Treasure Trove - a Navyfield Fleet

September 06, 2010, 11:18:35 AM
Japanese Navy - Nihon Kaigun
by DanielSundh


Historic ships/shipclasses that are described here:

- Yamato
- Nagato
- Ise
- Fuso
- Kongo
- "what could have been"
- Amagi
- Tosa 
- Kii
- Super Yamato


Yamato






Yamato and Musashi at Brunei 1944




Originaly Yamato and Musashi had 4x3 150mm (5,9inch guns) but 2 were removed (1 on each side) to make them accomondate more AA installations as u can see on the picture above. All AA positions were covered on their sides to protect their crew from the blast wave created by the main guns. The Main guns could strip a person off its skin even from a distance off 50m (164ft) 
Rear of Musashi's main tower with rigging and funnel partly visible.This 1944 photo shows the radar antennae on top of the main fire control director. The windows just underneath the masts near the top of the tower are to the main bridge where Yoshida spent most of the final battle; Incredibly, although equipped with massively thick bullet proof glass windows, the port holes on the bridge were kept open during the battle, as the Bushido Code demanded that the bridge crew be exposed to the same dangers as the unprotected machine gun crews on deck below. 127mm (5 inch) anti-aircraft guns amidships of Musashi. 6 of these 12 guns were enclosed in turrets such as the one shown here; the other 6 were housed in open 'buckets', making them that much more vulnerable to enemy fire. This stupidity caused dozens of needless casualties on the bridge



History
Japan withdrew from the second fleet conference in London 1935, because they didn't want any limitations on shipbuilding (gun size displacement limitations etc). This because they were already working on the plans on a new super battleship that was so big that no American counterpart would be able to pass the Panama canal. This was during a time when Great Britain tried to negotionate a limitation of ship calibers to a maximum of 35,5cm (14 inch), and the Japanese was developing a turret wielding 46cm (18,1 inch) guns. The keel of Yamato and Musashi was laid down 1937. The Japanese navys plan for maritime warfare against was to strike hard using numerous air strikes against the US navy when on its way to support the Philippines. After which the Americans would be beaten in a modern version of the battle of Jutland.

For this to be successful no information about the Yamato class true specifications couldn't be let out. Many nations had spread false rumors in the past to be able to deceive their enemy for instance, during WWI Great Britain had used Jane's fighting ships that their Invincible-class would be outfitted with 23cm guns as its predecessor. The Germans responded with their Blücher-class that wielded 21cm guns, which in reality found itself helplessly outclassed against invincible true 30,5cm guns. Although previous fleets been sucessful deceiving their enemy, no one had ever been able to hide an entire class battleships from their enemys. Not untill the arrival of the Yamato. The fact that they were building something at Kure and Nagasaki warfs were obvious. Kure was shielded from the world, noone was aloud to visit. However the warfes in Nagasaki could be seen from the city where UK and US had consulates overlooking the harbor. The Japanese quickly built a large warehouse to obscure the view from the consulates. After that they covered the construction slip with a 75,000 square meter of sacking. Allied intelligence knew they were building something like a battleship but the reality of Yamatos size and armament never leaked out Rigorous safety precautions were taking effect at both warfes. The Chinese locals were often subjected too pogroms. If they resisted they were gathered together and sent off in ship to Shanghai. The construction office at Nagasaki didn't get off the hook either. A blueprint had disappeared from the office and the hole shift of workers at the time were tortured. One worker bragged to his neighbors about the build and he was never heard or seen again.

The ships size caused problems, a specially 430t tug with 1600ahk had to be built (Sakafu Maru) to be able to guide the hull in the water. A specially built freight ship had to be built to be able to move Musashis enormous guns from the artillery factory in Kure to Nagasaki. The Yamato was built in a dry dock but the Musashi was built on a slipway. Engineers studied data from other large launchings like the Liner Queen Mary (70,000 metric tons) and they were confident that the hull would slide down into the water, but the real danger would be that it would pic up to much momentum and end up on ground on the other side of the harbour. Even the Germans had made this mistake with the launching of Gneisenau, and she was half of Musashis size. They worked around it by using huge chains.

