World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseHosho was first aircraft carrier of the Japanese Navy and was the first purpose-built aircraft carrier to be commissioned in the world, beating out Britain's HMS Hermes by 13 months. She was designed with a cruiser style hull with a one-layer hangar, topped with a flight deck that declined slightly to accelerate the lift of aircraft launched. After some flight trials, she was modified by removing the island and flatting out the flight deck. In the 1920s, she played a critical role in the development of early Japanese naval aviation doctrine. In 1932, her aircraft attacked Chinese positions in Shanghai. More than five years later, she returned to the Chinese coast as the Second Sino-Japanese War officially began. In 1942, she was further modified with a larger flight deck to accommodate modern carrier aircraft, but the modification rendered her barely effective for open-sea voyages. After participating in the Midway operations with outdated biplane torpedo bombers as a part of the main body, she became a training carrier in the Inland Sea in Japan after 1943. After the war ended, Hosho's flight deck was reduced in size, making her once again a sea-worthy vessel in order to task her to repatriot overseas Japanese personnel.

Light Carrier Hosho Interactive Map

Photographs

Hosho Operational Timeline

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1.  Bill says:
18 Sep 2010 10:27:52 AM

In 1921 Japan launched its first aircraft
carrier named Hosho.
It was the start of Japan's development into
naval aviation the training of pilots and
theory of carrier operations.

1921 Japan's naval expenditure reached 28% of
the National budget.

The Imperial navy developed 14 inch guns for
the Battleship Kongo-class
16 inch guns on Battleship Nagato-class and
18.1 inch guns for Yamato and Musashi they were the largest guns ever mounted on any
Battleship in the world.

In 1928 the Fubuki-class destroyer carried
duel mounted 5 inch guns in turrets capable
of anti-aircraft fire.
The rest of the world's navies followed this development.

The Fubuki-class destroyer also carried the
oxygen-fuelled type 93 (Long Lance) torpedo
The Fubuki-class destroyer carried this
weapon mounted in enclosed torpedo tubes in
turrets.

In 1941 the Imperial navy had 10 Battleships,
10 Aircraft carriers, 38 Heavy and light
cruisers, 112 Destroyers, 65 Submarines and
other support and auxiliary ships.

2.  Bill says:
8 May 2011 06:09:22 PM

Launched in 1921 and comissioned in 1922 much experienced was gained in carrier
operations. The Imperial navy developed new
tactics and training for its naval aviators.

ON THE JOB TRAINING:

Hosho's complement was nine Nakajima A2N
single-seat, radial engine, biplane fighters
armed w/2x7.7mm machine guns, able to carry 2x66lb/30kg bombs.
Six Yokosuka B4Y1 three-seat, radial engine
biplane torpedo bombers, 1x7.7mm machine gun
for the rear gunner, 1x1,764lb/800kg torpedo
or 1,102lb/500kg of bombs.

By the start of the Pacific War Dec. 7, 1941
she was too small and too slow to carry the
newist types of Japanese aircraft, However
she saw action at Midway in June 1942 at that
time, her complement was eight Yokosuka B4Y1
torpedo bombers code name (Jean) later her aircraft were withdrawn from front-line service, and served as advanced trainers.

LUCKY HOSHO:

She survived Midway, and was retired from combat duty and served as a training ship Hosho's flight deck was extended to accept Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bombers and Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bombers, she was one of the few ships, to survived the war. After World War II she was used to transport Japanese personnel back to Japan from overseas areas until 1946 and later scrapped in 1947.

3.  Bill says:
17 Dec 2011 07:14:33 PM

HOSHO: FLYING PHOENIX

Hosho served with the Combined Fleet from
1922 to 1933 withdrawn from active fleet service and served as a training ship.
Returned to service during the Sino-Japanese
War and assigned duties along the China coast
Returned to Japan, in 1940 and returned for duties as a training ship.

After the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec.7, 1941 Hosho was assigned to 3rd Carrier Division along with Carrier Ryujo and took part in
minor operations, and saw action at Midway June 1942, returned to Japan and assigned to trainig duties, until the end of the war August 1945.
Serving away from the main fleet anchorages
saved her from being sunk by US Navy aircraft
but she did received bomb damage, but still afloat at wars end.
After WWII Hosho was used to transport both
Japanese troops and Civilians back to Japan
until 1946, in 1947 her transport duties over, she was scrapped in 1947.

4.  Alan Chanter says:
2 Apr 2015 11:18:38 AM

The first aircraft to make a take-off and landing on Japan's new aircraft-carrier, Hosho, was a Mitsubishi 1MF1 biplane naval fighter. The Mitsubishi 1MF1 was produced for the Mitsubishi Internal Combustion Engine Co. set up by the Mitsubishi industrial concern in 1920, and was one of three types designed by Herbert Smith, formerly of the British Sopwith company, to meet the Japanese Navy's requirement for carrier aircraft. The British connection did not end there - that initial flight, in February 1923, was made by a British pilot named Captain Jordan.