Kaga (aircraft carrier)

Kaga (aircraft carrier) was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy and was named after the former Kaga Province. Originally laid down as a ''Tosa''-class battleship, its construction was halted by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. The incomplete hull was subsequently ordered to be converted into an aircraft carrier, following the loss of the battlecruiser ''Amagi'' during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Alongside ''Akagi'', Kaga formed the core of the First Air Fleet and participated in numerous early campaigns of the Pacific War, including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of the Coral Sea. Its operational career ended when it was sunk by United States Navy dive bombers from USS ''Enterprise'' during the pivotal Battle of Midway.

Design and construction

The vessel was initially authorized under the Imperial Japanese Navy's "Eight-Eight Fleet" program and laid down at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries shipyard in Kobe. After the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited capital ship construction, the incomplete battleship was slated for scrapping. However, the treaty allowed for the conversion of two capital ship hulls into aircraft carriers; when the designated battlecruiser ''Amagi'' was damaged beyond repair in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, Kaga was selected as its replacement. The conversion work was carried out at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, involving the removal of the planned battleship armament and the installation of a full-length flight deck, hangar spaces, and an island superstructure. Its initial design featured a unique three-flight-deck arrangement and was plagued by issues with its boiler exhaust system, which necessitated a major reconstruction in the mid-1930s.

Service history

Commissioned in 1928, Kaga initially operated in Chinese waters, including during the January 28 Incident in Shanghai. After its extensive modernization from 1934 to 1935, which gave it a single enlarged flight deck and enhanced machinery, it joined the First Air Fleet as a front-line carrier. At the start of the Pacific War, as part of the Kido Butai strike force, its air group participated in the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Kaga subsequently supported the Japanese invasion of Rabaul and Kavieng in January 1942 and was involved in raids on Darwin and Java. In April 1942, it took part in the Indian Ocean raid, striking targets at Colombo and Trincomalee in Ceylon. It was lightly engaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea before sailing for the central Pacific to participate in the Battle of Midway.

Aircraft and air operations

At the time of Pearl Harbor, Kaga's air group typically consisted of 18 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters, 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers, and 27 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers. These aircraft formed the 1st Carrier Division's air power alongside those from ''Akagi''. Its aircrews were among the most experienced in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, having honed their skills in the Second Sino-Japanese War. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Kaga launched two attack waves against Battleship Row and airfields on Oahu. In subsequent operations, its aircraft provided crucial close air support for amphibious landings and conducted anti-shipping strikes, notably contributing to the sinking of the British heavy cruiser HMS ''Cornwall'' and the aircraft carrier HMS ''Hermes'' during the Indian Ocean raid.

Fate and legacy

During the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942, while its aircraft were being rearmed for a second strike, Kaga was attacked by Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers from USS ''Enterprise''. It sustained at least four direct bomb hits from pilots including Richard H. Best and Clarence E. Dickinson, which ignited catastrophic fires among armed and fueled aircraft on its hangar deck. The resulting explosions and uncontrollable blaze led to the loss of over 800 of its crew, including Captain Jisaku Okada. The ship was scuttled later that day by torpedoes from the Japanese destroyers ''Hagikaze'' and ''Maikaze''. The sinking of Kaga, along with three other Japanese fleet carriers at Midway, marked a decisive turning point in the Pacific War. Its wreck was located in October 2019 by the research vessel RV Petrel and rests in over 5,400 meters of water northwest of Midway Atoll.

Specifications (Kaga as converted)

Following its 1935 reconstruction, Kaga displaced 38,200 long tons at full load. Its overall length was 247.65 meters, with a beam of 32.5 meters and a draught of 9.5 meters. Propulsion was provided by twelve Kampon boilers driving four steam turbines and four shafts, generating 127,400 shaft horsepower for a maximum speed of 28 knots. Defensive armament included ten 200 mm guns in casemates, sixteen 120 mm dual-purpose guns, and twenty-two 25 mm anti-aircraft guns. Its armored belt was 152 mm thick, with a 38 mm flight deck. The carrier could operate an air group of up to 90 aircraft, utilizing three aircraft elevators to service its two hangar decks.

Category:Aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy Category:Ships sunk in the Battle of Midway Category:World War II aircraft carriers of Japan