Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku

Shōkaku was a Shōkaku-class aircraft carrier, operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship was named after 翔鶴. Yokosuka Naval Arsenal laid her keel on 12 December 1937. Launched on 1 June 1939, she entered service on 8 August 1941.

She was one of two ships of her class. The class followed the Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryū and was succeeded by the Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō.

Displacement was 25,675 long tons standard and 32,105 long tons at full load. She measured 257.5 m (845 ft) long with a beam of 26 m (85 ft). Her designed speed was 34.2 knots, and she carried a complement of 1,660.

Her main battery was 16 127 mm (5 in) guns in eight twin mountings. She carried 72 aircraft. Her machinery developed 160,000 shp.

She was in commission for 1,046 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 19 June 1944 by torpedo, at 11°40′N 137°40′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.