The IJN Shinano on trials in Tokyo Bay.
Shinano (信濃), named after the ancient Shinano Province, was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Initially laid down as the third of the Yamato-class battleships, Shinano's partially complete hull was converted to an aircraft carrier midway through construction. She had a full-load displacement of 72,000 long tons (73,000 t), the largest aircraft carrier ever built at the time.
Commissioned in 1942, Shinano was traveling to Sattahip to provide support for Japanese forces in Malaya and the East Indies, with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto aboard a cruiser escorting her. During the trip, the Dutch submarine O-19 would attack the Shinano, but would miss and hit the escorting cruiser killing Admiral Yamamoto.[1]
Shinano was part of the forces that took part in the Battle of the South China Sea. During the battle, Shinano took three hits from Audacious' torpedo planes significantly slowing her down and forcing the Japanese to scuttle her.[2]