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Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō

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Hōshō ( 鳳翔 , literally " phoenix flying") was the world's first commissioned ship that was built as an aircraft carrier , and the first aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Commissioned in 1922, the ship was used for testing carrier aircraft operations equipment, techniques, such as take-offs and landings, and carrier aircraft operational methods and tactics. The ship provided valuable lessons and experience for the IJN in early carrier air operations. Hōshō 's superstructure and other obstructions to the flight deck were removed in 1924 on the advice of experienced aircrews.

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85-639: Hōshō and her aircraft group participated in the Shanghai Incident in 1932 and in the opening stages of the Sino-Japanese War in late 1937. During those two conflicts, the carrier's aircraft supported Imperial Japanese Army ground operations and engaged in aerial combat with aircraft of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force . The small size of the ship and her assigned airgroups (usually around 15 aircraft) limited

170-633: A gyrostabilizer produced by the American Sperry Gyroscope Company was installed. The installation initially proved unreliable as the Japanese technicians were badly trained by Sperry, but eventually the system proved its worth as the technicians gained experience. Hōshō ' s flight deck was 168.25 meters (552 ft) long and 22.62 meters (74 ft 3 in) wide. The forward end sloped down at an angle of −5° to help aircraft accelerate during takeoff. A small island

255-521: A Chinese mob formed killing one monk and injuring two. In response, the Japanese in Shanghai rioted and burned down a factory, killing two Chinese. Heavy fighting broke out, and China appealed to the League of Nations . A truce was finally reached on May 5, calling for Japanese military withdrawal, and an end to Chinese boycotts of Japanese products. It is seen as the first example of a modern war waged in

340-417: A ceasefire between Japan and China. Initially a ceasefire was brokered between the two nations, but it was subsequently broken, with both sides claiming the other side had reopened fire upon their troops. On February 12, American, British and French representatives brokered a half-day cease fire for humanitarian relief to civilians caught in the crossfire. The Japanese issued another ultimatum, demanding that

425-671: A large city between two heavily equipped armies and as a preview of what was to come during the Second World War . The episode helped undermine civilian rule in Tokyo; Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was assassinated on May 15, 1932. In Chinese literature it is known as the January 28 incident ( simplified Chinese : 一·二八事变 ; traditional Chinese : 一·二八事變 ; pinyin : Yī Èrbā Shìbiàn ), while in Western sources it

510-559: A maximum range of 10,800 meters (11,800 yd), and they had a maximum ceiling of 7,200 meters (23,600 ft) at 75° elevation. Their effective rate of fire was 13 to 20 rounds per minute. Hōshō was laid down by the Asano Shipbuilding Company in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama , on 16 December 1920. She was launched on 13 November 1921 and towed to Yokosuka Naval Arsenal for completion on 10 January 1922. Hōshō

595-844: A military intervention by the navy in the international city would divert global attention from his colleagues' military actions in north Manchuria. On January 9, the Min-kuo Jih-pao, a semi-official KMT newspaper, described a failed assassination attempt on Emperor Hirohito in an editorial as "unfortunate." This provoked outrage among the Japanese, who perceived it as an affront to their national honor. On January 18, five Japanese Buddhist monks, members of an ardently nationalist sect, supposedly shouted anti-Chinese slogans, and were beaten near Shanghai's Sanyou Factory ( simplified Chinese : 三友实业社 ; traditional Chinese : 三友實業社 ; pinyin : Sānyǒu Shíyèshè ) by agitated Chinese civilians. Two were seriously injured, and one died. Over

680-530: A mix of oil and coal. The ship's designed speed was 25 knots, but she made 26.66 knots (49.37 km/h; 30.68 mph) from 31,117 shp (23,204 kW) on her sea trials on 30 November 1922. She carried 2,700 long tons (2,700 t) of fuel oil and 940 long tons (960 t) of coal, an extraordinary total for such a small ship, to give her a range of 8,680 nautical miles (16,080 km; 9,990 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). To reduce rolling and increase stability for aircraft operations,

765-408: A muzzle velocity of 900 m/s (3,000 ft/s); at 50°, this provided a maximum range of 7,500 meters (8,202 yd), and an effective ceiling of 5,500 meters (18,000 ft). The 15-round magazines needed to be changed frequently, and the maximum effective rate of fire was only between 110 and 120 rounds per minute. After the modifications, Hōshō continued to provide training to navy pilots in

