Talk:Construction/@comment-23942861-20131016150148/@comment-24049344-20131017015259

Taihō ' s planned air complement varied considerably throughout her design and construction. Initially it was envisioned she would carry 126 aircraft (with 30 of these in reserve). Later this was pared down to 64, raised again to 78 and finally reduced to 53. One reason for the discrepancy in numbers was (in sharp contrast to the United States) the Imperial Japanese Navy's lack of insistence that its carrier planes have the smallest possible folded wingspan (many designs' folded only near the tips, while the wings of the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei dive-bomber did not fold at all).

Prior to 13 June 1944, Taihō carried 65 aircraft: