| Hiryū was 1 of 2 large carriers approved for construction under the 1931 – 1932 Supplementary Program. Originally designed as the sister ship of Sōryū, her design was enlarged and modified in light of incidents in 1934-1935 that revealed many Imperial Japanese Navy ships were top-heavy, unstable and structurally weak. Her forecastle was raised and her hull strengthened. Other changes involved increasing her beam, displacement, and armor protection. Following the Japanese ship-naming conventions for aircraft carriers, Hiryū was named “Flying Dragon.” The ship was laid down at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on July 8, 1936, launched on November 16, 1937, and commissioned on July 5, 1939. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2240.jpg |
| Image Size | 372.80 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2915 x 1764 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | July 5, 1939 |
| Location | |
| City | Yokosuka |
| State or Province | Kanagawa |
| Country | Japan |
| Archive | Kure Maritime Science Museum |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
Author of the World War II Multimedia Database