850-402: A rate of six to ten rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of about 850 m/s (2,800 ft/s); at 35°, they had a maximum range of 19,750 m (21,600 yd). A heavy gun armament was provided for Hōshō ; as carrier doctrine was just evolving at this time, the impracticability of carriers engaging in gun duels had not yet been realized. Her large flight deck and lack of armor made her

935-559: A rendezvous with the Main Body as well helped other Japanese warships to rendezvous during and after the battle, including the cruiser Sendai . Around the same time, one of Hōshō ' s aircraft discovered the burning, sinking Hiryū . Photographs of the abandoned carrier have been described as "among the most dramatic of the war in the Pacific". The observer aboard the aircraft also reported seeing survivors left behind on Hiryū so

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1020-399: A repatriation transport to retrieve Japanese servicemen and civilians stationed overseas and return them to Japan. In October and November 1945, accompanied by the cruiser Kashima , she carried 700 passengers from Wotje Atoll , 311 from Jaluit Atoll , and an undocumented number from Enewetak Atoll to Uraga, Kanagawa . In December 1945, Hōshō ' s overhanging flight deck at the bow

1105-553: A resolution demanding a ceasefire, though sporadic fighting persisted. On March 6, the Chinese unilaterally agreed to stop fighting, although the Japanese rejected the ceasefire. On March 14, representatives from the League of Nations arrived at Shanghai to broker a negotiation with the Japanese. While negotiations were going on, intermittent fighting continued in both outlying areas and the city itself. On May 5, China and Japan signed

1190-410: A submarine sighting. The aircraft returned after dark and landed safely after the carrier turned on its lights. In order to recover the aircraft, however, the carrier and her three escorting destroyers had to steam east and therefore lost sight of the Main Body in the darkness. There does not appear to have been any enemy submarines in Japanese waters at this time. The carrier was located by scout aircraft

1275-401: A vulnerable target in surface battles. A pair of 40-caliber 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type guns on retractable mounts provided Hōshō ' s only anti-aircraft defense. They were positioned on the flight deck, just forward of the rear elevator. These guns fired 5.67–5.99-kilogram (12.5–13.2 lb) projectiles at a muzzle velocity of about 680 m/s (2,231 ft/s); at 45°, this provided

1360-451: Is defined as 9.806 65   N . Similarly, a gram-force is 9.806 65  mN , and a milligram-force is 9.806 65  μN . The gram-force and kilogram-force were never well-defined units until the CGPM adopted a standard acceleration of gravity of 9.80665 m/s for this purpose in 1901, though they had been used in low-precision measurements of force before that time. Even then,

1445-501: Is not accepted for use with the International System of Units (SI) and is deprecated for most uses. The kilogram-force is equal to the magnitude of the force exerted on one kilogram of mass in a 9.806 65  m/s gravitational field ( standard gravity , a conventional value approximating the average magnitude of gravity on Earth). That is, it is the weight of a kilogram under standard gravity. One kilogram-force

1530-896: Is often called the Shanghai War of 1932 or the Shanghai incident . In Japan it is known as the First Shanghai Incident ( Japanese : 第一次上海事変 ), alluding to the Second Shanghai Incident , which is the Japanese name for the Battle of Shanghai that occurred during the opening stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. After the Mukden Incident , Japan had acquired control over Manchuria and would eventually establish

1615-426: Is scarce on the extent of the ship's involvement in the action, but it appears the carrier's participation was minimal, as she embarked no aircraft at the time. Hōshō was repaired within 15 days, although the ship relocated to Moji two days later. The ship was turned over to Allied forces at the time of the surrender of Japan on 2 September and was stricken from the navy list on 5 October. Hōshō then served as

1700-433: The 5th Army , including the 87th and 88th divisions, into Shanghai. On February 20, Japanese bombardments were increased to force the Chinese away from their defensive positions near Miaohang , while commercial and residential districts of the city were set on fire. The Chinese defensive positions deteriorated rapidly without naval and armored support, although the number of defenders was nearly five divisions. Meanwhile

