WW2 Japanese Aircraft Carriers Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This class of two carriers, the "Shokaku" and "Zuikaku", were two of the newest units commissioned before Pearl Harbor. Which ship was lost at Midway?

Answer: Neither

The sister ships "Shokaku" and "Zuikaku ", both commissioned in 1941, displaced 32,000 tons and carried 72 aircraft. Both fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May, 1942, but both ships were in port in Japan during the Battle of Midway in June, 1942.

The two sisters were the main fleet carriers for the Japanese Navy until 1944. "Shokaku" was sunk in June, 1944, by a U.S. submarine during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, while "Zuikaku" was sunk by aircraft in October, 1944, during the Battle off Cape Engano.

2. This carrier, the "Shoho", was the first Japanese carrier sunk in World War II. During which battle was she sunk?

Answer: Battle of the Coral Sea

The "Shoho" and her sister ship "Zuiho" were both converted to light carriers from submarine tenders. Displacing 11,260 tons and carrying 30 aircraft, the conversions were completed in early 1942. "Shoho" was sunk in May, 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, her first combat mission, while supporting the landings on New Guinea. "Zuiho" was lost at the battle off Cape Engano, part of the larger Battle of the Philippine Sea in October, 1944.

3. What was the name of the first Japanese carrier ever built?

Answer: "Hosho"

The "Hosho", completed in 1922, displaced 7,500 tons and carried 15 aircraft. It was the first ship designed as an aircraft carrier to be completed by any navy, as the first ship in the world to be designed as a carrier, the British "Hermes", was not completed until 1924. "Hosho" spent most of World War II as a training ship, then was used to repatriate Japanese soldiers until she was scrapped beginning in 1946.

4. This carrier was originally laid down as a battlecruiser, but was converted to an aircraft carrier under the terms of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. What was her name?

Answer: "Akagi"

The "Akagi" and her sister ship "Amagi" were both to be converted to carriers, but "Amagi" was damaged beyond repair in an earthquake in 1923. "Akagi" was paired with the "Kaga" as the First Striking Force. The ship participated in the Pearl Harbor attack and other early Japanese operations in World War II before she was lost in the Battle of Midway in June, 1942. "Akagi" carried 66 aircraft and weighed 41,000 tons.

5. The "Taiyo" class were the first escort carriers built by the Japanese Navy. Converted from cargo liners and used mostly as aircraft transport ships, how many units were completed?

Answer: Three

The "Taiyo" and her sister ships "Chuyo" and "Unyo" displaced 20,000 tons and could carry up to 30 aircraft, making them larger than comparable British or American escort carriers. The ships were used to ferry aircraft to island bases and for training duties. All three units were sunk by U.S. submarines; "Taiyo" in August, 1944, "Chuyo" in December, 1943, and "Unyo" in September, 1944.

6. This carrier was converted from a battleship while under construction in order to comply with the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. What was her name?

Answer: "Kaga"

Laid down in 1920 as a "Tosa" class battleship, "Kaga" was set to be scrapped under the terms of the Washington Treaty of 1922. When the hull of the "Amagi", a battlecruiser set to be converted to a carrier by the Treaty, was damaged by an earthquake, "Kaga" was chosen to be converted. "Kaga" was at Pearl Harbor and her planes bombed Darwin, Australia in February,1942. "Kaga" was sunk at Midway in June, 1942.

7. This ship, a light carrier built between 1929-1931, was the fourth aircraft carrier built by Japan. What was her name?

Answer: "Ryujo"

The "Ryujo" was a light carrier of 10,000 tons that carried 48 aircraft. Commissioned in 1933, she had to be rebuilt immediately after completion because she was top heavy. "Ryujo" was used to support Japanese landings in China, the Dutch East Indies, Singapore, and the Aleutian Islands. She was sunk in August, 1942, while supporting Japanese troops on Guadalcanal.

8. This Japanese carrier, the "Taiho", was the first unit designed with extensive belt armor and an armored flight deck. How was she sunk?

Answer: Torpedoed by submarine

The "Taiho" was designed to be able to absorb battle damage and still operate her air group. Commissioned in March, 1944, her first combat action was the June, 1944, Battle of the Philippine Sea. Struck by a single torpedo fired by an American submarine, the inexperienced crew responded poorly and the ship filled with fumes from ruptured fuel lines. "Taiho" was rocked by two explosions and sank soon after.

9. This carrier, "Soryu", was part of the force that attacked Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, and the Dutch East Indies. At which battle was she lost?

