Ryuho shows why conversion intent did not guarantee success. The ship was built as a submarine tender with conversion in mind, using stores and fuel capacity that made later carrier work plausible. On paper, a displacement near 16,000 tons and capacity for roughly 31 to 36 aircraft promised a useful light carrier. Weak construction and a designed speed of only about 26.5 knots limited the result. A sensible reserve-hull idea produced a weak carrier because the execution was poor.
Notable Point · 58:46-1:00:41
Ryuho shows the difference between conversion intent and carrier quality
Ryuho's submarine-tender origins show how a ship could be built for later conversion yet still become a weak light carrier.