By Joseph Ed. Low, and Sander Kingsepp.
This is the second of a series of articles that explores the history of aircraft launching devices used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) that will be featured on the NGB (Naval General Board) website. The series started with flying-off platforms and will eventually also cover catapults.
The next experiment which involved launching aircraft from IJN warships using a flying-off platform occurred in March of 1919 and involved the seaplane carrier Wakamiya, [1]
Since Wakamiya was one of the earliest IJN ships working with aircraft, she was the natural ship chosen to conduct these early tests. However, since takeoff was from a platform, seaplanes had to be substituted with a land-based aircraft – an 80-hp Sopwith Pup with wheels. During that event, Lt Torao Kuwabara successfully flew from an 18-m wooden flying-off platform with a 3° downslope constructed on the bow of the seaplane carrier with a 20-knots headwind [1] [3]. Another test launch took place on June 22, 1920, when the platform was lengthened to 22.9-m.
The next launching trials with flying-off platform occurred on the battleship Yamashiro on March 28th and 29th of 1922 at Sarushima Bight off Yokosuka.
This again involved a 19-m flying-off platform constructed on top of her main turret #2, although no hangar was involved as there was no space for such a structure. However, a derrick was added again on the starboard side of her forebridge for moving the aircraft on to the ship and from the deck to the flying-off platform.
Since she also utilized a take-off platform, another land plane consisting of at least three Sparrowhawk IIIs (J.N.435, 436, etc) took part in these tests [3]. When not being launched, the aircrafts were temporarily stored on her forecastle deck. British pilot and instructor Captain William Forbes-Sempill was apparently involved as was Lt. Torao Kuwabara.
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References
| [1] | M. Ledet, Samourai sur Port-Avions, Outreau: Lela Presse, 2005. |
| [2] | Ships of The World Volume 552, Tokyo: Kaijinsha Co., Ltd., 1999. |
| [3] | E. Lacroix, Japanese Cruisers of The Pacific War, Annapolis: The United States Naval Institute, 1997. |
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