Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō

Introducing Ryūjō: The Prancing Dragon

Ryūjō (Japanese: 龍驤 ‘Prancing Dragon’) was a light aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 1930s. Imagine a ship designed to exploit a loophole in the Washington Naval Treaty, but with a design that left much to be desired. Was Ryūjō destined to be a success or a cautionary tale?

Design and Construction

Ryūjō was planned as a light carrier with a standard displacement of around 8,000 metric tons. But what does that mean in real terms? Think of her as a sleek, agile cat compared to the bulkier battleships of the time. However, she was small and lightly built, making her minimally stable in rough seas despite the fitting of Sperry active stabilizers.

Initially, Ryūjō had only one hangar but was later modified to add a second one. The ship’s narrow beam and top-heavy design made her minimally stable in rough seas, which is like trying to balance a teeter-totter with uneven weights. Modifications were made to strengthen her keel, add ballast, and improve stability.

Technical Specifications

Ryūjō had two geared steam turbine sets providing 65,000 horsepower, achieving a designed speed of 29 knots during sea trials. Her fuel capacity was 2,490 tons, giving her a range of 10,000 nautical miles. The ship’s hangars were 102.4 meters long and 18.9 meters wide, capable of storing up to 48 aircraft.

As completed, Ryūjō’s primary AA armament comprised six twin-gun mounts with 40-caliber 12.7-centimeter Type 89 guns and twenty-four anti-aircraft Type 93 13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine guns. These were later replaced by six triple-mount 25-millimeter (0.98 in) AA guns during a brief refit in April–May 1942.

Command and Operations

Ryūjō was laid down at the Mitsubishi’s Yokohama shipyard on November 26, 1929. She was launched on April 2, 1931, towed to Yokosuka Naval Arsenal for fitting out, and commissioned on May 9, 1933, with Captain Toshio Matsunaga in command.

During the carrier’s 1934–1936 refit, two of the 12.7-centimeter mountings were exchanged for twin-gun mounts for license-built Hotchkiss 25 mm Type 96 light AA guns, resulting in a reduction of approximately 60 long tons (61 t) of top-weight that improved the ship’s overall stability.

Ryūjō supported Japanese operations in China in August and September 1937, attacking Shanghai and Canton with its aircraft complement. The ship was given a refit from December 1939 to January 1940 and became a training ship before being assigned to Rear Admiral Tomoshige Samejima’s Second Carrier Division in 1938.

On June 3, 1942, Ryūjō launched an attack on Dutch Harbor, destroying two PBYs and causing significant damage to oil storage tanks and barracks. A second airstrike was launched against Dutch Harbor but failed to find targets. One Zero crashed landed on Akutan Island, becoming the ‘Akutan Zero.’ The strike successfully bombed Dutch Harbor, but American aircraft were shot down or damaged in return.

Ryūjō arrived at Mutsu Bay on June 24 and departed four days later for the Aleutians. On August 7, she was transferred to Carrier Division 1 and departed for Truk with Shōkaku and Zuikaku. The carrier launched two small airstrikes against Henderson Field but were detected by American aircraft. USS Enterprise and USS Saratoga launched a counterattack, hitting Ryūjō three times with bombs and one torpedo.

Final Days

The torpedo hit flooded the starboard engine and boiler rooms, setting the carrier on fire and causing it to take on water. Ryūjō turned north at 14:08 but continued to experience progressive flooding, disabling her machinery. The order to abandon ship was given at 15:15, with the destroyer Amatsukaze moving alongside to rescue the crew.

The ships were bombed several times without effect before Ryūjō capsized about 17:55 at coordinates 06°10′S 160°50′E. The loss of seven officers and 113 crewmen marked the end of an era for this once-promising carrier.

So, what can we learn from the story of Ryūjō? In a world where innovation and adaptation are key, even the best-laid plans can face unforeseen challenges. The Prancing Dragon’s tale serves as both a reminder and a cautionary lesson in naval warfare strategy.