IJN Settsu (CVE-1912 (1926-mod))

Return to Japanese Navy page:

The Settsu, like many of the other older Japanese pre-dreadnoughts and battleships, was required by the Washington Treaty to be either demilitarised or converted to other duties. The Settsu being over 500 feet in length the Japanese decided to convert the ship to carry aircraft as they had done with the Akagi and Kaga but the Setsu would be a support ship to those two aircraft carriers. The Hosho was also under construction as Japans first purpose built aircraft carrier. The Hosho and Settsu would have very few opportunities of their own for achieving glory as they would both spend most of their time in the Inland Sea providing training decks for pilots to land and take off from.

With only one hangar deck and one elevator, aircraft handling could be slow. The limited number of aircraft carried, 14-18 depending on type, meant that to get all aircraft on deck only took just over 30 minutes. Single 5" and twin 25mm were fitted as the ships gun armament. These were augmented in 1943 by the fitting of another 4 triple 25mm mountings and 8 single 25mm weapons.

From early 1943 the Settsu was used as a convoy escort for the valuable tanker convoys from Sumatra to Japan. It was during this period that the Settsu had its first taste of victory when its aircraft assisted in the destruction of three US submarines and several small surface ships. Before the use of the Settsu these types of attacks had cost Japan several very valuable tankers. The Settsu was returned to training duties once the new escort carriers of the Kaiyo type came into service.


 

Settsu as a battleship in 1919. The guns removed from the ship were stockpiled and later used to build the Kasagi class large cruisers.
Below. Original drawing for Settsu CVE using a two prop hull instead of the real  hull.

Return to Japanese Navy page: