Japan, 1921. Aircraft Carrier The Hōshō, world’s first purpose-built aircraft carrier Hosho was the first Japanese aircraft carrier. And a historical landmark as the world’s first purpose-built aircraft carrier. An important precision as it is surprising that the United Kingdom was not into it first. Back in 1918, the ship was part of the “eight-six” … Read more
Heavy Cruisers Tone, Chikuma. The last IJN heavy cruisers The Tone class cruisers, IJN Tone and Chikuma were part of the 1932 supplemental plan. However, in 1938-39, Japan tore off all treaties and reconsidered a new naval plan. It was decided for example to complete them as heavy cruisers, with their initial 155 mm (6-in) … Read more
Japan, 1918. Tenryu, Tatsuta First light cruisers of the IJN: The 天龍型軽巡洋艦 Tenryū-gata keijun’yōkan or Tenryū class has been the IJN first light cruisers. If the ‘three and four pipers’ cruisers of the Kuma, Nagara and Sendai classes are better known, they constituted an evolution of two precursors, built during the great war. Indeed, the … Read more
Heavy Cruisers of the IJN (1924-27): Aoba, Kinugasa The two Aoba class thus followed the Furutaka a year apart as heavy cruisers, and their development did not took into account the serious issues of the two previous ships. They had from the start three twin turrets for their main armament. On the other hand, their … Read more
