Surprisingly enough she stayed in active service until 1944, closing out her career launching Seafires and Barracudas in attacks against the Tirpitz in Norway.
In 1942 with Sea Hurricanes on her deck:
Seafires and Barracudas on her in 1944:
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Ship Photo of the Day
- Thread starter Randy Daytona
- Start date
Surprisingly enough she stayed in active service until 1944, closing out her career launching Seafires and Barracudas in attacks against the Tirpitz in Norway.
In 1942 with Sea Hurricanes on her deck:
Seafires and Barracudas on her in 1944:
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was at the extreme range of their fleet. Every ship was crammed with extra fuel, and 8 (some say 9) oilers accompanied the fleet. Of note, was that at sea refueling had only started to be practiced shortly before the 3,500 mile voyage across the Pacific.
One of the oilers was IJN Nippon Maru, which was 525 ft long with a beam of 65 ft and a displacement of 10,000 tons. Diesel power through a single shaft gave about 19 knots. She was everywhere in WW2, until sunk by the submarine USS Scamp in January 1944.
Kyokutō Maru (left), Kokuyō Maru, Nippon Maru and Shinkoku Maru (right) on 1 December 1941
Nippon Maru in June 1943
Kyokutō Maru and carrier Hiryū in May or June 1942
Kokuyō Maru and cruiser Tone on 17 June 1944
(Notice the distinct profile of the heavy cruiser Tone with all 4 of its twin 8" guns forward. It was the Tone's seaplane, launched late due to a mechanical delay, that found the US fleet at Midway.
One of the oilers was IJN Nippon Maru, which was 525 ft long with a beam of 65 ft and a displacement of 10,000 tons. Diesel power through a single shaft gave about 19 knots. She was everywhere in WW2, until sunk by the submarine USS Scamp in January 1944.
Kyokutō Maru (left), Kokuyō Maru, Nippon Maru and Shinkoku Maru (right) on 1 December 1941
Nippon Maru in June 1943
Kyokutō Maru and carrier Hiryū in May or June 1942
Kokuyō Maru and cruiser Tone on 17 June 1944
(Notice the distinct profile of the heavy cruiser Tone with all 4 of its twin 8" guns forward. It was the Tone's seaplane, launched late due to a mechanical delay, that found the US fleet at Midway.