Mean Machine Pt 1

AKAGI

(Kure Dockyard, April 22nd, 1925)
Displacement: (1941) 36,500 tons (standard); 41,300 tons (full)
Complement: 1340
Length: 855.3 ft
Beam: 102.9 ft
Draught: 28.7 ft
Aircraft: 91
Guns:
4 x 8"/50 cal in 2 twin mountings(as built)
6 x 8"/50 cal in 6 single mountings(as built)
10 x 8"/50 cal in 10 single mountings(after mid 1930's reconstruction)
12 x 4.7"/45 cal in 6 twin mountings(as built)
16 x 5"/40 cal in 8 twin mountings(after mid 1930's reconstruction)
25+ x 25mm(after mid 1930's reconstruction)
30 x 13.2mm
MGArmour:
Main Side Belt 11" belt Deck Armour 0.5" to 2.3"
Flight Deck Armour 1.5"
Machinery: Geared turbines. S.H.P. 133,000 = 28.5 kts.4 shafts.
Fuel: Coal + oil.

Notes:
Originally laid down on 6th Dec., 1920, as battle cruider of 42,000 tons, but converted into aircraft carrier as result of Washington Treaty. Funnels are arranged on starboard side so that the foremost (which is internally divided into four) is trunked outward and downward amidships, while the second projects slightly above flight deck abaft of the first. Though she has accommodation for 50 planes, only about 30 are carried normally. There are 2 aircraft lifts on starboard side, one abaft funnels and a smaller one right astern.

Sister ship, Amagi, laid down at Yokosuka Dockyard, and launched late in 1922, was so badly damaged by earthquake and fire, September, 1923, that her construction was abandoned, and Kaga`s hull was appropriated to replace her.
Sunk in Battle of Midway 4/6/1942.





Pesa's additional notes:
I'm a big fan of WW2 including the naval battles. My favourite naval fleet would be the Imperial Japanese Navy. They have the most impressive fleet of all the warring nations. Altho it was defeated and wiped out in Battle of Midway, it's still by far the best fleet. This particular carrier is on of the 23 carriers in the IJN. It served as the flagship for Admiral Yamamoto taskforce responsible for the attack of Pearl Harbor alongside other carriers such as Kaga, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Soryu and Hiryu. Japanese carriers are by far the most gorgeous compared to other carriers of the American, British or Germany. Home to the 'air samurai' (kamikaze pilots of the Zero fighter and Kate divebombers), it's one of the reason the Japanese lost the naval battle after 2 years of the WW2. After the 2nd year, due to the unconventional and brave tactics of the pilots who dives down to enemy ship when they were shot down instead of tryin to bail out, Japan lost many of it experienced pilots and unable to sustain the depleted pilots.