1785-648: The Combined Fleet on 20 March, after a ceasefire had been declared on 3 March. Hōshō participated in the Combined Fleet Maneuvers of 1935 during which she was attached to the IJN Fourth Fleet . Caught in a typhoon on 23 September, the carrier and a number of other Japanese ships were badly damaged in what was referred to as the " Fourth Fleet incident ." The ship's forward flight deck collapsed and part had to be cut away before

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1870-799: The Empire of Japan . It took place in the Shanghai International Settlement which was under international control. Japanese army officers, defying higher authorities, had provoked anti-Japanese demonstrations in the International Settlement following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria . On January 18th, five Japanese Buddhists in Shanghai belonging to the Nichiren sect allegedly shouted anti-Chinese, pro-Japanese nationalist slogans in Shanghai. In response,

1955-479: The Imperial Japanese Army . Between 23 and 26 February, Kaga and Hōshō bombers attacked Chinese airfields at Hangzhou and Suzhou , destroying a number of Chinese aircraft on the ground. On 26 February, six fighters from Hōshō , escorting nine attack aircraft from Kaga on one of the bombing raids, shot down three of five Chinese fighters that engaged them. The First Carrier Division rejoined

2040-570: The Royal Navy in Europe about the desirability to be able to land aircraft on the ship. The new requirements were modeled on HMS  Furious after she received her rear flight deck in 1918. The ship was to be capable of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and fitted with a forward flight deck, island and funnels amidships, and a large hangar aft. Shortly thereafter based on observations of landing trials on Furious and HMS  Argus ,

2125-504: The Shanghai Ceasefire Agreement ( simplified Chinese : 淞沪停战协定 ; traditional Chinese : 淞滬停戰協定 ; pinyin : Sōnghù Tíngzhàn Xiédìng ). The agreement made Shanghai a demilitarized zone and forbade China to garrison troops in areas surrounding Shanghai, Suzhou , and Kunshan , while allowing the presence of a few Japanese units in the city. China was allowed to keep only a small police force within

2210-642: The Third Fleet , Hōshō arrived at the mouth of the Yangtze River on 1 February. Her aircraft participated in the IJN's first aerial combat on 5 February when three fighters, escorting two attack aircraft, were engaged by nine Chinese fighters over Shanghai; one Chinese fighter was damaged, although the Japanese pilots made no claim. Two days later, the two carriers sent some of their aircraft to Kunda Airfield where they flew ground attack missions in support of

2295-494: The puppet government of Manchukuo , which had caused massive anti-Japanese demonstrations and boycotts across China, especially in major cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. However, Major Tanaka Ryukichi of the Kwantung Army conspired to further turn the combustibles in Shanghai, where many Japanese businesses, residents and international observers were present, into diversion of major proportions, as escalation into

2380-412: The specific impulse in seconds. The term "kilopond" has been declared obsolete. The tonne-force , metric ton-force , megagram-force , and megapond ( Mp ) are each 1000 kilograms-force. The decanewton or dekanewton ( daN ), exactly 10 N, is used in some fields as an approximation to the kilogram-force, because it is close to the 9.80665 N of 1 kgf. The gram-force is 1 ⁄ 1000 of

2465-570: The starboard side and swiveled to lie horizontal during flight operations. Hōshō ' s designed speed was reduced to 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), based on British experiences during World War I . Hōshō was completed with an overall length of 168.25 meters (552 ft). She had a beam of 17.98 meters (59 ft) and a mean draft of 6.17 meters (20 ft 3 in). The ship displaced 7,470 long tons (7,590  t ) at standard load , and 9,494 long tons (9,646 t) at normal load. Her crew totaled 512 officers and men. The ship

2550-629: The Chinese Army retreat 20 km from the border of the Shanghai concessions, a demand promptly rejected. This only intensified fighting in Hongkou. The Japanese were unable to take the city by the middle of February. Subsequently, the number of Japanese troops was increased to nearly 18,000 with the arrival of the 9th Infantry Division and the IJA 24th Mixed Brigade , supported by a number of warships and airplanes. On February 14, Chiang Kai-shek sent

2635-712: The Combined Fleet, but continued to perform the same mission of training fleet carrier pilots in the Inland Sea. In this role, Hōshō shuttled back and forth between Kure and the Western Inland Sea, spending equal amounts of time at each location. In order to service new and larger aircraft like the Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bomber and the Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bomber, the flight deck

