**SOLD**
48” L x 15”H x 8” W
The Japanese Empire had plans to build three huge battleships: Yamato, scheduled for completion on December 16, 1941; Musashi, scheduled for completion on August 5, 1942: and Shinano, which was converted to an aircraft carrier and initially scheduled for completion in January 1945. The conversion was primarily caused due to losses of Japanese Carrier Forces at the battles of Midway and the Coral Sea. Shinano had the distinction of being the largest aircraft carrier ever built until the commissioning of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise in 1961. Shinano was floated out of her dock at Yokosuka Navy Yard on November 11, 1944, and commissioned on November 19. On November 28, Shinano, escorted by four destroyers, sailed for Kure for further outfitting. Sealing of holes for electric cables, pipelines, and ventilation ducts had not been completed. The crew also had little training in damage control procedures.
Shinano had only been at sea for a few hours when it was sighted by USS Archer-Fish, a Balao-class submarine under the command of Commander Joseph F. Enright. At 03:17, Archer-Fish fired six torpedoes. The inexperienced crew was unable to contain the flooding and Shinano sank at 11:00. For the remainder of the war, the Japanese high command kept the sinking a secret.
From the Confidential/Declassified Ship and Related Targets, Reports of Damage to Japanese Warships – Article 2, 06 January 1946 Section V – THE LOSS OF SHINANO (CV), A. Narrative, Item 15, “The Damage Control Officer, who had been on the bridge with the Commanding Officer, swam off as she rolled over. The Assistant Damage Control Officer went out a port hanger door, walked around the girth to the keel, climbing over the large bilge keel in passing, and swam away.” |
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