Shinshu Maru
Encyclopedia
Shinshu Maru (神州丸) was a ship of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II
. She was the world's first landing craft
carrier ship to be designed as such, and a pioneer of modern-day amphibious assault ship
s.
.
In addition, Shinshu Maru could carry landplanes in a hangar within her superstructure; these aircraft could be launched by catapult to support amphibious assaults, but could not return to the ship, and must (hopefully) land on captured airfields instead.
These concepts pioneered by Shinshu Maru persist to the current day, in the U.S. Navy's LHA and LHD amphibious assault ships.
, Shinshu Maru was heavily damaged by a US air attack; after the ship was abandoned she was sunk by the .
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was the world's first landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
carrier ship to be designed as such, and a pioneer of modern-day amphibious assault ship
Amphibious assault ship
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
s.
Design features
Shinshu Maru was a significant advance in amphibious warfare, having incorporated numerous innovative features, and as such she was shrouded in a veil of secrecy throughout her existence. She could carry 29 s, 25 s and 4 armoured gunboats, to be launched from a floodable well deckWell deck
A well deck or well dock is a hangar-like deck located at the waterline in the stern of some amphibious warfare ships. By taking on water the ship can lower its stern, flooding the well deck and allowing boats and amphibious landing craft to dock within the ship. This facilitates moving cargo...
.
In addition, Shinshu Maru could carry landplanes in a hangar within her superstructure; these aircraft could be launched by catapult to support amphibious assaults, but could not return to the ship, and must (hopefully) land on captured airfields instead.
These concepts pioneered by Shinshu Maru persist to the current day, in the U.S. Navy's LHA and LHD amphibious assault ships.
Fate
On 3 January 1945, while returning to Takao after a supply mission to Leyte IslandLeyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
, Shinshu Maru was heavily damaged by a US air attack; after the ship was abandoned she was sunk by the .
External links
- Landing Craft Carrier "Shinshu Maru"
- "A Japanese Warship Question"—Axis History Forum