Midway redirects Ibuki from cruiser to carrier

Japan laid Ibuki down as an improved heavy cruiser under a program that favored familiar designs to save time and money before an expected war. Midway overturned those priorities: a sister hull was dismantled to make room for Amagi, while the more advanced Ibuki was launched and held pending a new role. Planners considered a fast fleet oiler, a scarce capability that may have been strategically more useful, before carrier losses made aviation conversion decisive. American Independence-class conversions provided a loose precedent, but Ibuki's armor and speed made use solely for escort duties seem wasteful. The decision shows how Japan had to rank simultaneous shortages in carriers, logistics, construction space, and completed hulls.