Imperial Japanese Seaplane Tenders, 1942-44: IJN Akistushima, Chihaya, 3 more cancelled. IJN Akitsushima was a seaplane tender of the Imperial Japanese Navy launched in 1941 and completed in 1942. She was tailored as a large floatplane tenders for long range missions, and was even capable of launching them thanks to her massive catapult and facilities. … Read more
22 gunboats, 100+ armoured riverine ones. The Imperial Japanese Navy Gunboats: A wide topic encompassing pre-WW1 and WW1 models as well. Albeit with a base fleet of 22 gunboats in WW2, owned or captured, and many more light gunboats for riverine Operations in China. They were all operated by the IJN, but small armoured gun … Read more
IJN – Mizuho, Nisshin 1938-43. The last IJN seaplane carriers IJN Mizuho and Nisshin were near sister ships and related to the Chitose, built as “cheats” for the IJN: They were large fleet seaplane tenders designed as to be easily convertible in wartime, into aircraft carriers. This way the Washington and London treaty carrier tonnage … Read more
Escort Aircraft Carriers: IJN Taiyō, Chūyō, Un’yō, commissioned 1941-42 The first IJN escort carriers The paradox of the history of these three first escort carriers, is that they were not designed as such in the first place. The idea was to add more fleet carriers by converting civilian ships, the most capable and conform to … Read more
IJA/IJN Amphibious Ships, landing crafts and Landing Forces About 3000+ landing ships, crafts, assault vessels, transport subs and auxiliary carriers First post of 2024 ! We start with a big one, a full review of Imperial Japanese Army and Navy amphibious and landing assets, because… both service rivalry did not stop at developing their own … Read more
Japan, 1943-45. 15 fleet aicraft carriers planned IJN Unryū, Amagi, Katsuragi, Kasagi, 5005, Aso, Ikoma, Kurama, Kaimon, 5010-5015. The Unryū class, last IJN fleet carriers IJN Unryu in yard trials, Yokosuka, 16 July 1944. The only operational carrier of the whole class (August-December 1944). Colorized by irootoko Jr. The six Unryū class fleet aircraft carriers … Read more
Light, Heavy and Specialized Imperial Japanese Cruisers of WW2. The fleet’s spearhead In December 1941, the most valuable asset of the Imperial Japanese Navy, after the aircraft carriers of the combined 1st air force (Kido Butai), were its Cruisers. Indeed, contrary to the older, slower battleships, cruisers were built along along the interwar and perfected … Read more
Heavy Cruisers Katori, Kashima, Kashii. The IJN school cruisers The three Katori class light cruisers, Katori, Kashima and Kashii had been designed as training cruisers in peacetime, that could take on in wartime the role of destroyers and submarine leaders. Design-wise they were short but beamy, slow, under-armed, and regarded in general of low military … Read more
Imperial Japanese Navy, 1923-44. IJN Sendai, Jintsū, Naka (+Kako, Ayase, Minase, Otonase, unnamed- cancelled) The “four pipers” light cruisers The cruisers of the Sendai class were very close in their general design compared to the previous Nagara, but with larger dimensions, new machinery for greater speed traduced in a new funnel. The fourth of the … Read more
IJN Heavy Cruiser 1942-45: Oyodo, Niyodo (cancelled), 11 more. The last IJN cruiser She was the last cruiser class of the Imperial Japanese Empire (the fourth Agano class was really the last one), and by extension, the last Japanese cruiser since none was built since in the JMSDF. Initially designed she was designed as a … Read more
