The Hōshō ([UWSL]鳳翔) was the world's first commissioned ship that was built as an aircraft carrier and the first aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. [/UWSL]
At first when Hōshō began construction in 1918 she was intended to be a seaplane carrier but after IJN advisors came back from the U.K. they mentioned the need for a "ship where planes could land". It was laid down on the 16th of December 1920. Basing it's design off HMS Furious it received it's flush-deck and was launched the next year in 1921, finally being commissioned in 1922. Her superstructure was removed in 1924 after the input of experienced pilots of her flight group.
(Hōshō near Tateyama, Japan in 1922)
(The Hōshō without her superstructure in 1924)
Her airgroup consisted of 9 naval fighters (being modernized as the time went on) and 3 to 6 torpedo bombers. Hōshō was armed with four 50-caliber 14 cm/50 3rd Year Type guns and a pair of 40-caliber 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type guns on retractable mounts provided Hōshō's only anti-aircraft defense.
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. Because she only had a total of around 15 aircraft onboard her actions were limited and she was finally sent back home as a training ship in 1939.
During the Battle of Midway she participated but only had a minor role in the battle. She was later sent back to Japan and continued to serve as a training ship till the end of the war on the 15th of August 1945, being only slightly damaged by aerial bombs. After the war she was surrendered to the Allies and was used to repatriate Japanese troops back to Japan. She was finally scrapped in 1946.
(The Hōshō at Kure, Japan in 1945)
(Hōshō's character in Azur Lane)
At first when Hōshō began construction in 1918 she was intended to be a seaplane carrier but after IJN advisors came back from the U.K. they mentioned the need for a "ship where planes could land". It was laid down on the 16th of December 1920. Basing it's design off HMS Furious it received it's flush-deck and was launched the next year in 1921, finally being commissioned in 1922. Her superstructure was removed in 1924 after the input of experienced pilots of her flight group.
(Hōshō near Tateyama, Japan in 1922)
(The Hōshō without her superstructure in 1924)
Her airgroup consisted of 9 naval fighters (being modernized as the time went on) and 3 to 6 torpedo bombers. Hōshō was armed with four 50-caliber 14 cm/50 3rd Year Type guns and a pair of 40-caliber 8 cm/40 3rd Year Type guns on retractable mounts provided Hōshō's only anti-aircraft defense.
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. Because she only had a total of around 15 aircraft onboard her actions were limited and she was finally sent back home as a training ship in 1939.
During the Battle of Midway she participated but only had a minor role in the battle. She was later sent back to Japan and continued to serve as a training ship till the end of the war on the 15th of August 1945, being only slightly damaged by aerial bombs. After the war she was surrendered to the Allies and was used to repatriate Japanese troops back to Japan. She was finally scrapped in 1946.
(The Hōshō at Kure, Japan in 1945)
(Hōshō's character in Azur Lane)
