Hiryu's aircraft helped sink the British heavy cruisers Cornwall and Dorsetshire during the Indian Ocean raid before she fought on alone at Midway after her three sister carriers were disabled, launching two counterstrikes that badly damaged USS Yorktown. American dive bombers found her that afternoon and she too was scuttled, ending Japan's four-carrier strike force in a single day.
A photo of the construction after the completion Japanese Navy aircraft carrier "Hiryu" in Yokosuka naval port.Unknown · Public domain · sourceThe burning Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, photographed by a Yokosuka B4Y aircraft from the carrier Hosho shortly after sunrise on 5 June 1942. Hiryu sank a few hours later. Note collapsed flight deck at right. Part ofSpecial Service Ensign Oniwa Kiyoshi · Public domain · sourceThe burning Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, photographed by a Yokosuka B4Y aircraft from the carrier Hosho shortly after sunrise on 5 June 1942. Hiryu sank a few hours later. Flight deck torn out by the bomb dropped durSpecial Service Ensign Oniwa Kiyoshi · Public domain · source