Dimensions
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 68.010t 66.940t (gross) 74.970t (net)
DP fully loaded 71.659t 70.530t (gross) 78.990t (net)
Length 263 m 862,8 ft
Width 36,9 m 121 ft
Drag 10,39m 34 ft
Crew 2500  -

Armour
  Metric UK/US
Belt 409 mm 16 inch
Deck 232 mm 9 inch
Turret 650 mm 25,6 inch
Bulkhead 300 mm 11,8 inch
Barbette 546 mm 21,5 inch
Maneuver tower 500mm 19,7 inch

Armament - After Anti aircraft upgrade
  Amount Metric UK/US
9 460mm cannons (3x3) 18,1 inch
12 155mm cannons (6x2) 6,1 inch
24 127 mm cannons (6x2) 5 inch
162 25 mm AA (54x3) 1 inch
4 13 mm AA (2x2) 0,5 inch

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 13.140kg 42km
UK/US / (lb/yd) 28.970lb 45.960yd

Engines - modernized 1930-40
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
4Kampon interchanged? Turbines 150.000 4 27knts

Ships in the class
Yamato Musashi
Shinano
(converted to cv)		 4th ship 30% complete 
(never named)


Nagato










History
20 years after the Japanese first ordered a modern battleship from Great Britain they now had built a modern battleship that outclassed the traditional seapowers. They were the first to implement the 40,6cm main guns, the armor/protection were outstanding and they were faster then the British Queen Elisabeth class fast battleship, that "only" wielded 38cm main guns. The Nagato class underwent a major modernisation program during the years 1934-36. 1941 Nagato and Mutsu was the 1st. division of the main fleet. 1943 Mutsu was destroyed of a internal explosion that yet to this has to be determind. After the loss of Mutsu, Nagato deployed to the 2nd Carrier fleet (Hiyo, Junyo, Ryuho). She took part in the battle of Leyte together with the Yamato both survived. She survived the war but was sacrificed in the Bikini atoll atomic tests.

Dimensions - After modernisation 1936
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 33.800t 33.270t (gross) 37.260t (net)
DP fully loaded 38.500t 37890t (gross) 42440t (net)
Length 215,8m 708 ft
Width 29m 95 ft
Drag 9,1m 29,8 ft
Crew 1333

 -

Armour - After modernisation 1936 
  Metric UK/US
Belt 305mm 12 inch
Deck 76 - 180 mm 3-7 inch
Turret 356 mm 14 inch
Bulkhead  mm  inch
Barbette 305 - 600 mm 12-23 inch
Maneuver tower 305 mm 12 inch
Casemate 25mm 0,98 inch

Armament - After modernisation 1936 [1943]
  Amount Metric UK/US
8 406mmcannons (4x2) 18,1 inch
36 140mm cannons (18x2) 6,1 inch

16 127 mm cannons (4x2) 5 inch
20[118] 25 mm AA (10x1,2,3)[59x1,2,3] 1 inch

Weight of broadside

 

Weight

Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km)

8.161kg

 38,4km
UK/US / (lb/yd)

17.992lb

 42.000yd
 

Engines- modernized 1930-40

Powerplant

AHK

Props

Top Speed

4 Kampon Turbines

80.000 4 25 knts
 

 


Ships in the class

Nagato

Mutsu


Ise






History
Ise - class battleships were like Kongo built by privately owned warfs. The construction was a rework of the Fuso class. The layout of her main battery was improved and since the 1890sthe Japanese followed the British praxis to use 150mm cannons as secondary battery loaded in casemates. During 1934-36 Hyaga was modernised and Ise during 1935-37. After the Japanese lost their carriers at midway the decision was made to convert the ships in an effort to replace the lost carriers. None of the ships carried any sizeable airwing after the rebuild, but was mainly used as bate in diversion actions.

Dimensions
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 31.250t 30.760t (gross) 34.450t (net)
DP fully loaded 36.500t 35.920t (gross) 40.230t (net)
Length 205,7m 675 ft
Width 28,65m 94 ft
Drag 8,86m 29 ft
Crew 1360 -

Armour
  Metric UK/US
Belt 305mm 12 inch
Deck 51mm 2 inch
Turret 305mm 12 inch
Casemate 152mm 5,9 inch
Barbette 305mm 12 inch
Maneuver tower 305mm 12 inch

Armament - After Modernisation 1935-37
  Amount Metric UK/US
12 356mm cannons (6x2) 14 inch
18 140mm cannons (9x2) 5,5 inch