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2720-417: The Inland Sea for aircraft that flew in from shore bases, since no aircraft were based onboard Hōshō . On 15 January 1943, the 50th Air Flotilla was created for carrier aircrew training and both Hōshō and Ryūhō were assigned to the new unit. The two ships provided carrier landing training and served as target ships for torpedo training. In January 1944, Hōshō was reassigned to the 12th Air Fleet, then to

2805-504: The Inland Sea, including acting as a target ship for torpedo training. At 05:30 on 19 March 1945, possibly while berthed at Kure, the carrier was caught in an air raid by carrier aircraft from the United States Task Force 58 . Hōshō ' s flight deck was damaged by three bomb hits which killed six crewmen. Emergency repairs were made and her captain was ordered to keep her in readiness on 10 April. However, this order

2890-669: The Japanese Defense Sector as part of the International Defense Scheme enacted by the foreign powers in Shanghai the year prior. The Japanese issued an ultimatum to the Shanghai Municipal Council demanding public condemnation and monetary compensation by the Chinese for any Japanese property damaged in the monk incident, and demanding that the Chinese government take active steps to suppress further anti-Japanese protests in

2975-622: The Japanese Navy and Consul General Murai demanded that Shanghai Mayor Wu disband anti-Japanese societies and boycott activities. Representatives of Japanese conglomerates also lodged complaints with the Municipal Council of the Shanghai International Settlement, requesting that China apologize for the insulting report and attacks of the monks and punish the attackers. As tension further escalated,

3060-609: The Japanese Residents Association urged the Japanese naval forces in Shanghai to take actions to ensure their safety. On the other hand, as threats and rumors of the Japanese naval landing forces' action echoed in Shanghai, the nearby 19th R.A. units moved closer to the Little Tokyo of the International Settlement. The Chinese public and critics of the Nanjing government were clamoring punishment for

3145-610: The Japanese forces had a single division—the IJA 9th Division, alongside the IJA 24th Mixed brigade and the Shanghai Naval Landing Force, numbering around 18,000 troops, also backed by aerial and naval bombardments. On February 28, after a week of fierce fighting characterized by the stubborn resistance of the troops mainly from Guangdong , the Japanese, supported by superior artillery, took the village of Jiangwan (now Jiangwanzhen ), north of Shanghai. On March 1,

3230-420: The Japanese forces, was severely wounded by Korean nationalist Yoon Bong-Gil during a birthday celebration for Emperor Hirohito held at Shanghai's Hongkou Park and died of his injuries on May 26. Kilogram-force The kilogram-force ( kgf or kg F ), or kilopond ( kp , from Latin : pondus , lit.   'weight'), is a non-standard gravitational metric unit of force . It

3315-628: The Oriental Library were destroyed. On January 30, Chiang Kai-shek decided to temporarily relocate the capital from Nanjing to Luoyang as an emergency measure, due to the fact that Nanjing's proximity to Shanghai could make it a target. Because Shanghai was a metropolitan city with many foreign interests invested in it, other countries, such as the United States , the United Kingdom and France , attempted to negotiate

3400-746: The Republic of China. This new government was not supported by all elements of the Communists and was quickly crushed by Chiang's armies in January 1934. The leaders of the 19th Route Army escaped to Hong Kong , and the rest of the army was disbanded and reassigned to other units of the National Revolutionary Army . Yoshinori Shirakawa , the commander of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army and joint leader of

3485-477: The advance contingent of the Japanese 11th Infantry Division landed near Liuhe behind Chinese lines. The defenders launched a desperate counterattack but were unable to dislodge the Japanese. Following their encirclement, Chinese troops abandoned Shanghai and the surrounding area, and on March 3, the Japanese Commander gave the order to stop the fighting. On March 4, the League of Nations passed

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3570-555: The carrier could proceed to Yokosuka for repairs. The Fourth Fleet incident and the Tomozuru Incident of 1934, in which a top-heavy torpedo boat capsized in heavy weather, caused the Japanese command to investigate the stability of all their ships, resulting in a number of design changes to improve stability and increase hull strength. While the Hōshō was at the dockyard between 22 November 1935 and 31 March 1936, her stability