Answer: Midway

Commissioned in 1937, "Soryu" was with the Pearl Harbor assault force, then went on to support other Japanese operations. She was refitting and missed the Coral Sea battle, but was with the fleet at Midway. "Soryu" was hit by three bombs, which caused fires that could not be controlled. The crew abandoned the ship and "Soryu" was scuttled by Japanese destroyers.

10. These two carriers were originally laid down as passenger liners, but were acquired by the Japanese Navy in 1941 and converted. What was the name of the class?

Answer: "Hiyo" class

The "Hiyo" and her sister ship "Junyo", designed as luxury liners, were converted into carriers and completed in 1942. "Junyo" participated in the Aleutian Islands campaign, after which both vessels were sent to the Solomon Islands. Both ships were used as aircraft transport vessels in addition to their combat roles. "Hiyo" was sunk in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June, 1944, while "Junyo" was torpedoed by a submarine in December, 1944.

She was not repaired and was scrapped in 1946.

11. This carrier, originally meant to be a sister ship of the "Soryu", was the fourth Japanese carrier sunk at Midway. What was her name?

Answer: "Hiryu"

The "Hiryu" was supposed to be the second ship of the "Soryu" class, but was modified during construction, as several Japanese carriers were found to be top heavy. "Hiryu" also had her island on the port side, a feature shared only with the "Akagi". "Hiryu" was at Pearl Harbor, bombed Darwin, Australia, and took part in the raids on Ceylon in 1942.

She was hit by four bombs and set afire at Midway, and was deemed a total loss and scuttled by Japanese destroyers.

12. Designed as seaplane tenders but converted to carriers after Midway, the "Chitose" and "Chiyoda" were both sunk at which 1944 battle?

Answer: Battle off Cape Engano

Classified as light carriers, "Chitose" and "Chiyoda" carried 30 aircraft on a displacement of 15,000 tons. Since both planes and aircrew were in short supply by the summer of 1944, the two ships were used as decoys, hoping to lure American carriers away from the landings at Leyte so that surface forces could attack the beachheads.

At the Battle off Cape Engano in October, 1944, "Chitose" was sunk by U.S. aircraft, while "Chiyoda" was abandoned after being damaged by air strikes and finished off by U.S. surface forces.

13. Another carrier that was converted from a seaplane tender, the "Ryuho" had the distinction of being the last Japanese carrier to operate outside of home waters. What was her fate?

Answer: Scrapped in 1946

The "Ryuho" began life in 1934 as the submarine tender "Taigei". She was sent for conversion in December, 1941, and was completed in November, 1942. Due to her light construction and slow speed, "Ryuho" was used mostly as an aircraft transport. She fought in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, losing nearly all of her aircraft, before resuming her transport and training duties. "Ryuho" completed her final mission in January, 1945, and was scrapped in 1946.

14. This ship, originally intended to be the third "Yamato" class battleship, was converted to a carrier and was the largest carrier to serve in World War II. What was her name?

Answer: "Shinano"

Laid down in 1940, it was decided to convert the "Shinano" to a carrier after the losses suffered at the Battle of Midway. Since the ship was almost 45% completed, and much of the armor was fitted, she was designed as a support carrier, carrying spare planes, fuel, and stores to replenish fleet carriers at sea. On November 29, 1944, ten days after commissioning, "Shinano" was torpedoed and sunk by a U.S. submarine. She remains the largest ship ever sunk by a submarine. "Shinano" displaced 69,000 tons, a size not seen until the American "Forrestal" class of
"supercarriers" of the 1950s.

15. While not aircraft carriers in the strictest sense, these two battleships were converted into hybrid ships in 1943 by the removal of their aft gun turrets and the addition of catapults and flight decks. What were the names of these two ships?

Answer: "Ise" and "Hyuga"

Besides losing four fleet carriers and all of their planes at Midway, the Japanese also faced the problem of the number of veteran pilots lost. The "Ise" and "Hyuga " were modified in 1943 by the addition of a flight deck in place of their after turrets.

They were supposed to carry 22 floatplanes each, but neither ship ever had all of their aircraft. Both ships were placed in reserve in February,1945, and were scrapped in 1946.

Source: Author Reamar42

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The Imperial Japanese Navy was at the forefront of naval aviation after World War I, completing the first dedicated aircraft carrier. Their carrier fleet was the main striking force in the Pacific during World War II. What do you know about these ships?

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