Hōshō was the world's first commissioned ship that was built as an aircraft carrier, and the first aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Commissioned in 1922, the ship was used for testing c
Aerial view of Hōshō as completed in December 1922
Hōshō conducts full-power trials with funnels swiveled up near Tateyama, Japan, on 4 December 1922
A view of the underside of Hōshō's narrow flight deck looking from the forecastle forward, October 1945
Hōshō (middle) compared with other aircraft carriers constructed during the same time period
HMS Hermes (95)
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HMS Hermes was a British aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy and was the world's first ship to be designed as an aircraft carrier, although the Imperial Japanese Navy's Hōshō was the first to be
Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō
…of 1918. A planned sister ship, named Shokaku, was cancelled in 1922 before any construction started. Hōshō was the second warship, after the British HMS Hermes, to be built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier, but was launched and completed earlier than Hermes. Hōshō was initially designed as a seaplane…
Hermes off Yantai, China, circa 1931
HMS Hermes at Honolulu, 1924
Hermes in 1938
Hermes and HMS Dorsetshire escorting a convoy in June 1940