Ship Database
Tier VIII Aircraft Carrier

Japan

Shōkaku

The Shōkaku-class aircraft carriers were an improved version of the Hiryū-class ships. They had enhanced armor and AA armament, as well as a larger air group. At the time of their construction, these ships were considered the most powerful in the world. Two ships were built in the period between 1937 and 1941. Shōkaku participated in the Pearl Harbor...

Read full ship history

The Shōkaku-class aircraft carriers were an improved version of the Hiryū-class ships. They had enhanced armor and AA armament, as well as a larger air group. At the time of their construction, these ships were considered the most powerful in the world. Two ships were built in the period between 1937 and 1941. Shōkaku participated in the Pearl Harbor attack, Battle of Rabaul, and Indian Ocean raids, as well as in the Battles of the Coral Sea, Eastern Solomon Islands, and Santa Cruz Islands. During the Battle in the Philippine Sea, the aircraft carrier was torpedoed by USS Cavalla and sank.

Credits
11,500,000
Official profile image of Shōkaku

At a glance

The numbers that shape the ship

Hit points
50,100
Maximum speed
34.0 knots
Surface detection
12.1 km

Combat envelope

Range and detection

Scale: 15 km

Every bar uses the same 15 km scale. Surface detection is a visibility threshold, not a weapon range.

  • Surface detection12.1 km
  • Secondary battery4.5 km

Damage comparison

Published maximum per hit

Ship-relative

Bars are normalized only against this ship's highest listed hit. They are not salvo damage, expected damage or DPM.

  • Aircraft torpedo 7,233
Handling, concealment and protectionOverview

Handling

Maximum speed
34.0 knots
Turning circle radius
1,130 m
Rudder shift time
18.3 s
Maneuverability API rating 45

Concealment

Surface detection
12.1 km
Air detection
9.6 km
Submarine detection
9.6 km
Concealment API rating 53

Survivability

Hit points
50,100
Torpedo damage reduction
25 %
Survivability API rating 64

Published armour thickness

Only positive values supplied by the API are shown.

Overall published range
6–215 mm
Weapons and payloadsArmament

Automatic armament

Secondary battery

Maximum range
4.5 km
Mount
127 mm HE Type2
Maximum damage per hit
2,100
Fire chance
8.0 %
Rate of fire
12.0 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity
725 m/s
Mount
127 mm HE Type2
Maximum damage per hit
2,100
Fire chance
8.0 %
Rate of fire
10.0 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity
725 m/s

Anti-aircraft defence

AA defence API rating 60
Aura
25 mm/60 Type 96 on a single mount
Calibre
25 mm
Mounts
36
Aura
127 mm/40 Type 89 on a Model A1 Mod.3 mount
Calibre
127 mm
Mounts
2
Aura
127 mm/40 Type 89 on a Model A1 mount
Calibre
127 mm
Mounts
6
Carrier aviationClass system

The public API still uses legacy aircraft categories and does not expose every modern carrier payload mechanic. Only fields returned by Wargaming are shown.

Dive bombers

D4Y3 Suisei

Aircraft tier
8
Squadrons
3
Cruise speed
142 knots
Aircraft health
1,580

Torpedo bombers

B6N Tenzan

Aircraft tier
8
Squadrons
4
Cruise speed
133 knots
Aircraft health
1,600
Maximum damage per torpedo
7,233
Torpedo range
5.0 km
Torpedo speed
50 knots

Attack aircraft (legacy API field)

A6M5 Zero

Aircraft tier
8
Squadrons
4
Cruise speed
144 knots
Aircraft health
1,330
Modules, hull and progressionTechnical data

Default hull

Hull hit points
50,100
Secondary barrels
8
AA mounts
44

Engine

Published maximum speed
34.0 knots

Module research tree

Names, research prices and defaults are reported directly by the API.

D4Y3 Suisei

Default
Type
DiveBomber
Purchase
600,000 credits
Next modules
1

B7A Ryūsei

Type
DiveBomber
Research
18,000 XP
Purchase
1,500,000 credits

A6M5 Zero

Default
Type
Fighter
Purchase
600,000 credits
Next modules
1

N1K2-J Shiden-Kai

Type
Fighter
Research
18,000 XP
Purchase
1,500,000 credits

Shōkaku (A)

Default
Type
Hull
Purchase
1,200,000 credits
Next modules
1

Shōkaku (B)

Type
Hull
Research
27,000 XP
Purchase
3,000,000 credits
Next ships
1

Propulsion: 152,000 hp

Default
Type
Engine
Purchase
500,000 credits

B6N Tenzan

Default
Type
TorpedoBomber
Purchase
600,000 credits
Next modules
1

B7A Ryūsei

Type
TorpedoBomber
Research
18,000 XP
Purchase
1,500,000 credits

Compatible upgrades

Official modernization descriptions and listed purchase prices. Effects still depend on the slot and configuration used in game.

Concealment System Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
2,000,000

Damage Control System Modification 2

Modernization

Credits
1,000,000

Air Groups Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
125,000

Damage Control System Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
250,000

Flight Control Modification 1

Modernization

Does not increase the maximum number of each type of tactical squadron aircraft on deck.

Credits
2,000,000

Secondary Battery Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
500,000

Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1

Modernization

Credits
125,000

Next ships

Research costs published in this ship's official progression data.

Ship
Hakuryū
Research cost
355,000 XP
Available module groups
10
Compatible upgrades
7
Researchable next ships
1
Upgrade slots
5
Published battle levels
8–10

Cross-nation comparison

Ships that fill a similar slot

Closest same-tier, same-class matches from other nations, ranked by published base statistics.

U.S.A.

Yorktown

HP
48,200
Speed
32.5 kn
Open comparison

Germany

August von Parseval

HP
50,000
Speed
31.8 kn
Open comparison

U.S.S.R.

Pobeda

HP
53,200
Speed
33.5 kn
Open comparison