Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi 1920-1942

Amagi-class battle cruisers

Akagi completed as aircraft carrier

Her building at the Kure Naval Arsenal was ordered in 1920 as a battle cruiser of the Amagi-class but as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty was during the building process decided to reclassify and to complete her as aircraft carrier on 21 November 1923.(1) The Akagi, preceded by the Hõshõ and succeeded by the Kaga was laid down on 6 December 1920, not earlier launched as on 22 April 1925 and commissioned on 25 March two years later with trials still going on in November that year. Building costs 53 million yen. Between 24 October 1935 and 31 August 1938 extensively rebuild altering the 3 flight decks into one singe enlarged flight deck and island superstructure. She meet her final fate during the Battle at Midway (4-7 June 1942) and was scuttled by Japanese destroyers on 5 June.

With a displacement of 26,900 long tons/27,300 tons (standard)-34,364 long tons/34,920 tons (deep load) were her dimensions 261,21 (over all) x 31 x 8,08 (deep load) metres or 857’0”x 101’8” x 26’6”. Her main flight deck had a length of 190,2 metres or 624’0”, the middle flight deck right beginning in front of the bridge 15 metres or 49’3” and the third lower deck 55,02 metres or 180’6”. As a result of being designed as a battle cruiser was she fitted out with a 16,2cm thick armour belt and a 7,9cm thick deck. Originally armed with 6x1 and 2x2-20cm guns and 6x3-12cm anti aircraft guns but this was altered during the rebuilding. Originally fitted out with 4 geared steam turbines and 19 boilers supplying 131,000 shp allowing a maximum speed of 32,5 knots during the trials at sea on 17 June 1927. With a speed of 14 knots was her range 8,000 nautical miles.

The photo above can be found at the url http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AkagiDeckApril42.jpg showing her in April 1942 and is property of the Kure Maritime Museum.

Note
1. The Washington Naval Treaty as a result of the Washington Naval Conference (November 1921-Febryary 1922) on 6 February 1922 signed by USA, England, France, Japan and Italy causing the limitation of he building of battleships, battle cruisers and aircraft carriers and with a maximum displacement of 10,000 tons for other kind of warships like cruisers. On 29 December 1934 denunciated Japan this treaty.