3655-456: The carrier. Hōshō was the only Japanese aircraft carrier with two hangars. The forward hangar was 67.2 by 9.5 meters (220 ft 6 in by 31 ft 2 in) and only one deck in height as it was intended to house nine small aircraft, such as fighters. The two-story rear hangar measured 16.5 by 14 meters (54 ft 2 in by 45 ft 11 in) at the forward end and 29.4 by 12 meters (96 ft 5 in by 39 ft 4 in) at

3740-644: The city. After the ceasefire was brokered, the 19th Army was reassigned by Chiang Kai-shek to suppress the Chinese Communist insurrection in Fujian . After winning some battles against the Communists, a peace agreement was negotiated. On November 22, the leadership of the 19th Route Army revolted against the Kuomintang government, and established the Fujian People's Government , independent of

3825-487: The city. During the afternoon of January 28, the Shanghai Municipal Council agreed to these demands. Throughout this period, the Chinese 19th Route Army had been massing outside the city, causing consternation to the civil Chinese administration of Shanghai and the foreign-run concessions. The 19th Route Army, unpaid by the bankrupt government, were seen at worst as potential looters who might enter

3910-401: The combined force encountered seven Curtiss Hawk III fighters, shooting down two, in addition to a pair of observation planes , for no combat losses of their own. Five of the Japanese fighters ran out of fuel during the return flight and had to ditch in the sea, although the aircrews were rescued. A followup air strike that afternoon was unsuccessfully attacked by the five remaining Hawks, at

3995-428: The cost of one of their own. The Japanese pilots claimed to have shot down sixteen enemy aircraft and an additional probable loss during the day's fighting. Hōshō and Ryūjō returned to the Shanghai area on 3 October and Hōshō ' s aircraft were temporarily transferred to Kunda airfield to support ground operations. On 17 October, the carrier transferred all of her aircraft to Ryūjō and returned to Japan where she

4080-748: The destroyer Tanikaze was sent to unsuccessfully search for the wrecked carrier. With the battle lost, a significant strategic defeat for Japan, the carrier returned to Japan with the rest of the fleet, arriving at the Hashirajima anchorage on 14 June. After her return to Japan, Hōshō was transferred to the Third Fleet, unofficially assigned to the training fleet (later called the Mobile Force Training Force), and officially assigned in October. She conducted flight training in

4165-471: The effectiveness of her contributions to combat operations. As a result, the carrier was placed in reserve after her return to Japan from China and she became a training ship in 1939. During World War II , Hōshō participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942 in a secondary role. After the battle, the carrier resumed her training role in Japanese home waters for the duration of the conflict and survived

4250-426: The first of her kind, Hōshō provided valuable experience and insight into carrier air operations for the IJN. The ship was used for testing aircraft and equipment, particularly various types of arresting gear and optical landing aids. The lessons learned influenced the design and construction of Ryūjō and the subsequent conversions of battlecruiser Akagi and battleship Kaga into aircraft carriers. Hōshō

4335-423: The forces of Manchurian warlord that failed to stop the Kwantung Army's blitzkrieg, which embolden the officers of the 19th R.A. to take a stance. Since the Nanjing government had not implemented any policies, General Cai Tingkai and his colleagues held an emergency meeting on January 23, vowing to resist any possible invasion of Shanghai by the Japanese navy at all costs. The situation continued to deteriorate over

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4420-727: The latest aircraft types like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero , the Aichi D3A "Val", or the Nakajima B5N "Kate" in combat. Also, the small size of the carrier's airgroup limited the ship's potential value to the fleet in any future conflicts. Hōshō began the Pacific War in the Third Carrier Division assigned to the 1st Fleet under Vice Admiral Shirō Takasu . The carrier, captained by Kaoru Umetani,

4505-508: The limitations of her hangars. She was first commissioned with an air group of nine Mitsubishi 1MF (Type 10) fighters and three to six Mitsubishi B1M 3 (Type 13) torpedo bombers. In 1928, the fighters were replaced by the A1N1 (Type 3). Three years later the air group consisted of Nakajima A2N (Type 90) fighters and Mitsubishi B2M (Type 89) torpedo bombers. In 1938 Nakajima A4N (Type 95) fighters and Yokosuka B3Y (Type 92) bombers flew from

