Aoshima 04522 I.J.N. AIRCRAFT CARRIER UNYO

Unyo (Japanese: Cloud-Ripping Hawk) was a Japanese light aircraft carrier, the keel of which was laid in 1938, launched in October 1939, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in May 1942. The length of the ship was 180.4 m, width 22.5 m, and a full displacement of 19,800 tons. The maximum speed of the aircraft carrier Unyo was only around 21 knots, and its main armament consisted of 27 on-board planes.

Originally, the Unyo was a transatlantic liner called Yawata Maru belonging to one of the Japanese shipping lines, which was built at the Mitsbushi shipyards in Nagasaki. At the outbreak of the war with the USA, it was commandeered by the fleet and served as a transport unit, but in the period from November 1941 to May 1942, work was undertaken to convert it into an aircraft carrier. Due to its low maximum speed and a small air group, it can be classified as an escort aircraft carrier. During World War II, Unyo took a very limited part in combat operations. It served primarily as a training unit and often sailed with its sister ships Taiyo and Chuyo. Interestingly, during its service, Unyo withstood two torpedo attacks by American submarines, and only the third attack by the USS Barb in September 1944 led to the sinking of Unyo.