The First and Last Day of the IJN Shinano

[a425couple]

This story was based on information provided by the book SHINANO by Captain
Joseph F. Enright with James W. Ryan. For a more complete and interesting
account of the saga of the SHINANO.
The First and Last Day of the
Imperial Japanese Navy Ship SHINANO
If it appears that the American Navy had the best claim to the Hard Luck
Ship title, certainly the Japanese Navy should have the right to be in the
running. Consider the Imperial Japanese Navy ship the SHINANO. When
completed in late 1944, it was the largest warship afloat. It was an
aircraft carrier of over 72,000 tons and with a steel flight deck that was
designed to withstand a hit from a thousand pound bomb. The flight deck
contained enough steel to build a conventional carrier of the day. The
SHINANO was a great ship in any man's navy.

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/solomon0/Shinano.htm

[Jim H.]

Post by a425couple
This story was based on information provided by the book SHINANO by Captain
Joseph F. Enright with James W. Ryan. For a more complete and interesting
account of the saga of the SHINANO.
The First and Last Day of the
Imperial Japanese Navy Ship SHINANO

....

Post by a425couple
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/solomon0/Shinano.htm

It's been years since I read the book 'Shinano'. IIRC one of the
items that was incomplete in Yokosuka was the watertight
stuffing around wireways and pipes. The material (rubber? mastic?)
was in short supply in Yokuska, possibly due the US sub blockade.
This compromised the Shinano's watertight compartmentalization,
and probably made any damage control efforts much less effective.

On a personal note, I was in the USN from '67-'71. The ship I served
on was home-ported in Yokosuka at the former IJN base and shipyard.
We often used the drydock where the Shinano had been built as a berth.
It lay close and parallel to a steep ridge that contained some
wartime tunnels, then gated off. I wish I had paid more attention
to them. But I can see how the IJN was able to keep the Shinano from
prying eyes, using cables and nets strung from the top of that
ridge.

Jim H.

[a425couple]

Post by a425couple
This story was based on information provided by the book SHINANO by
Captain Joseph F. Enright with James W. Ryan. For a more complete and
interesting account of the saga of the SHINANO.
The First and Last Day of the
Imperial Japanese Navy Ship SHINANO
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/solomon0/Shinano.htm

The above story contained some aspects a bit different
than most I had read before.
And now, this below, seems also notably different!!!
(Yeah, I know, SPOILER = she still sinks!)

"Sink the Shinano
Posted by HW on 29 Nov 2012 / 6 Comments
Published on November 29, 1944
The largest aircraft carrier built in all of World War II, Japan's
72,000 ton Shinano, was well on the way to achieving operational
status when the first B-29 Superfortress launched from Saipan and
made a reconnaissance flight over the ship in dry dock at Yokosuka.
Immediately, the Japanese Naval Command recognized that the
Shinano would have to be moved or it would soon be targeted
by the American heavy bombers.---"
http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/11/sink-the-shinano/

interesting " In retrospect, the loss of 50 Ohkas on the Shinano was
probably as important as the loss of the aircraft carrier itself, delaying
the introduction of the most deadly kamikaze aircraft of all time by nearly
five months until April 1945."

[Jim H.]

...

Post by a425couple

Post by a425couple
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/solomon0/Shinano.htm

The above story contained some aspects a bit different
than most I had read before.
And now, this below, seems also notably different!!!
(Yeah, I know, SPOILER = she still sinks!)
"Sink the Shinano
Posted by HW on 29 Nov 2012 / 6 Comments
Published on November 29, 1944

......

Post by a425couple
http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/11/sink-the-shinano/
interesting " In retrospect, the loss of 50 Ohkas on the Shinano was
probably as important as the loss of the aircraft carrier itself, delaying
the introduction of the most deadly kamikaze aircraft of all time by nearly
five months until April 1945."

As a further curiosity, the Historicwings story seems to slightly
contradict Wikipedia's version. Wiki has it that US Naval Intelligence
did not know of the Shinano's existence until after the war, despite
reading Japanese radio codes. Further, the Archerfish's skipper was
only credited with sinking a large tanker until after the war, since
the US didn't know of the Shinano.

I can't recall whether the book 'Shinano' had any mention of her Ohka
cargo or not.

Jim H.

[a425couple]

Post by Jim H.

Post by a425couple

Post by a425couple
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/solomon0/Shinano.htm

The above story contained some aspects a bit different
than most I had read before.
And now, this below, seems also notably different!!!
"Sink the Shinano
http://fly.historicwings.com/2012/11/sink-the-shinano/

As a further curiosity, the Historicwings story seems to slightly
contradict Wikipedia's version.

Yes, indeed, these versions vary consideably.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Shinano

and here is a forth:
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_cv_shinano.htm
that does not differ greatly from the wiki.
"Besides, almost ready hull of a battleship not allowed to place two-level
hangar, therefore it was necessary to manage one-level. Accordingly size
of air group of world largest aircraft carrier was only 42 (47 with spare)
aircraft. But the aviation ammunition stowage was very impressive. Partly
it spoke that it supposed to use Shinano as support carrier, intended for
cover of first line carrier forces and their replenishing by aircrafts and
ammunition."

and here is a fifth:
http://wikimapia.org/2226023/Wreck-of-the-HIJMS-Shinano-%E4%BF%A1%E6%BF%83

[Jim H.]

On Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 1:54:08 PM UTC-5, a425couple wrote:
...........

Post by a425couple
http://wikimapia.org/2226023/Wreck-of-the-HIJMS-Shinano-%E4%BF%A1%E6%BF%83

Now that one is truly interesting....

"The massive Shinano was immediately sighted by the USS Archerfish (SS-311),
an American Submarine ordered to find and sink the carrier sighted by Army
Air Force recon flights earlier in the month. "

That would contradict most other sources that have the Archerfish
on regular patrol and /or planeguard. It would also create issues
with claims that the US was unaware of the Shinano's existence
until after the war, and the captain's claim of sinking a
carrier being downrated to a large tanker.

Maybe it's just a nitpicky detail, but I do hate it when sources
differ so widely. I suppose one would have to go back to the
original log books to actually _know_. I have to wonder what
WWII history will look like after another 100 years of internet
'scholarship'.

On a related note, a quick search didn't turn up any record
of Shinano's wreck being visited, or photos of the wreck.
I'm surprised. But maybe I just feel an uncommon interest
in her due to the linkage thru Drydock #6 in Yokosuka.

Jim H.

[c***@gmail.com]

Post by a425couple
interesting " In retrospect, the loss of 50 Ohkas on the Shinano was
probably as important as the loss of the aircraft carrier itself, delaying
the introduction of the most deadly kamikaze aircraft of all time by nearly
five months until April 1945."
interesting " In retrospect, the loss of 50 Ohkas on the Shinano was
probably as important as the loss of the aircraft carrier itself, delaying
the introduction of the most deadly kamikaze aircraft of all time by nearly
five months until April 1945."

Disagree. Because the Betty carrier aircraft was so vulnerable, the vast
majority of Ohka's were lost without even being launched. Post-war analysis
found that at best they could claim a couple of destroyers sunk and a couple
damaged.

The most deadly Kamikaze aircraft of all time was the Zeke, because that
could live long enough to actually make it's dive and hit something. Of
course an enormous number of them were shot down as well, but they at least
did some damage.

Chris Manteuffel