The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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| Tonnage | 13,600 tons standard displacement |
| Dimensions | 546'5" by 71' 10" by 21'1" 166.55m by 21.89m by 6.43m |
| Maximum speed | 23.8 knots |
| Complement | 829 |
| Aircraft | 492' (150m) flight deck 2 elevators 24 aircraft |
| Armament | 4x2 5"/40
dual-purpose guns 6x3, 2x1 25mm/60 AA guns |
| Machinery |
2-shaft Kampon geared turbines
(52,000 shp) 4 boilers |
| Range |
7000 nautical miles 13,000 km |
| Sensors |
Type 21 radar |
| Modification | 1944-7: Added 10x1 25mm guns, 8 depth charge throwers, 4x28 5" rocket launchers |
The Kaiyo
was converted from the passenger liner Argentina Maru, which served as a troop transport from the start of
the war until December 1942, when conversion to a light carrier began.
The original diesel machinery was replaced with destroyer machinery, a hangar and
flight deck added, and elevators and guns installed, but there was no
island or catapults.
Her sister, the Brazil Maru, was to have been converted as well, but was sunk by Greenling on 5 August 1942.
Conversion was completed on 23 November 1943. The ship was initially
used for aircraft transport, but saw increased use as an antisubmarine
escort in 1944 and 1945.
Naval Historical Center #NH 95778. Cropped by author.
She was crippled by a British carrier strike on 24 July 1945 near Beppu and not repaired, making her the only Japanese escort carrier not sunk by American submarines.
References
CombinedFleet.com (accessed 2008-4-15)
Gogin (2010; accessed 2012-3-8)
Jentschura, Jung, and Mickel (1977)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007-2009 by Kent G. Budge. Index