4590-623: The neighboring district of Zhabei and assuming control of the "de facto" Japanese settlement in Hongkou. In what was a surprising about-face for many, the 19th Route Army, which many had expected to leave after having been paid, put up fierce resistance. Also on the 28th, the Chinese Air Force dispatched nine planes to the Hongqiao Aerodrome , and the first aerial battle between Chinese and Japanese aircraft occurred on that day, although neither side suffered losses. Though

4675-430: The next day 500 nautical miles (926 km) east of the Main Body and returned to port at Kure on 12 December. On 29 May 1942, Hōshō sortied from Japan with the rest of the fleet for the operation which resulted in the Battle of Midway , providing modest air protection, scouting, and anti-submarine support for the Main Body, now consisting of the battleships Yamato , Nagato , and Mutsu . Her aircraft complement for

4760-453: The next few hours, a Japanese group burnt down the factory, killing two Chinese in the fire. One policeman was killed and several more hurt when they arrived to quell the disorder. This caused an upsurge of anti-Japanese and anti-imperialist protests in the city and its concessions, with Chinese residents of Shanghai marching onto the streets and calling for a boycott of Japanese-made goods. Starting from January 22, Admiral Shiozawa of

4845-423: The next week. By January 27, the Japanese military had already concentrated some 30 ships, a number of seaplanes, and nearly 2,000 troops around the shoreline of Shanghai to put down any resistance in the event that violence broke out. The military's justification was that it had to defend its citizens and their property. In addition, Hongkou district , where most of the Japanese citizens resided, had been assigned as

4930-481: The opening battle took place between the Hongkou and Zhabei districts of extra-settlement Shanghai, the conflict eventually spread outwards towards Wusong and Jiangwan . The foreign concessions remained largely untouched by the conflict, and it was often the case that those in the Shanghai International Settlement would watch the war from the banks of Suzhou Creek. They could even visit the battle lines by virtue of their extraterritoriality . The Commercial Press and

5015-415: The operation consisted of eight obsolete Yokosuka B4Y "Jean" torpedo bombers. With the Main Body trailing 300 nautical miles (556 km) behind the carrier striking force, Hōshō missed the major portion of the battle in which Nagumo's four fleet carriers were ambushed and fatally damaged by US carrier aircraft on 4 June. The next day, the carrier's aircraft helped guide the remnants of Nagumo's force to

5100-688: The proposal to define kilogram-force as a standard unit of force was explicitly rejected. Instead, the newton was proposed in 1913 and accepted in 1948. The kilogram-force has never been a part of the International System of Units (SI), which was introduced in 1960. The SI unit of force is the newton . Prior to this, the units were widely used in much of the world. They are still in use for some purposes; for example, they are used to specify tension of bicycle spokes , draw weight of bows in archery , and tensile strength of electronics bond wire , for informal references to pressure (as

5185-401: The rear end. It was designed to house six large aircraft, such as torpedo bombers , as well as six reserve aircraft. Each hangar was served by an aircraft elevator . The forward elevator was 10.35 by 7.86 meters (34.0 by 25.8 ft) and the aft elevator measured 13.71 by 6.34 meters (45 ft 0 in by 20 ft 10 in). Hōshō had a normal capacity of fifteen aircraft, subject to

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5270-588: The rest with Kaga . Details of the activities of Hōshō ' s aircraft are scarce, but three of the ship's Nakajima A2N fighters shot down a Martin B-10 bomber on 25 July. The carrier returned to Japan to refuel on 1 September and then sailed to the South China coast, accompanied by Ryūjō , and began operations against Chinese forces near Canton, now Guangzhou , on 21 September. That day, Hōshō contributed six fighters to escort bombers attacking airfields and

5355-415: The ship. In 1940 the air group was modernized with Mitsubishi A5M (Type 96) "Claude" fighters and Yokosuka B4Y1 (Type 96) "Jean" bombers. Hōshō was armed with four 50- caliber 14 cm/50 3rd Year Type guns, two on each side. The two forward guns had a firing arc of 150°, including straight ahead, while the rear guns could fire 120° on either side. They fired 38-kilogram (84 lb) projectiles at

5440-426: The side of the carrier, and the longitudinal wires helped to prevent that. Forward of the island was a collapsible crane for loading aircraft into the forward hangar. The flight deck, unlike those on Royal Navy carriers, was superimposed on the ship's hull rather than constructed as a strength deck supporting the carrier's hull structure. A system of lights and mirrors along the flight deck assisted pilots in landing on