16 125mm All purpose Cannons (8x2) 4,9 inch
100+ 25mm AA (? x 1,2,3) 0,98 inch
  6 125mm lv-rockettubes (1944) (6x28) 4,9 inch

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 13.140kg 42km
UK/US / (lb/yd) 28.970lb 45.960yd

Engines
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
4 Brown-Curtis turbines 45.000 4 23,5 knts

Ships in the class
Ise Hyuga


Fuso






History
Fuso had her keel laid down 1912 and Yamashiro 1913. In the beginning tree ships were planned but it was canceld. The Fuso class had a more powerful artillery then the American Texas and Oklahoma class and was equal to the Pennsylvania class. The Fuso was also noticeable faster then her American counter parts. But this was at a cost, she had a weaker armaments and due to the fact she had dual turrets then tripels she was also longer. Fusos modernization happened during 1933. She as every other Japanese ship that was modernized received their impressing padoga bridge, she was also rewarded with a stronger aa battery and her weapon weight grew from 8,588metric tons to 12,199metric tons. Although she received new engines and did 24knts she was seen as to slow to follow the carrier battle groups and she spent most of WWII in the immidiate vicinity to the Japanese sea. It was considered to convert the Fuso class like the Ise class but it was abandoned due to the loss of airmen and planes in the battle of the Philippines 1944. Both Fuso and Yamashiro was sunk in the last battle were battleships fired on each other in the Surigaosound, Leytebay 25th oct 1944.

Dimensions - modernized 1930-40
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 30.600t 30.120t (gross) 33.730t (net)
DP fully loaded 35.900t 35.330t (gross) 39.570t (net)
Length 205,1m 672,9 ft
Width 28,65m 94 ft
Drag 8,6m 28 ft
Crew 1193 -

Armour - modernized 1930-40
  Metric UK/US
Belt 305mm 12 inch
Deck 51mm 2 inch
Turret 305mm 12 inch
Bulkhead 305mm 12 inch
Barbette 203mm 7,9 inch
Maneuver tower 349mm 13,7 inch
Casemate 152mm 5,9 inch

Armament - modernized 1930-40
  Amount Metric UK/US
12 356mm cannons (6x2) 14 inch
14 152mmcannons (6x2) 5,9 inch
8 127mm DP Guns  5 inch
4 79mm AA (2x2) 3,1 inch
37 25mm AA (x 1,2,3) 0,9 inch

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 8.083 kg 35,5 km
UK/US / (lb/yd) 17.820 lb 38.770 yd

Engines- modernized 1930-40
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed

4 Kampon interchanged? Turbines

77.000

 4 24knts

Ships in the class
Fuso Yamashiro


Kongo






History
Even tho the Japanese could at the time build their own ships, they followed the British development carefully. So when the time came to build their first battlecruiser they order it from Vickers. She was constructed and engineerd by Sir George Thurston, that modified his plan of a ship that he was designing for the Turks(Reshadie, that was claimed by the British and became the HMS Erin). Kongo was followed by tree sisterships developed in Japan. Kongo was a huge improvement of the British Lion class in both armament and protection. Kongo was the first ship to carry the 35,6cm guns as main armament. Turret and engine layout was supperior of that of Lion which would be a great influence in the building of the British Tiger-class. All ships in the Kongo class was modernised with the exception of Hiei, that was demiliterised andused as an exercise ship as a direct result of the Lodonagrements 1930. Hiei did join her sisterships in the Japanese imence modernisation program in the 1930is. They emerged as fast battleships. All four ships were sunk in battle, Hiei and Kirishima in Gudacanal 1942. Kongo was sunk by the American sub Sealion outside Formosa 1944. Haruna was sunk by American aircraft outside Kure 1945.

Dimensions - modernized 1930-40
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 31.720t 31.220t (gross) 34.970t (net)
DP fully loaded 36.600t 36.020t (gross) 40.340t (net)
Length 219,61m 720 ft
Width 28,04m 91,9 ft
Drag 9,72m 31,8 ft
Crew 1437 -

Armour - modernized 1930-40
  Metric UK/US
Belt 203mm 7,9 inch
Deck 119mm 4,6 inch
Turret 230mm 9 inch
Bulkhead 230mm 9 inch
Barbette 254mm 10 inch
Battery 152mm 5,9 inch

