IJN AIRCRAFT CARRIER SHINANO

Shinano was a Japanese aircraft carrier, the keel of which was laid in May 1940, launched in October 1944, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in November 1944. The length of the ship was 266 m, the width of the launch deck was 38.9 m, and the full displacement was 71,900 tons. The maximum speed of the aircraft carrier Shinano was 27 knots, and its main armament was to be as many as 120 on-board planes! The Shinano was originally built as the third of the Yamato series of battleships, but work was halted as early as December 1940. They were returned to them only in 1942, but continued with the intention of transforming Shinano into an aircraft carrier - the on-board artillery was replaced by fuel tanks and spare parts stores. At the time of launching, it was the largest aircraft carrier in history! However, this large unit did not actually take part in World War II, because during its maiden voyage from Yokosuki to the base in Kure, despite the cover of destroyers, it was torpedoed by the American submarine USS Archerfish - four torpedoes reached the target, as a result of which 29 November 1944, Shinano sank.