Talk:Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō

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Changed the number of aircraft to 61 instead of 84, as what was written in Japanese wikipedia. While it is possible that neither side is right, this is nonetheless an IJN carrier so I think the Japanese should be closer to her real complement.

Changed number of aircraft in the summary box from 52 (+1) to 63, for two reasons. First, this matches the article text more closely; the text says 65. (It would be great if a reference was provided for this number of aircraft given prior to the Battle of the Philippine Sea.) Second, Samuel Eliot Morison's History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, volume VIII (New Guinea and the Marianas), Appendix III, p 416 says that among them Taiho, Zuikaku, and Shokaku carried 207 aircraft prior to the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Assuming the same complement on Shokaku and Zuikaku that they took to Pearl Harbor--72 aircraft each--that leaves 63 for Taiho. So she could carry at least that many. Sonofmartha (talk) 01:32, 11 May 2009 (UTC)

Taiho's Aircraft Capacity

I've added a reference source for the 65-plane figure (just prior to the Battle of the Philippine Sea). I also agree we ought to modify the current summary box figure. Maybe we need to distinguish between planned/theoretical capacity (53) and actual/historical operating capacity (65). Just giving a single number can be misleading.Sturmdivision (talk) 15:35, 14 May 2009 (UTC)

Casualties on the Taiho

There seems to be some debate about the number of casualties on Taiho. The Wiki article states: “After he [Ozawa] left, Taiho was torn by a second thunderous explosion and sank stern first at 1628, carrying down 1,650 officers and men out of a complement of 2,150.” [Note that the information contained in the General Characteristics box at the top of the Wiki page lists the complement as 1,751, not 2,150].

However, according to Jon Parshall, Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp, & Allyn Nevitt http://www.combinedfleet.com/Taiho.htm , which is provided as an external link at the bottom of the Wiki article: “Destroyers ISOKAZE, WAKATSUKI and HATSUZUKI rescue over 1,000 officers and men, including Captain Kikkuchi Tomozo; but about 1/3 of the complement - 28 officers and 632 petty officers and men - are lost. Note 1: The above casualty figure is considerably less than usually quoted figure of 1,650 from a crew of 2,150, but comes directly from Japanese sources and arguably fits the facts of the sinking better. As further proof, the SHOKAKU is expressly stated as having suffered far greater loss and this does not accord if the conventional [1,650] figure was accepted.” I have seen this 1,650 figure in other publications and on other web sites as well.

One wonders why, if the casualty figure was so high, Captain Kikkuchi Tomozo did avail himself of the opportunity to go down with his new ship and his men. Apparently, Admiral Ozawa had wanted to. StyloK (talk) 00:13, 10 August 2010 (UTC)

Report of Dead External Link

The following external link does not work:

Japanese Warships - Taihō StyloK (talk) 00:13, 17 August 2010 (UTC)