Akagi - World War II Japanese Aircraft Carrier
The Akagi (赤城) was a Japanese aircraft carrier that took part in the Battle of Pearl Harbor. It was destroyed on 5 June 1942 by planes of the US Navy during the Battle of Midway.
Akagi, a 34,364-ton aircraft carrier, was built at Kure, Japan. Begun as a battle cruiser, she was completed as one of Japan's first two large aircraft carriers in March 1927. Massively reconstructed in 1935-1938 to include an unusual port-side island and a full length flight deck, she was active off China during the next few years, and was flagship for the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
She also led other carriers on raids through the East Indies and the Indian Ocean, sinking the British carrier Hermes, driving the Allies out of Java and Sumatra and even getting to Darwin in Northern Australia.
She subsequently took part in carrier raids into the Indian Ocean area and was flagship of the carrier striking force during the Battle of Midway. On 4 June 1942, while operating northward of Midway, Akagi was hit by dive bombers from USS Enterprise and set afire. Damage control efforts were unsuccessful, and she was scuttled by Japanese destroyer torpedoes early the following day.
See also : World War II
Akagi (赤城) was a Japanese gunboat that saw service as a despatch vessel in Admiral Isokuru Ito's fleet at the Battle of Yalu River in 1894.
Akagi was laid down by builder Onohama of Kobe in June 1886, launched in August 1888, and completed in July 1890. Akagi was one of four vessels of the Maya class of gunboats. After serving in the Japanese fleet, Akagi was sold in 1912.
Armament was one 8.2-inch gun and one 4.7-inch gun. Akagi carried 60 tons of coal, had a maximum speed of around 12 knots and displaced 612 tons normal. The vessel was 135 feet from perpendicular to perpendicular in length, with a beam of 22 feet and draught of 8 feet 6 inches.
See also: Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War
