Imperial Japanese Navy Light Carrier Ryūjō (龍驤 "Prancing Dragon") underway on sea trials at Satamisaki-oki, near Minamiōsumi, Kagoshima, Japan.
"She was planned as a light carrier of around 8,000 metric tons (7,900 long tons) standard displacement to exploit a loophole in the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 that carriers under 10,000 long tons (10,000 t) standard displacement were not regarded as 'aircraft carriers'. While Ryūjō was under construction, Article Three of the London Naval Treaty of 1930 closed the above-mentioned loophole; consequently, Ryūjō was the only light aircraft carrier of her type to be completed by Japan."
Date: September 6, 1934
Colorized by irootoko jr: link
source, source












