W-255 IJN AIRCRAFT CARRIER 'CHITOSE'

Chitose was a Japanese light aircraft carrier, the keel of which was laid in 1934, launched in November 1936, and entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in July 1938. The ship was 192.5 m long, 20.8 m wide, and had a full displacement of 15,300 tons. The maximum speed of the aircraft carrier Chitose oscillated only around 28-29 knots, and its main armament consisted of 30 on-board planes. Originally, the Chitose was an ocean-going seaplane carrier, but was designed to be quickly converted to an aircraft carrier. The order for this ship was placed under the 1934 fleet expansion plan. As a result of the catastrophic losses suffered at Midway in June 1942, it was decided to convert Chitose into an aircraft carrier. Work continued for a large part of 1943. During World War II, Chitose began as a seaplane transport by supporting the landing of Japanese troops in the Philippines in December 1941, and later - in early 1942 - supporting the landing in Java. The ship took part in the Battle of Midway, but played a minor role there. In the second half of 1942, he fought in the battles for Guadalcanal. However, Chitose's career as an aircraft carrier was relatively short - in June 1944 he fought in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and in October he took part in the Battle of Leyte where he was sunk by American on-board planes.