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IJN Shokaku Aircraft Carrier (1941)

Authored By JR Potts, AUS 173d AB | Last Updated: 5/9/2013

The massive IJN Shokaku aircraft carrier was sunk by the American submarine USS Cavalla on June 19th, 1944.

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The Shokaku (or "Flying Crane") was the lead ship of a two-strong Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) aircraft carrier class, this including her sister ship, the Zuikaku (the "Lucky Crane"). Crane birds in Japanese culture had long been held as symbols of beauty and longevity, descriptions that hardly pass to military-minded aircraft carriers but the meaning here was understandable. The construction of the Shokaku began at the Yokosuka Naval Yard in December of 1937 and was conducted in secret to conceal the ship's size and specifications to the naval military watchers of the world. Following the end of hostilities of World War 1, world powers banded together to sign the Washington Naval Treaty, a treaty designed to restrict building of large, heavily-armed capital ships. Signees included both Germany and the Empire of Japan and both would soon work to skirt the rules of the treaty in building their massive and potent war machines. Japan had a master plan to expand their sphere of influence in the east and was building many new warships as specified by the Fleet Replenishment Program under the IJN. This program included building the world's two largest battleships - the IJN Yamato and IJN Musashi.

The Shokaku design was based on the best building concepts with information gathered from blue water combat experiences by the Akagi, Kaga, and the Soryu classes. Both Shokaku carriers were built with comparable specifications, displacing some 25,675 tons, and fielding an intended top speed of 34.2 knots. Powered by the most potent engines yet to be installed on any IJN carrier, the class was fitted with 4 x Kanpon geared turbines along with 8 x boilers that produced a combined 160,000 shaft horsepower. The Shokaku was 90-feet longer and sported fifty percent more displacement essentially making her a larger version of the Soryu and Hiryu carrier classes. The Flying Crane would be crewed by 1,660 officers and men.

Upon completion, the Shokaku, became the most modern aircraft carrier in the IJN and one of the finest of her type in the world. Her engineers not only understood the need for extra aircraft storage spaces but also the need to quickly rotate them into action. Three elevators were included in the deck design, this facilitating movement of combat aircraft up and down from the hanger decks to the flight deck, allowing aircraft to be quickly refitted (refueled and rearmed) and launching. To help maintain morale of the hard-working crew, comfortable living spaces were constructed throughout the Flying Crane.

For defense against surface ships and incoming enemy aircraft, the Shokaku was armed with 8 x twin mounts of 16 x 5-inch guns and 36 x 25mm anti-aircraft cannons. By 1944, 96 x 25mm anti-aircraft cannons were added. Defensive armor allocation included 6.5-inches protecting magazine spaces and 3.9-inches for the deck. Machinery areas were given 5.1-inch armor protection. For offense, the Shokaku could carry up to 84 aircraft including 18 x Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighters, 27 x Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers and 27 x Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo planes across two hangers. World War 2 ushered in the era of the aircraft carrier and these floating islands could now bring the fight to the enemy. Fighters served as air cover for the dive bombers and torpedo bombers, the latter forces used to directly attack surface vessels or land-based targets as needed.

The construction of both carrier ships was delayed for a time when the funnel arrangement was changed after completion. The funnels were moved directly aft of the island superstructure along the starboard side of the ship. Also, surviving crew members of the hapless IJN carrier Kaga - this vessel lost at the Battle of Midway - indicated that onboard fires had increased and spread beyond control due to the air spaces found around the fuel tanks. To counter this design fault in the new carriers, concrete was used to fill the air spaces. Shokaku was launched on June 1st, 1939, and was officially completed and formally commissioned on August 8th, 1941.

Five months before, on April 10th, the IJN had created the First Air Fleet - the Kido Butai or “Mobile Unit Force”. It was comprised of all of Japan’s fleet and light carriers supported by 474 aircraft, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 submarines and 4 midget submarines. This historical military initiative was a new concept in naval aviation - essentially becoming the first tactical carrier task force. Now that Shokaku and her sister ship Zuikaku had finished their "shake down" cruises, they joined the other carriers of the Kido Butai - the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu. This carrier group, under Admiral Yamamoto, was training to carry out the upcoming raid that would bring the United States into World War 2 - the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Japanese authorities felt that the nation was ready for all-out war. Her naval forces were far superior to that of any other nation in 1941, possessing ten aircraft carriers and 1,500 trained and tested aviators. Along with top quality surface ships, submarines and aviators they also possessed the best carrier-based fighter of the time in the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" and the equally adept torpedo plane, the Nakajima B5N "Kate".

Attack at Pearl Harbor
In September of 1941, the Shokaku was sent to patrol with the 1st Air Fleet in the Kobe and Kure area within home waters. Her first captain, Yokokawa Ichibei, continued to train his ship's crew until they were called to duty with the Kido Butai. On November 26th, 1941 Shokaku and five other carriers with their support ships of the Japanese strike force departed Japan under radio silence and were at sea for twelve days, arriving some 200 miles off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii on December 7th, 1941 - ready to target and destroy the American carrier force thought stationed there. She joined her other carriers in launching a total of 408 aircraft - 360 to be used on the two attack waves against the harbor and 48 "Zero" fighters for air CAP (Combat Air Patrol) over the strike force. After the aircraft were recovered from the second attack wave, fleet commander Admiral Nagumo decided not to launch a third wave because it was found that the American carriers were not at Pearl at the time and an intact IJN fleet would be needed now more than ever. All-out war had commenced with a striking Japanese victory - and Shokaku had played her part.

The Kido Butai fleet, with Shokaku in tow, retired back across the Pacific towards Japan. On December 23rd, 1941 Shokaku was assigned to home waters by Hashirajima, Japan along with the carriers Akagi, and Kaga. On January 8th, 1942 Shokaku was ordered to proceed to the Pacific base at Truk Lagoon, this port serving as the major IJN anchorage in the Pacific. The base had five airstrips, a deep lagoon for anchored battleships, a torpedo boat station, submarine pens, a communications/radar center, troop facilities and coastal gun defenses, making her as important to the Japanese Navy as Pearl Harbor was to the US Navy.
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Specifications for the
IJN Shokaku
Aircraft Carrier


Country of Origin: Imperial Japan
Initial Year of Service: 1941
Operators: Imperial Japan


Crew: 1,660


Length: 845ft (257.56m)
Beam: 85ft (25.91m)
Draught: 29ft (8.84m)
Displacement: 25,675tons


Machinery: Kanpon geared turbines delivering 160,000 horsepower; 4 x screws.


Surface Speed: 34.2kts (39mph)
Range: 11,184miles (17,999km)


Armament:
16 x 5-inch (127mm) Type 98 anti-aircraft guns
70 x 25mm Type 96 anti-aircraft guns


Air Arm: Between 72 and 84 aircraft including 18 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeros", 27 Aichi D3A "Vals" and 27 Nakajima B5N "Kates".


Ship Class: Shokaku-class
Number-in-Class: 2
Ships-in-Class: IJN Shokaku; IJN Zuikaku

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