Zuihō
 The Zuihō 1940
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The Zuihō ( Japanese 瑞 鳳 , dt. "Auspicious Feng ") was a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy , which was used in the Pacific War until its sinking in October 1944 .
Planning and construction
The ship was laid down as the fast supply ship Takasaki in 1935 . When the Japanese became aware of the importance of aircraft carriers, the construction plans were changed and a light aircraft carrier was built instead of the tender. In the same way, the sister ship of the Takasaki , the Tsurugisaki , was converted to the carrier Shōhō .
history
Beginning
On December 27, 1940, the Zuihō was put into service. On September 30, 1941, she became the flagship of the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Division .
Philippines and South Pacific
At the beginning of the Pacific War she was turned off with the carrier Hōshō and the battleship Nagato as a cover group for Japanese landing operations in the Philippines . In early 1942, she transported aircraft for units close to the front from Japan to the South Pacific.
Midway and Santa-Cruz
In June 1942, the Zuihō was part of the Japanese support fleet in the Battle of Midway . However, she was not involved in the fighting with the American porters.
After the heavy Japanese losses at Midway, the Zuihō was assigned to the 3rd Fleet of the 1st Aircraft Carrier Division with the two surviving fleet carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku in October 1942 . She carried an aircraft equipment of 21 fighters and six torpedo bombers. Their task was the self-protection of the association. The fleet was targeted by enemy bombers in the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands . The flight deck of the Zuihō was slightly damaged in the battle by two bomb hits.
Guadalcanal
From January to February 1943, the Zuihō covered the evacuation of Guadalcanal together with the porters Jun'yō and the Zuikaku . It was rebuilt from mid-1943 to spring 1944. The flight deck was lengthened, a simple radar installed and the anti-aircraft armament expanded by further 25-mm guns and six launch racks for 28 unguided 120-mm missiles each. The latter were assembled in two groups of three on both sides of the ship.
Leyte and Downfall
The Zuihō was used in the sea and air battle in the Gulf of Leyte on the side of the carriers Chiyoda , Chitose and Zuikaku as bait for the American aircraft carrier fleet, whose commander was to be tricked into leaving the landing craft unprotected. After this was successful, the fleet was attacked by the enemy carrier aircraft in the Battle of Cape Engaño. The Zuihō received three bombs, two torpedo hits and more than sixty bomb hits. She herself had only a few planes on board during this last battle, as she was only intended to act as bait. The penetrating water masses caused a strong list, so that the ship had to be abandoned. 214 seamen were killed in the air raids and the ship's sinking.
wreck
The wreck of the Zuihō has not yet been found.
See also
Evidence and references
Individual evidence
- ^ Mark R. Peattie: Sunburst. The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power, 1909-1941. P. 338
- ↑ History of the operation of the Zuiho at combinedfleet.com, viewed on August 8, 2012
Web links
literature
- Mark R. Peattie: Sunburst. The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power, 1909-1941. US Naval Institute Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-59114-664-3 .
- REPORTS OF THE US NAVAL TECHNICAL MISSION TO JAPAN 1945-1946, A-11, Aircraft Arrangements and Handling Facilities on Japanese Naval Vessels.