Japanese Battleships 1897-1945 A Photographic Archive

170 Pages·2015·49.84 MB·English

by  Burt

Mutsu leads Nagato, Ise, Hyuga and heavy cruisers during exercises 1928
Between 1920 and 1939 all navies endeavoured to ‘show the flag’ and the
Japanese were no different. Fleet manoeuvres, exercises and general reviews
were a common sight during those years and this photograph shows just such a
one . . . a show of power, which the battleship does splendidly.The battleships’
colossal superstructures rise to well above 120ft above sea level, giant 16in and
14in guns fore and aft, and the occasional show of smoke deliberately let out just
in case anyone had missed they were there!
Satsuma off Sasebo 1919
The transitional period experienced by the Japanese Navy in the first decade of
the twentieth century resulted in the building of Satsuma and Aki, both of which
were practically all big gunned ships.They were built in Japan, but at least fifty
per cent of material for them was ordered from England, including the guns and
turntables.

Copyright © R A Burt 1989 and 2015
First published in Great Britain in 2015 by
Seaforth Publishing,
Pen & Sword Books Ltd,
47 Church Street,
Barnsley S70 2AS
www.seaforthpublishing.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978 1 84832 234 9
EPUB ISBN: 978 1 47384 545 9
PRC ISBN: 978 1 47384 544 2
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage
and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing of both the copyright owner and the above
publisher.
The right of R A Burt to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Typeset and designed by Mousemat Design Limited
Printed by Printworks Global Ltd, London & Hong Kong
CONTENTS
Introduction
Fuji Class
Fuji
Yashima
Asama Class
Asama
Tokiwa
Shikishima Class
Shikishima
Hatsuse
Idzumo Class
Idzumo
Iwate
Asahi
Azuma
Yakumo
Mikasa
Kasuga Class
Kasuga
Nisshin
Tsukuba Class
Tsukuba
Ikoma
Tango
Suwo Class
Suwo (ex-Pobieda)
Sagami (ex-Peresviet)
Hizen (ex-Retvizan)
Iwami (ex-Orel)
Iki (ex-Imperator Nikolai)
Katori Class
Katori
Kashima
Satsuma Class
Satsuma
Aki
Kurama Class
Kurama
Ibuki
Settsu Class
Settsu
Kawachi
Kongo Class
Kongo
Haruna
Hiei
Kirishima
Drawings
Kongo class appearance changes
Ise and Hyuga appearance changes
Fuso and Yamashiro appearance changes
Nagato and Mutsu appearance changes
Fuso Class
Fuso
Yamashiro
Ise Class
Hyuga
Ise
Nagato Class
Nagato
Mutsu
Yamato Class
Yamato
Musashi
Nagato’s bow 1926.
See page 113.
INTRODUCTION
Although a relative newcomer to the ‘modern’ naval scene, the origins
of the Japanese Battle Fleet can be traced back as far as 600 . Like
BC
the British, the Japanese are an island race who quickly recognised the
fact that to protect themselves properly a strong maritime force was
needed. This prompted urgent demands for information about naval
matters from foreign sea powers that continued down the centuries
until as late as 1910.
Until about 1870, most Japanese warships were built primarily for
coastal defence, but in 1875 the Japanese finally decided to stretch
their abilities and order first-class seagoing vessels. They naturally
turned to Great Britain for the most advanced shipbuilding technology
of that time and placed an order in London with Samuda Bros of
Poplar for a steel-hulled, armoured frigate. Designed by the ex-
Director of Naval Construction, Sir Edward Reed, the resultant Fuso
can be regarded as the genesis of the modern Japanese Navy. She
proved very successful as completed and set the pattern for future
investment.
Many ships were laid down in Great Britain, France and at home
to build the fleet up numerically, and by 1894 Japan was able to
adequately protect her own interests. The first real test came in that
same year when war broke out with China, and the sea battles of
Asan, Yalu and Wei-Hai-Wei proved the soundness of investing in
good naval forces. This can also be said of the following war with
Russia, when the Japanese fleet practically annihilated the Russian
battleships at the Yellow Sea and Tsushima, in 1904 and 1905
respectively, with what was, in all essentials, a British-built squadron.