Ryuho's speed, lack of an island for radar and communication, and small capacity limited her usefulness as a carrier. But it must be recognized that while training and ferrying aircraft were unglamorous, they were very necessary, and better Ryuho than one of the full-size/speed fleet carriers. Plus or minus Junyo and maybe Hiyo, the IJN's conversions of tenders and passenger liners did not do a lot beyond training and ferry duty until a bit late in the war.
Thank you so much for covering this cool light carrier! I never knew that she started her life as a sub-tender, or that she survived a typhoon before her conversion. On a personal note, I adore the look of the IJN flush deck carriers. Ryujo is a particular favorite, being the only one of her kind, and basically a Zuiho+. I had her demise confused with Chyoda during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, so i was surprised to hear about her not only surviving the war, but also being the last carrier to leave the Japanese home islands. Cheers for covering such a cool story about a stubborn light carrier! Also, how do you find some of these photos? The one of the pair of Hiyo class carriers at 12:02 I have never seen before, and the following image from the perspective of a tail gunner would probably look gorgeous if historically colorized. Always enjoy watching your vids, and to see the kind of feedback my comments receive! Can't wait for the next one!
My thought are lighters used to hoist camouflage netting. At 10:01 you can see several nearby all with the same type of setup. Tall scaffolding that looks to be higher than the flight deck. Perfect to hang nets or tarps. They don't appear to be very seaworthy with such a low free board negating use as target platforms.
Re the Mariana's Turkey shoot, I come to believe that the disastrous results of it had not much to do with inexperience of japanese aviators. The Pearl Harbor Kido Butai's strike force wouldn't have fared better against perfected radar controlled intercepts of mass Hellcats with experienced pilots far out from any targets. The US Navy simply had surpassed the IJN in carrier operations to such an extent (except range) that there was no way this could have succeeded
Agreed. Even FM-2 Wildcats had better times operating with escort carriers, but with a task group CIC guiding them by radar. The Air intercept officer may be on a destroyer, but with Radar eyes, he had a good grip on things.
The IJN light carriers may never get the high glory of the fleet ones. But they were very useful and important boats for the IJN in training and ferrying aircraft and supplies across their empire.
I've always like ryuho, speed wise she would have paired well with Hiyo and Junyo as a regular group or as fighter cover for the Fuso or Ise class battleships.
Outwardly, one of the most bizarre-looking ships (at least from the OUTSIDE) I have EVER seen. In BOTH configurations. The "Submarine Tender" version is particularly interesting; she looks like the offspring of an ocean liner and a warship.
US: I just torp you Ryuho: Tit but a scratch US: A Scratch? Your listing heavily Ryuho: No I’m not US: Clearly you are 1945 Ryuho: *Get hit by 3 bombs and 2 Rockets.* US: Now you’re so decommissioned Ryuho: Just a flesh wound US: Oh FFS
Wouldn't say build more so rebuild, France to be fair was limited on what they could do since their country had been physically devastated and their economy didn't do much better either after the war, also Bearn was the countries first carrier which should be it should be judged by similar ones such as Langley, Argus maybe even Eagle and not the later ones such as those converted from faster ships such as the Lexingtons or either Kaga or Akagi.
Ryuho's speed, lack of an island for radar and communication, and small capacity limited her usefulness as a carrier. But it must be recognized that while training and ferrying aircraft were unglamorous, they were very necessary, and better Ryuho than one of the full-size/speed fleet carriers. Plus or minus Junyo and maybe Hiyo, the IJN's conversions of tenders and passenger liners did not do a lot beyond training and ferry duty until a bit late in the war.
Thank you so much for covering this cool light carrier! I never knew that she started her life as a sub-tender, or that she survived a typhoon before her conversion. On a personal note, I adore the look of the IJN flush deck carriers. Ryujo is a particular favorite, being the only one of her kind, and basically a Zuiho+. I had her demise confused with Chyoda during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, so i was surprised to hear about her not only surviving the war, but also being the last carrier to leave the Japanese home islands.
