Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō

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Career

Ordered:
Laid down:	10 July 1941
Launched:	7 April 1943
Commissioned:	7 March 1944
Fate:	Sunk in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19 June 1944
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	29,770 tons (standard); 37,270 tons (fully loaded)
Length:	260.6 m
Beam:
Draught:	9.6 m
Propulsion:
Speed:	33 knots
Range:
Complement:	1751
Armament:	12 3.9 in (99 mm) / 65 caliber AA, 51 25 mm AA.
Aircraft:	84

Taihō (大鳳) was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

"Taihō" means "Great Phoenix". Built by Kawasaki, she was laid down on 10 July 1941 and launched almost two years later, on 7 April 1943, and was finally completed eleven months afterwards on 7 March 1944.

On 19 June 1944, after approximately three months of service, she blew up due to the ignition of gasoline vapor after being torpedoed by the US submarine Albacore in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The submarine chanced upon the carrier while she turned into the wind and was launching her planes. Even the breakdown of the sub's attack computer did not matter as she fired a spread of six torpedoes. One of the Taihō's strike pilots, Sakio Komatsu had just taken off when he saw the torpedo wakes and deliberately dived his plane on the path of a torpedo in a vain attempt to save his ship. One of the torpedoes hit Adm. Ozawa's flagship, the 31,000-ton carrier, the newest and largest floating air base in the Japanese fleet in a part where her armor is thickest. The explosion jammed the ship's forward aircraft elevator, and filled its pit with gasoline, water, and aviation fuel. However, no fire erupted, and the flight deck was unharmed. Ozawa was unconcerned by the hit and launched two more waves of aircraft. Meanwhile, a novice took over the damage control responsibilities. He believed that the best way to handle gasoline fumes was to open up the ship's ventilation system and let them disperse throughout the ship. This action turned the ship into a floating time bomb. At 1330, a tremendous explosion jolted Taihō and blew out the sides of the carrier. Taihō began to settle in the water and was clearly doomed. Although Admiral Ozawa wanted to go down with the ship, his staff persuaded him to transfer to the cruiser Haguro. After Ozawa left, Taihō was torn by a second explosion and sank stern first, carrying down 1650 officers and men.

What made Taihō special was the newly introduced heavy armored flight deck, analogous to the Royal Navy's Illustrious class. She was also the first Japanese carrier to incorporate a closed hurricane bow.