5525-440: The technically incorrect kilogram per square centimetre , omitting -force , the kilogram -force per square centimetre being the technical atmosphere , the value of which is very near those of both the bar and the standard atmosphere ), and to define the " metric horsepower " (PS) as 75 metre-kiloponds per second. In addition, the kilogram force was the standard unit used for Vickers hardness testing . In 1940s, Germany,

5610-538: The thrust of a rocket engine was measured in kilograms-force, in the Soviet Union it remained the primary unit for thrust in the Russian space program until at least the late 1980s. Dividing the thrust in kilograms-force on the mass of an engine or a rocket in kilograms conveniently gives the thrust to weight ratio , dividing the thrust on propellant consumption rate ( mass flow rate ) in kilograms per second gives

5695-459: The war with only minor damage from air attacks. She was surrendered to the Allies at the end of the war and used to repatriate Japanese troops until she was scrapped in 1946. Construction of a seaplane carrier was authorized by the Japanese government in its "eight-six" fleet program of 1918. A planned sister ship, named Shokaku , was cancelled in 1922 before any construction started. Hōshō

5780-425: The way of landing operations. Another reason for removal of the island was that the IJN found that it was too small and cramped to be of effective use in controlling air operations or conning the ship. After the island was removed, the carrier's flight operations were controlled from a platform extending from the side of the flight deck, a design that would be repeated in subsequent Japanese aircraft carriers. The ship

5865-501: The wealthy Settlement, posing as great a danger to Shanghai as the Japanese military. In the end, Shanghai donated a substantial bribe to the 19th Route Army, hoping that it would leave and not incite a Japanese attack. However, shortly before midnight on January 28, plainclothes Chinese troops that had infiltrated the Hongkou district in the Japanese Defense Sector fired upon Japanese sailors leaving their headquarters. Three thousand Japanese sailors were mobilized in response, attacking

5950-459: The world's first flush-decked aircraft carrier , Hōshō ' s flight deck design was revised in April 1919. The island was removed and the funnels were moved to one side to create an unobstructed, full-length flight deck, and the ship was reclassified as an aircraft carrier. The ship's hull was based on that of a large cruiser and she was given a small island. Her three funnels were mounted on

6035-584: Was scrapped in Osaka from 2 September 1946 to 1 May 1947 by the Kyōwa Shipbuilding Company. Battle of Shanghai (1932) 19th Route Army: 5th Army: Commander: Chief of staff: Western Estimate: 3,000 KIA Taishō period Shōwa period The January 28 incident or Shanghai incident (January 28 – March 3, 1932) was a conflict between the Republic of China and

6120-643: Was 1.11 meters (3 ft 8 in). Six twin 13.2 mm Type 93 Hotchkiss machine guns were also fitted. During the Sino-Japanese War, Hōshō rejoined the Third Fleet and supported land operations of the army in Central China in August 1937 with Ryūjō , later joined by Kaga . The three carriers carried a total of 90 aircraft to the conflict in China, including 15 from Hōshō , 27 on Ryūjō , and

6205-594: Was actively used to develop carrier operational methods and tactics for the IJN during the 1920s. She was assigned to the First Carrier Division with Akagi on 1 April 1928. During the 1930s Hōshō was fitted with three different types of transverse arresting gear for trials. Along with Kaga , Hōshō was assigned to the First Carrier Division and sent to China during the Shanghai Incident that began in January 1932. Operating with

6290-428: Was almost completely unarmored. Hōshō had two Parsons geared turbine sets with a total of 30,000 shaft horsepower (22,000  kW ) driving two propeller shafts . Eight Kampon Type B water-tube boilers with a working pressure of 18.3  kg/cm (1,790  kPa ; 260  psi ) and a temperature of 138 °C (280 °F) provided steam to the turbines, although only four were oil-fired. The other four used

6375-423: Was commissioned, experienced aircrews requested changes, and the ship was modified by the shipyard from 6 June to 20 August 1924. The island, tripod mast, and aircraft crane were removed since they partially obstructed the flight deck and obscured pilot visibility. The forward part of the flight deck was made horizontal, and the 8 cm AA guns were moved forward, close to the position of the former island and out of