Cheers for covering such a cool story about a stubborn light carrier! Also, how do you find some of these photos? The one of the pair of Hiyo class carriers at 12:02 I have never seen before, and the following image from the perspective of a tail gunner would probably look gorgeous if historically colorized. Always enjoy watching your vids, and to see the kind of feedback my comments receive! Can't wait for the next one!
Great work Skynea, I've always admired those small Japanese light carriers.
"They pulled a Halsey..." almost had me spit my drink out on my laptop.
He has an interesting way with words!
Very interesting. A few years back I built a 1/700 scale model of this ship, attracted to it because of its unusual design. Now I know why
Wonderful
I was just researching this! How delightful.
How did they steer the ship with no island? I don't understand why some of the carriers were built that way.
Ryuho actually survived the war damaged at Kure.
Good stuff.Thanks for the history lesson.
Would love to see you do something on the IJN Ryujo. Thanks in advance.
I wonder what that weird scaffold barge thing moored next to her at 10:01 is. Maybe a floating target barge?
There is a better view at 15:16. Not a barge, a tender/lighter of some kind?
My thought are lighters used to hoist camouflage netting. At 10:01 you can see several nearby all with the same type of setup. Tall scaffolding that looks to be higher than the flight deck. Perfect to hang nets or tarps. They don't appear to be very seaworthy with such a low free board negating use as target platforms.
@@ItsAlwaysRusty sounds likely
Re the Mariana's Turkey shoot, I come to believe that the disastrous results of it had not much to do with inexperience of japanese aviators. The Pearl Harbor Kido Butai's strike force wouldn't have fared better against perfected radar controlled intercepts of mass Hellcats with experienced pilots far out from any targets. The US Navy simply had surpassed the IJN in carrier operations to such an extent (except range) that there was no way this could have succeeded
Agreed. Even FM-2 Wildcats had better times operating with escort carriers, but with a task group CIC guiding them by radar. The Air intercept officer may be on a destroyer, but with Radar eyes, he had a good grip on things.
The IJN light carriers may never get the high glory of the fleet ones.
But they were very useful and important boats for the IJN in training and ferrying aircraft and supplies across their empire.
I've always like ryuho, speed wise she would have paired well with Hiyo and Junyo as a regular group or as fighter cover for the Fuso or Ise class battleships.
Great job!!
Outwardly, one of the most bizarre-looking ships (at least from the OUTSIDE) I have EVER seen. In BOTH configurations. The "Submarine Tender" version is particularly interesting; she looks like the offspring of an ocean liner and a warship.
Thanks
'Pulled a Halsey'.
I like that.
☮
The torpedo damaged was repaired in under 2 months kinda suggests the damage was more moderate than severe.
Given that you mentioned Hiyo, I'd suggest covering her and her sister Junyo.
So there is a history behind the JDF’s Helicopter Destroyers. 🤔🤔🤔
yeah, I think I see why it is overlooked....
US: I just torp you
Ryuho: Tit but a scratch
US: A Scratch? Your listing heavily
Ryuho: No I’m not
US: Clearly you are
1945
Ryuho: *Get hit by 3 bombs and 2 Rockets.*
US: Now you’re so decommissioned
Ryuho: Just a flesh wound
US: Oh FFS
Ryuho is lesser known but it should be mentioned more as one of the worst aircraft carriers ever built next to Bearn.
Wouldn't say build more so rebuild, France to be fair was limited on what they could do since their country had been physically devastated and their economy didn't do much better either after the war, also Bearn was the countries first carrier which should be it should be judged by similar ones such as Langley, Argus maybe even Eagle and not the later ones such as those converted from faster ships such as the Lexingtons or either Kaga or Akagi.
Bet the Japanese wished they had another carrier and air wing but had sent the Ryuho was sent on a fairy run.
😮
That was then. Now Japan has Helicopter Carriers 😅😅😅
Some of them are destroyers... equipped with F-35. 🤣🤣
... currently being converted into full light carriers in a curious repetition of history... one of which is the new Kaga!
Japanese had weird looking carriers.
DANFS has a tendency to over dramatize action, so I'd rather trust japanese sources.