unofficial designation for this class was {{nihongo|Modified Ship Number 302-class|改第302号艦型|Kai Dai 302-Gōkan-gata}}.

File:Capsized Japanese aircraft carrier Amagi at the Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan, on 8 October 1945 (NNAM.1996.488.037.007).jpg|Amagi wrecked at Kure, October 1945

File:IJN carrier Amagi capsized off Kure in 1946.jpg|Amagi, August 1946

File:Aircraft carriers under attack at Kure 19 March 1945.jpg|Katsuragi and {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Kaiyo||2}} (above) under attack on 19 March 1945

File:Katsuragi (AWM 099798).jpg|Katsuragi as repatriation transport on 31 January 1946

File:Japanese aircraft carrier Kasagi cropped.jpg|Kasagi, 2 November 1945

File:Japanese aircraft carrier Aso.jpg|Aso, 20 December 1946

File:Japanese aircraft carrier Ikoma.jpg|Ikoma, 23 May 1946

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/unryu_c.htm |title=Unryu class |access-date=2008-02-05 |work=Combinedfleet.com }}
• {{cite book|last=Lengerer|first=Hans|title=Illustrated Record of the Transition of the Superstructures of BB Kongô Class: Introduction to CV Unryû Class|year=2010|publisher=Model Hobby|location=Katowice, Poland|isbn=978-83-60041-42-0}}
• {{cite book|last=Stille|first=Mark|title=Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers, 1921 - 45|year=2005|publisher=Osprey|location=Oxford|isbn=1-84176-853-7|series=New Vanguard}}
• {{cite book |title=Fleets of World War II |last=Worth |first=Richard |year=2001 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=0-306-81116-2}}
• Shizuo Fukui, "Stories of Japanese aircraft carriers", Kōjinsha (Japan) August 1996, {{ISBN|4-7698-0655-8}}
• {{cite web |url=http://rekigun.net/ |title=Rekishi Gunzō}} History of Pacific War Extra, "Perfect guide, The aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy & Army", Gakken (Japan), April 2003, {{ISBN|4-05-603055-3}}
• Daiji Katagiri, Ship Name Chronicles of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet, Kōjinsha (Japan), June 1988, {{ISBN|4-7698-0386-9}}
• {{cite web |url=http://www.jacar.go.jp/english/index.html |title=Japan Center for Asian Historical Records}}, National Archives of Japan, "List of main points and features of surface vessels under construction", Reference code: A03032074600
• Monthly Ships of the World, {{cite web |url=http://www.ships-net.co.jp/ |title=Kaijinsha}} (Japan)
• No. 481, Special issue, "History of Japanese Aircraft Carriers", May 1994
• No. 736, Special issue, "History of Japanese Aircraft Carriers" (New edition), January 2011
• The Maru Special, Ushio Shobo (Japan)
• Warship Mechanism Vol. 3, "Mechanisms of Japanese 29 Aircraft Carriers", August 1981
• Japanese Naval Vessels No. 23, "Japanese aircraft carriers I", January 1979
• Senshi Sōsho, Asagumo Simbun (Japan)
• Vol. 31, Naval armaments and war preparation (1), "Until November 1941", November 1969
• Vol. 88, Naval armaments and war preparation (2), "And after the outbreak of war", October 1975

{{reflist|group=Note}}

{{Commons category|Unryū class aircraft carrier}}

• {{cite web |url=http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/ijn_cv.htm |title=World Aircraft Carriers List: Japanese Aircraft Carriers |access-date=2008-02-05 |author=Andrew Toppan

|year=2000 |work=Hazegray.org }}

{{Unryū class aircraft carrier}}

{{WWII Japanese ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unryu class aircraft carrier}}

Category:Aircraft carrier classes