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wdolson -> RE: Which class of carrier? (1/22/2015 1:01:22 AM)
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It is an unusual picture. Japanese pictures from the war are usually a lot poorer quality than that. The quality looks like an American picture. From the two tails visible, they are from two different air groups. One of the planes in the foreground has a damaged horizontal stabilizer and a missing cowling. Another looks like it has some sort of fuselage damage covered with a tarp.
At a guess, I think these might be captured planes on their way back to the US. The only surviving flyable A6M5 is at Chino. It was captured on Saipan and returned to the US for evaluation. Ed Maloney acquired it from the military when they were done with it. (He also got an Me-262 that way.)
The deck appears to be somewhat wide for a CVE. It looks more like a fleet carrier, but I doubt the USN would use an Essex to transport planes unless the ship was damaged.
The paint jobs place the planes sometime around the Battle of the Philippine Sea or later. If it is a Japanese photo, it would be unlikely later. If it is a Japanese photo, my guess would be the Zuikaku, though it may also be the Hiyo or Junyo. The only explanation I can think of for having planes from other groups on board would be recovery of CAP after loss of the Shokaku or Taiyo.
Bill
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