IJN Hiryu Carrier Calligraphy Poster

IJN Hiryu (飛龍/ひりゅう, literally flying dragon) was an aircraft carrier built for the IJN during the 1930s. The only ship of her class, she was built to a modified Soryu design, took part in the Japanese invasion of French Indochina, the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Wake Island. In June 1942, Hiryu and three other fleet carriers of the First Air Fleet participated in the Battle of Midway. After bombarding American forces on the atoll, the carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the carriers USS Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. Dive bombers from Yorktown and Enterprise crippled Hiryu and set her afire. She was scuttled the following day after it became clear that she could not be salvaged.