Chitose-class aircraft carrier
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Class overview | |
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Name | Chitose class |
Operators | ![]() |
Completed | 2 |
Lost | 2 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement | |
Length | 192.5 m (631 ft 7 in) ( o/a ) |
Beam | 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in) at waterline |
Draught | 7.51 m (24 ft 8 in) |
Installed power |
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Speed | 28.9 knots (53.5 km/h; 33.3 mph) |
Range | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) |
Complement | 800 |
Armament |
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Aircraft carried | 30 |
The Chitose-class aircraft carriers (千歳型航空母艦, Chitose-gata kōkūbokan) were a
Chitose (千歳) underwent conversion at the Sasebo Naval Yard and was completed on New Years Day, 1944. Her sister ship Chiyoda (千代田) was completed approximately two months earlier at the Yokosuka Naval Yard. Both ships were outfitted with a single hangar and they were widened by an additional 6 feet 7 inches (2.0 m). The added flight deck was serviced by two lifts.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Leyte-chitose_class_under_attack_near_miss.jpg/220px-Leyte-chitose_class_under_attack_near_miss.jpg)
Chitose and Chiyoda were sunk at the
Despite their role as "bait", the Japanese carriers sighted Halsey first and launched a strike in the late morning of 24 October. This accomplished nothing, and only a few planes returned to the carriers, leaving them with less than thirty. The Japanese ships tried hard to be conspicuous, and U.S. aircraft finally spotted them in mid-afternoon. Admiral Halsey, believing that his aviators had driven the other Japanese forces away, headed north to attack.
At about 08:00 on the morning of 25 October, American carrier planes began a series of attacks and sank Chitose. A second strike came in around 10:00 that damaged Chiyoda and slowed her down. She was later sunk by gunfire from four cruisers and nine destroyers under the command of Rear Admiral DuBose that had been detached from Halsey's Third Fleet to sail north and engage the Japanese.
Ships
Name | Builder | Laid down
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Launched | Commissioned | Recommissioned | Fate |
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Chitose (千歳) | Kure Naval Arsenal | 26 November 1934 | 29 November 1936 | 25 July 1938 | 1 November 1943 | Sunk during the Battle off Cape Engaño , 25 October 1944
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Chiyoda (千代田) | 14 December 1936 | 19 November 1937 | 15 December 1938 | 21 December 1943 |
Notes
References
- Brown, J. D. (2009). Carrier Operations in World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-108-2.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter; Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- Lengerer, Hans (2023). The Aircraft Carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army: Technical and Operational History. Vol. II. Katowice, Poland: Model Hobby. ISBN 978-83-60041-71-0.
- Lengerer, Hans (2021). "Chitose and Chiyoda". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2021. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 165–179. ISBN 978-1-4728-4779-9.
- Polmar, Norman; ISBN 1-57488-663-0.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN 0-88254-979-0.
- Stille, Mark (2005). Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers 1921–1945. New Vanguard. Vol. 109. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-853-7.
- Sturton, Ian (1980). "Japan". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Tully, Anthony P. (2001). "IJN Chitose: Tabular Record of Movement". Kido Butai. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
- Tully, Anthony P. (1998). "IJN Chiyoda: Tabular Record of Movement". Kido Butai. Retrieved 11 January 2013.