The Unryu program is the main alternative against which the Ise conversions should be judged. Japan selected a Hiryu-derived design for faster mass production, ordered sixteen ships, completed three, left others part-built, and explored an even simpler follow-on. Raising speed from roughly 32 to 34 knots required a large machinery increase, while planned air groups changed with aircraft types and availability from 1942 to 1944. Japan understood the need for repeatable fleet-carrier construction, but lacked the industrial depth and time to execute the planned scale. Resources diverted to marginal hybrids were therefore especially consequential.
Chapter · 1:42:48-1:50:45
The Unryu class was Japan's fleet-carrier mass-production design
Japan planned sixteen simplified Unryu-class fleet carriers, but completed only three as construction, machinery, aircraft, and wartime capacity fell short.