Japanese aircraft carrier Chiyoda

Chiyoda in 1944 after conversion into an aircraft carrier
History
Empire of Japan
Name:	Chiyoda
Namesake:	Japanese for "field of a thousand generations"
Ordered:	1934
Builder:	Kure Naval Arsenal
Laid down:	14 December 1936 as seaplane carrier
Launched:	19 November 1937
Commissioned:	15 December 1938
Recommissioned:	21 December 1943
Reclassified:	15 December 1943 as light carrier
Refit:	1942 to 1944
Fate:	Sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 25 October 1944.
General characteristics
Class and type:	Chitose-class aircraft carrier
Displacement:	11,200 long tons (11,400 t) (standard) 15,300 long tons (15,500 t) (full load)
Length:	192.5 m (631 ft 7 in)
Beam:	20.8 m (68 ft 3 in)
Draft:	7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	56,000 shp (42,000 kW)
Propulsion:	2 × geared steam turbines 2 × shafts
Speed:	28.9 kn (53.5 km/h; 33.3 mph)
Complement:	800
Armament:	Seaplane tender: 4 × 12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval guns 12 × Type 96 25 mm AA gunss Aircraft carrier 8 × 12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval guns 30-48 × Type 96 25 mm AA guns
Aircraft carried:	Seaplane tender 24 × floatplanes Aircraft carrier: 30 × aircraft
Aviation facilities:	Seaplane tender: 4 × catapults Aircraft carrier: 2 × elevators

Chiyoda (千代田^?) was a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Originally constructed as the second vessel of the Chitose-class seaplane tenders in 1934, she continued to operate in that capacity during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the early stages of the Pacific War until her conversion into a light aircraft carrier after the Battle of Midway. She was sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf by a combination of naval bombers, cruiser shellfire and destroyer-launched torpedoes.

The Chitose-class seaplane tenders were procured by the Imperial Japanese Navy under the 2nd Naval Armaments Supplement Programme of 1934 as purpose-built ships, whereas their predecessors were all conversions of merchant or auxiliary ship designs. During the 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Navy made increasing use of naval aviation as scouts for its cruiser and destroyer squadrons. Due to restrictions imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty and London Naval Treaty, the number of aircraft carriers was strictly regulated; however, there was no limitation as to seaplane tenders.

Chiyoda was designed from the start on the premise that the design from the waterline upwards could be modified to suit a variety of missions. The hull and engine design was based on a high speed oiler, with a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), but the ship was completed as a seaplane tender, with four aircraft catapults for launching seaplanes, and cranes for recovering landed aircraft on her aft deck. As designed, Chiyoda carried a complement of Kawanishi E7K Type 94 "Alf" and Nakajima E8N Type 95 "Dave" floatplanes. Her armament consisted of four 12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval guns and twelve Type 96 25 mm AA guns.