Armament - modernized 1930-40
  Amount Metric UK/US
8 256mm cannons (4x2) 10,08 inch
14 152mm cannons 5,9 inch
8 127mm DP cannons 5 inch
4 40mm cannons 1,57 inch
100 25mm AA 0,9 inch

Weight of broadside - modernized 1930-40
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 5.389 kg 35,5
UK/US / (lb/yd) 11.880lb 38.770

Engines - modernized 1930-40
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
4 Parsons turbines 136.000 4 30,5knts

Ships in the class - modernized 1930-40
Kongo Haruna
Kirishima Hiei


What could have been
Experiences in the Russian-Japanese War convinced naval war planners that more fast capital ships were needed, so on 4 April 1907, the Imperial Defence Council approved an "Eight-eight" policy. This plan originally called for a fleet of eight battleships and eight armored cruisers that would all be under ten years old (later changed to eight battlecruisers and reduced to eight years old). However, the advent of the dreadnought battleship crippled this plan at the beginning; given Japan's weak and underdeveloped economy and the enormous strain that had been put on it during the Russo-Japanese War (Japan emerged from the war victorious, but bankrupt), the launch of HMS Dreadnought was a "disaster" for Japan.

The plan was ultimately approved in 1917, along with funding for two battlecruisers which became the Amagi class. In late 1917, the Navy proposed to expand the eight-four plan by adding two more battlecruisers; this was approved, and two more Amagi-class ships were ordered. However, having eight 16 in (406 mm) gun ships (four battleships and four battlecruisers) on order put an enormous financial strain on Japan, which was spending about a third of its national budget on the Navy. The massive size and scale of its building program was rapidly driving up the cost of naval construction and armament.

Amagi


History
The first step in the "eight - eight" plan was the formation of the battlecruisers. The Amagi class was intended to be a battlecruiser with the Tosa class in mind, two had their keel laid down 1920, they would have been 18m longer then the Tosa -class but only 30cm wider and with additional 40,000ahk it would have been a streamlined ship with the capability to reach 30knts.Another thing tht set the both ships apart was that the Amagi was going to be flushdecked. The Amagi class battlecruiser was banned with the arrival of the Washington treatment 1922.Two ships were laid down and production had come as far as 40%. Decision was made to build them as carriers. Amagi was destroyed by a earthquake, Akagi was finished.
Dimensions
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 41.217t 40,570t (gross) 45,430t (net)
DP fully loaded 47.000t 46,260t (gross) 51,810t (net)
Length 251m 823ft
Width 30,8m 101ft
Drag 9,5m 31ft
Crew 1600 -

Armour
  Metric UK/US
Belt 254mm 10 inch
Deck 99mm 3,9 inch
Turret 279mm 11 inch
Bulkhead 279mm 11 inch
Barbette 279mm 11 inch

Armament
  Amount Metric UK/US
10 406mm cannons (5x2) 16 inch
16 140mm cannons 5,5 inch
4 120mm cannons 4,7 inch
- - -
- - -

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 10,000kg 38,4km
UK/US / (lb/yd) 22,050lb 42.000yd

Engines
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
4 Gijutsu turbines 131.000 4 30knts

Ships in the class
Amagi Akagi
Atago Takao

Tosa


History
The "eight - eight" plan intended to make Japans maritime powers equal to that of the American counterpart. In the Japanese seaprogram 1918 the sought to divert funds so they could launch a second pair of fast battleships, Tosa class, that in reality was improved Nagato class ships. Among the enhacements u can find stroger engines, a extra turret of 40,6cm, enhanced protection by sloping armour.The ships were laid down in 1920, with Tosa being laid down on 16 February 1920 at the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki, and Kaga following on 19 July 1920 at the Kawasaki shipyard in Kobe. After the Washington treaty that prohibited the Japanese to build these ships Tosa was expended as a target in the Bungo channels on 9 February 1925. she was used as practice for naval gunfire and to test her armor scheme against mines and torpedoes. Accounts of these tests mention that shells struck the ship below the waterline, which could explain later IJN interest in internal armor the results from all of these tests was used to design the protection of the Yamato class battleships. It was originally planned that Kaga would be scrapped. However, Amagi, one of the two Amagi class battlecruisers which were being converted to aircraft carriers, was severely damaged in the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923 and rendered unusable.This meant that her conversion under the terms of the treaty was impossible, so Kaga was reordered as a carrier in her stead. The conversion took 5 years (1923–28).
Dimensions
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 39,930t 39,900t (gross) 44,020t (net)
DP fully loaded 44,900t 44190t (gross) 49,490t (net)
Length 234m 767ft
Width 30,5m 100ft
Drag 11,4m 37ft
Crew -  -

