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| IJN Taihō-class aircraft carrier 29,770 Tons (standard) 885' x 89' 11" x 31' 6" 6 x Twin 10cm AA guns 17 x Tripple 25mm AA guns Aircraft: 65 planes 2 x elevators 1 x crane |
Ship History Built by Kawasaki at Kobe. Laid down July 10, 1941 as the lead aircraft carrier of the Taihō-class aircraft carrier. Launched April 7, 1943 as Taihō meaning Great Phoenix. In English, known as Taiho. Commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) under the command of Captain Kikuchi Tomozo. Assigned to Third Fleet, CarDiv 1, Mobile Fleet. On March 12, 1944 departs Kure and steams in the Inland Sea then returns a week later. Wartime History On March 24, 1944 departs Kure and the same day arrives Iwakuni. On March 27, 1944 departs Iwakuni. On March 28, 1944 departs Heigun-shima with Hatsuzuki and Wakatsuki to join the Mobile Fleet at Lingga. On April 4, 1944 arrives with Shokaku at Seletar Naval Base on Singapore and the next day arrives Lingga. PARTIAL HISTORY Sinking History On June 19, 1944 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea at 8:10am hit in the starboard side forward abreast No.1 elevator by one of six torpedoes fired by USS Albacore (SS-218). The explosion creates a hole that floods the forward elevator well and the carrier takes on a 1.5m trim by the bow but maintains a speed of 26 knots. The forward elevator is damaged and disrupts take offs and cracks aviation fuel tanks causing vapor to mix with seawater. At 1:50pm when the first strike returns with Shokaku damaged, all carrier planes must land on Zuikaku or Taiho. At 2:32pm gas vapor explodes forward buckling the armored flight deck upward and blowing out the sides of the hangar deck and goes dead in th water. By 3:00pm on fire from the island forward and starts to list to port and settle. Admiral Ozawa transfers his flag to Wakatsuki to Haguro. Leaking oil covers the sea and catches fire and is unable to be towed by Haguro. Afterwards, Captain Kikkuchi orders all remaining crew to abandon ship. At 4:28pm sinks upright leaning to port at roughly Lat 12-05'N, Long 138-12'E. Roughly a third of the crew are lost. On August 26, 1945 officially removed from the Navy list. Rescue Afterwards, destroyers Isokaze and Wakatsuki and Hatsuzuki rescue over 1,000 of the crew including Captain Kikkuchi Tomozo. On June 22, 1944 the surviving crew are transfered to Zuikaku at Nakagasuku Bay off Okinawa. On June 24, 1944 the survivors aboard Zuikaku arrive at Hashirajima. References Combined Fleet Tabular Record of Movement - Taiho Contribute
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