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Local Yokel -> Hey, mister, please may we have our torpedoes back! (3/28/2009 11:42:55 PM)
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Thought I'd revive this one because of its earlier posts about Japanese CVL's not being torpedo strike-capable, and ways of reproducing this in the game.
Well, maybe that was all a bit premature.
Some digging by Brady on the j-aircraft board has elicited information about torpedo stowage aboard small Japanese carriers (CVL and CVE) in this thread. It appears that most light carriers carried some torpedoes in their magazines, albeit some of the CVE's seem to have had this capacity so they could function as torpedo transports. Amongst the CVL's, it suggests that Ryuho carried 12, whilst Zuiho carried only 6. It seems unlikely that a torpedo stowage capacity this small was implemented in order to equip these ships as torpedo transports (like the CVE's?), in which case the obvious alternative is that this provision was included so that the airgroup could have a torpedo strike capability.
This link just posted draws attention to entries in Ryujo's air group records indicating that she launched two anti-shipping strikes off Vizagapatam on 6 April 1942 that included torpedo-carrying B5N's (whether model 1 or 2 unstated). Admittedly these strikes were small, and the torpedo plane element even smaller, but if the record has been accurately translated it appears that even the light carriers could get enough wind over the deck to get a torpedo-laden B5N airborne.
If correct, this won't be the first time conventional wisdom in non-Japanese speaking countries has called for re-evaluation, as with the 'gospel according to Fuchida Mitsuo'. If we can get over the language barrier we may still have some surprises in store from original Japanese sources.
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