in 1932 the Asagiri now named the unryu was the kantai navy first Aircraft carrier, with a Complement 19 aircraft carrier she was the pride of the kantai navy.
recommissioned: 18 June 1932
Decommissioned: 27 February 1948
Struck: 30 February 1948
Fate: Sold 19 July 1948
Status: Broken up for scrap
General characteristics
Displacement: 23.500 long tons (22,400 t) (normal)
Length: 616 ft (188.6m) (o/a)
Beam: 88 ft 5 in (27.2 m)
Draft:29.1 ft (8.9 m)
Installed power:40,000 shp (30,000 kW)toumaci
24 × toumaci water-tube boilers
Propulsion: 4 × shafts 2 × Brown-Curtis steam turbine sets
Speed: 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Armament:
4 × twin TYPE 13 12cm/45 (120mm)
4 × twin TYPE 25 4cm/62 (40mm)
After modernization:
Armament:
4 × twin TYPE 32 12cm/40 (127mm)
6× triple TYPE 36 2cm/60 (25mm)
6× single 20mm mk10 (20mm)
Armour:
Waterline belt: 305–102 mm (12–4 in)
Deck: 15 mm (0.5 in)
Bulkheads: 305–102 mm (12–4 in)
Aircraft carried: 19
in 1934 the japanese army and navy launched a invasion of the kantai islands,the unryu was the only ship to sink a japanese vessels,
this ship was the Nashi a Momi-class destroyers.
unryu began the Pacific War in the Third Carrier Division assigned to the 1st Fleet under Vice Admiral Shirō Takasu. The carrier, captained by Daichi Fukumoto, was tasked along with Zuihō and Hōshō to provide air support, including scouting, anti-submarine patrols, and combat air patrol for the Combined Fleet's "Main Body" battle-line of six battleships: Nagato, Mutsu, Fusō, Yamashiro, Ise, and Hyūga.
in 1941 unryu recieved a blue paintscheme to reduce visibility from the air. On 29 May 1942, unryu sortied from Japan with the rest of the fleet for the operation which resulted in the Battle of Midway, providing modest air protection, scouting, and anti-submarine support for the Main Body, now consisting of the battleships Yamato, Nagato, and Mutsu. Her aircraft complement for the operation consisted of eight obsolete Yokosuka B4Y carrier attack aircraft (torpedo bombers).
On 15 January 1943, the 50th Air Flotilla was created for carrier aircrew training, unryu Hōshō and Ryūhō were assigned to the new unit. The two ships provided carrier landing training and served as target ships for torpedo training. In January 1944 the unryu was recall
to kantai islands home waters to reinforce japanese troops stop in a full-scale rebellion.
by may 1944 the kantai islands were now now free of the Japanese puppet state and declared war on Japan, an alliance between United States and kantai islands was signed no june 21 1944 in Washington, D.C.
in july 1944 unryu was the first kantai navy ship to sortied with U.S ships.
in 1945 After her return to kantai islands, unryu was transferred to the second Fleet, unofficially assigned to the training fleet, and officially assigned in October. She conducted flight training the Inland Sea for aircraft that flew in from shore bases, since no aircraft were based on board unryu
In December 1945 unryu undertook more repatriation missions beginning with one to Wewak on 5 January 1946 and subsequent trips to China. In total, the carrier made nine repatriation trips before 15 August 1946 and transported about 35,000 passengers, in February 1948
unryu was Decommissioned and She was scrapped in Fuyuki.