6460-491: Was cut off to improve visibility from the bridge and her hangars were modified to carry more passengers. Thereafter, she undertook more repatriation missions beginning with one to Wewak on 5 January 1946 and subsequent trips to China. In total, the carrier made nine repatriation trips before 15 August 1946 and transported about 40,000 passengers. Hōshō was transferred to the Home Ministry on 31 August for disposal. She

6545-493: Was delayed by repeated design changes and late deliveries of equipment, pushing the commissioning date from March to 27 December 1922. She was commissioned lacking much of her aviation equipment, and did not begin landing trials until 22 February 1923. The first landings were made by British pilots under contract, who were quickly replaced by Japanese pilots trained by the British Aviation Mission . After Hōshō

6630-573: Was extended over 6 meters (19 ft 8 in) at each end to a total length of 180.8 meters (593 ft 2 in) from 27 March to 26 April 1944. Hōshō also received new arresting gear and a new crash barrier. The additional weight high up in the ship adversely affected her stability and she was restricted from operations in bad weather lest she capsize. At some point during the war the ship's 14 cm guns were removed and she received about twenty 25-millimeter Type 96 autocannons in single mounts. They fired .25-kilogram (0.55 lb) projectiles at

6715-514: Was improved; the forward flight deck's supports were reinforced and increased in number; the ship's AA guns, aircraft crane and upper deck aviation fuel tanks were removed; the funnels were fixed in the horizontal position with their mouths angled slightly downwards; the front sides of Hōshō ' s forward hangar and bridge were reinforced; and the ship's hull was reinforced in the vicinity of her rear hangar to increase her longitudinal strength. At full load, her metacentric height after these changes

6800-557: Was mounted well forward on the starboard side and contained the ship's bridge and air-operations control center. The island was fitted with a small tripod mast intended to carry the ship's fire-control system . Fifteen different types of arresting gear were evaluated before the British longitudinal wire system was adopted. Low landing speeds of the time meant that aircraft had little difficulty in stopping, but their light weight made them vulnerable to wind gusts that could blow them over

6885-528: Was placed in reserve on 1 December. During this time, her aircraft elevators were enlarged in 1939: the forward elevator to 12.8 by 8.5 meters (42 by 28 ft) and the rear elevator to 13.7 by 7 meters (45 by 23 ft). On 12 August 1939 Hōshō was deemed useful as a training carrier and, in critical battles, as a platform for A4N1 (Type 95) fighters and B4Y1 (Type 96) torpedo bombers, for as long as those planes remained serviceable. A later investigation determined on 23 December 1940 that she could not operate

6970-504: Was revoked two days later and the carrier became a "4th reserve ship" with most of her crew transferred elsewhere. Hōshō was taken out of reserve as a "special guard ship" on 1 June and many of her crew were transferred back. During this time, the ship remained moored and camouflaged off Nishinomishima at Kure. Hōshō was slightly damaged by a single bomb or aerial rocket hit when the Allies attacked Kure again on 24 July 1945. Information

7055-851: Was tasked along with Zuihō to provide air support, including scouting, anti-submarine patrols, and combat air patrol for the Combined Fleet's "Main Body" battle-line of six battleships: Nagato , Mutsu , Fusō , Yamashiro , Ise , and Hyūga . With the Main Body, Hōshō sortied from the Inland Sea on 7 December 1941 to provide distant cover for the carrier forces under Chūichi Nagumo which were attacking Pearl Harbor . The battleship force turned back 300 nautical miles (556 km) east of Japan, but Hōshō became separated on 10 December due to radio silence restrictions while conducting anti-submarine air operations. The ship lost contact because she had launched aircraft near dusk to investigate

7140-530: Was the second warship, after the British HMS ; Hermes , to be built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier, but was launched and completed earlier than Hermes . Hōshō was initially designed as a seaplane carrier like HMS  Campania with a forward flying-off deck , 32 aircraft, four low-angle 14-centimeter (5.5 in) guns, and four anti-aircraft (AA) guns . The plan was revised after reports were received from Japanese observers with

7225-407: Was then assigned to the 1st Fleet until 15 November 1924. Hōshō was fitted with a net used as a barricade aft of the forward elevator between 10 March and 2 July 1925. It was intended to prevent landing aircraft from colliding with aircraft preparing to take off, and stop them from falling into the open elevator well. The barrier was hydraulically operated and could be erected in three seconds. As

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