>The Special 2TL Type (特2TL型, Toku 2TL gata) was a class of auxiliary escort carriers built for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. They were converted from Type 2TL tankers. It is also called the Yamashio Maru (山汐丸) class in some western sources.>Only the name ship was completed during the war and she was sunk by American aircraft before she could be used.>In 1944, the Japanese Army, which had already converted two passenger liners into combined assault ship and aircraft carriers, decided to acquire its own escort carriers to provide aerial anti-submarine cover for troop convoys. It therefore chartered two partly built Type 2TL Tankers, Yamashio Maru and Chigusa Maru, for conversion to auxiliary escort carriers.[1]>The conversion was extremely simple, with a 107-metre (351 ft 1 in)-long flush flight deck added. There was no hangar, the ship's eight Ki-76s being stored on deck. Defensive armament consisted of sixteen 25 mm anti-aircraft guns, with a depth charge projector forward.[2]>Yamashio Maru commissioned on 27 January 1945 and was sunk at Yokohama harbor by US aircraft on 17 February.[2][3] Plans were drawn up for conversion to a coal-burning freighter,[1] but she was never used as a carrier. Her sister ships, Chigusa Maru and Zuiun Maru, were incomplete when Japan surrendered and served after the war as tankers:[2]>Chigusa Maru was sunk in 1945. The ship was repaired as tanker in 1945 and scrapped in Sasebo in June 1963. Zuiun Maru was scrapped in Oskata on 15 June 1964.The IJA also previously built the Type A and Type C Aircraft Carriers, the latter seems to be the first amphibious assault ship made since its aircraft complement included autogyro rotorcraft
>>64673282>attempt at building an aircraft carriers in WW2Attempt at building aircraft carriers*Changed the sentence without proper proofreading
>>64673282The army and navy wouldn't share their plans with each other and would drag their feet or go not my fucking problem when asked to provide troops or air cover for the opposing branch's operations. The army didn't know the navy lost at midway until later because the navy just couldn't be bothered to tell them. People think it's retarded to develop two militaries for two branches of the military, and it is, but you don't get to that point unless there's some genuine hate there which is why I always hate when people describe it as an inter service rivalry, imperial japan is the tier above
with Cat Launch, not reason carriers shouldn't be able to spit aircraft out from MULTIPLE DECKS!!!Plot twist: when The Japs finally give selves permission to build real carriers again......:)Seriously, with under-deck Cat Launch you'd basically double or triple effective size of Carrier.Plus comfy all weather, always perfect lighting, etc handling, arming, fueling, etc of planes to be launched. IMO would actually be safer, because you'd have vents and blow out panels, but also ROOF (and wall) MOUNTED FIRE SUPPRESSION. But mostly because of less accidents or even enemy strikes in the first place.Did I just stumble on to something big? :)Have entire under-landing deck be Cats, couple in front then others angling off to sides, maybe 6 total, not counting any Cats on top exposed recovery deck.Top deck would have two angled landing zones, because it could and mostly not used for launching.
>>64673282>IJA built their own aircraft carriersOnly thing that was surprising that it took them so long to try and compete with their mortal enemy, the IJN?
To operate military aircraft on converted aircraft carriers that lacked long flight decks and high speeds, a catapult (hydraulic) was required. The Japanese Navy was late in developing this technology, so the only converted aircraft carriers that could be considered effective were the large and fast Hiyo and Junyo.However, the tanker's ability to send out convoy escort aircraft was not so bad.
>>64673282They also built their own transport submarines. And not like one or two, but 38...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_3_submergence_transport_vehicle
