Nitta Maru
Encyclopedia
The was a Japan
ese ocean liner
owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha
. The ship was built in 1938-1940 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Co.
at Nagasaki, Japan
. The vessel's pre-war design anticipated passenger service; but when work was completed, the onset of war had created somewhat different priorities.
The vessel was created as a sister ship of the Yawata Maru
, and the Kasuga Maru
. None of the three survived the Second World War. Each in succession was re-fitted as a troopship; and each was later converted to an aircraft carrier. In 1941, Kasuga Maru was re-commissioned as the Japanese aircraft carrier Taiyō
and in 1942, the Yawata Maru was recommissioned as the Japanese aircraft carrier Unyō
.
In November 1942, the Nitta Maru was recommissioned as the Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō
.
When first launched, this ship was named after an important Shinto shrine.
The 17,163-ton vessel had a length of 560 feet (170 m), and her beam was 74 feet (22.5 m). The ship had an average speed of 19-knots.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha
Nippon Yusen
Japan-based or NYK Line, is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. It is a core Mitsubishi company. The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo.-1870-1900:...
. The ship was built in 1938-1940 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Co.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
at Nagasaki, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The vessel's pre-war design anticipated passenger service; but when work was completed, the onset of war had created somewhat different priorities.
The vessel was created as a sister ship of the Yawata Maru
Yawata Maru
The was a Japanese ocean liner owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha. The ship was built in 1938-1940 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Nagasaki, Japan...
, and the Kasuga Maru
Kasuga Maru
The was a Japanese ocean liner owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha. The ship was built in 1938-1940 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Nagasaki, Japan...
. None of the three survived the Second World War. Each in succession was re-fitted as a troopship; and each was later converted to an aircraft carrier. In 1941, Kasuga Maru was re-commissioned as the Japanese aircraft carrier Taiyō
Japanese aircraft carrier Taiyo
Taiyō was the lead ship of Taiyō-class of escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.-Construction and Conversion:...
and in 1942, the Yawata Maru was recommissioned as the Japanese aircraft carrier Unyō
Japanese aircraft carrier Unyo
Unyō was a Taiyō-class escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.-Construction and conversion:The liner of the shipping line Nippon Yusen, laid down in the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki in December 1938, launched in October 1939 and commissioned in July 1940, was...
.
In November 1942, the Nitta Maru was recommissioned as the Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō
Japanese aircraft carrier Chuyo
Chūyō was a Taiyō-class escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.-Construction and Conversion:The was an ocean liner of the Nippon Yusen shipping line, laid down in the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki in May 1938, launched in May 1939 and commissioned on 23 March 1940...
.
When first launched, this ship was named after an important Shinto shrine.
History
The ship was built by Mitsubishi at Nagasaki on the southern island of Kyushu. The Nitta Maru was launched on May 20, 1939. She left port on March 23, 1940 on her maiden voyage.The 17,163-ton vessel had a length of 560 feet (170 m), and her beam was 74 feet (22.5 m). The ship had an average speed of 19-knots.
See also
- List of ocean liners
- Japanese aircraft carrier ChūyōJapanese aircraft carrier ChuyoChūyō was a Taiyō-class escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.-Construction and Conversion:The was an ocean liner of the Nippon Yusen shipping line, laid down in the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki in May 1938, launched in May 1939 and commissioned on 23 March 1940...
- List of Japanese hell ships