Armour
  Metric UK/US
Belt 279mm 11 inch
Deck 160mm 6,3 inch
Manuever Tower 356mm 14 inch
Bulkhead 279mm 11 inch
Barbette 279mm 11 inch

Armament
  Amount Metric UK/US
10 406mm cannons 16 inch
20 140mm cannons 5,5 inch
4 79mm cannons 3,1 inch
- - -
- - -

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 10,000kg 38,4km
UK/US / (lb/yd) 22,050 lb 42.000 yd

Engines
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
4 Brown-curtis impulse -reaction turbines 91,000& 4 26knts

Ships in the class
Kaga Tosa


Kii


History
The Kii-class was a planned battleship design of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Planned in 1921, the first two vessels Kii and Owari would have been laid down in 1923 and 1922 respectively, and two un-named ships known as No.11 and No.12 were also planned. However, they were cancelled because of the limitations on building introduced by the Washington Naval Treaty. The design was an improved Tosa-class design, itself an evolution of the Nagato class.

Dimensions
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 42,600t 41,930t (gross) 46,960t (net)
DP fully loaded 48,500t 47,730t (gross) 53,460t (net)
Length 252m 826ft
Width 30m 98,4ft
Drag 9,4m 30,8ft
Crew -  -

Armour
  Metric UK/US
Belt 292mm 11,5 inch
Deck 117mm 4,6 inch
Turret - -
Barbette 279mm 11 inch
Manuever tower 355mm 14 inch

Armament
  Amount Metric UK/US
10 406mm cannons  inch
16 140mm cannons 5,5 inch
4 120mm cannons 4,7 inch
- - -
- - -

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 10,000 kg 38,4km
UK/US / (lb/yd) 22,050lb 42.000yd

Engines
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
4 Gihon turbines 131,200 4 30knts

Ships in the class
Kii Owari
No. 11 No. 12

Super Yamato


Picture above is a fictional depiction about how the SY would look altho many sources are conflicted. Some belive the ship would have 4 turrets and others 3.

History
Initial design studies were undertaken after the completion of plans for the Yamato class (1938–39); they focused on a ship with a displacement nearer to that of the Yamato's. As the Japanese expected that the Americans would be able to obtain the true characteristics of that class, namely the principal armament of 46 mm (18.1 inch), the use of 510 mm (20,1 inch) guns was vital to keep with Japan's policy of individual ships' superiority over their American counterparts the A-150s were meant to counter the United States' reply to the Yamatos. Plans were "essentially completed" sometime in 1941 however, similar to the fate of documents relating to the Yamato class, most papers and all plans relating to the class were destroyed at the end of the war, meaning that the full specifications of the ships are not known. It is known the ships would have had much greater firepower than the Yamato class.

Initial plans for the A-150 battleships called for eight or nine 510 mm (20.1 in) guns in quadruple or triple turrets. The successful construction of a 480 mm (18.9 in) gun in 1920–1921 made the Japanese confident that a 510 mm (20.1 in) could be built. In addition, a top speed of 30 knts was desired so that the class would be faster than the United States' 27 knts North Carolina-class battleships. However, these grand specifications were curtailed when tests culminated in a ship that had a displacement of some 90,000 tons; it was felt that ships of this size would be "too large and too expensive".

Dimensions
  Metric UK (gross), US (net)
DP standard 71,000t 69.880t (gross) 78.260t (net)
DP fully loaded - t (gross) t (net)
Length -  ft
Width -  ft
Drag -  ft
Crew - -

Armour
  Metric UK/US
Belt 460mm 18,1 inch
Deck - -
Turret - -
Bulkhead - -
Barbette - -
Battery - -

Armament
  Amount Metric UK/US
? 510mm cannons 20,1 inch
-  cannons  inch
"many" 100mm cannons 3,9 inch
- cannons inch
-  AA  inch

Weight of broadside
  Weight Maximum Range
Metric / (kg/km) 1,858 kg (per shell) -
UK/US / (lb/yd) 4,096lb (per shell) -

Engines
Powerplant AHK Props Top Speed
- - 4 27knts

Ships in the class
- -

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