17 November, 1944 IJN Shinyo aircraft complement

[IndyShark]

The IJN Shinyo was sunk on Novermber 17th, 1944 by the USS Spadefish. I have seen reports that the Shinyo had between 33 and 55 aircraft when she was sunk. She was operating Kates in ASW mode prior to her loss and could have been used as a transport to carry extra aircraft. Does anyone know what type of planes and how many she was carrying at that time?

[spence]

The Japanese CVEs spent almost all of their time transporting aircraft as opposed to operating aircraft. IIRC the only mention of actually operating aircraft I found in the TROMs of the IJN CVEs at CombinedFleet.com was the single mention that SHINYO had recovered at least one ASW aircraft just before she was torpedoed.

[IndyShark]

I saw the same thing. I was hoping to find out more.

[JuanG]

Looking backwards in that same TROM at http://www.combinedfleet.com/Shinyo.htm shows that she was carrying 14 B5N from 9th Nov onward. As she was sunk on the 17th Nov, and as noted was still operating B5N's, its possible that this was what she had aboard at the time of her loss - if these planes were all she had or just a reinforcement is not noted.