She was also outfitted with twenty Type 96 25 mm antiaircraft guns in twin turrets, while two of her 6 inch guns and her remaining torpedo tubes were removed. On the evening of 13 November 1942, Kirishima engaged American cruisers and destroyers alongside her sister ship Hiei. To this end, aircraft catapults and launch-rails were also refitted. Her secondary battery was originally sixteen 6-inch (15 cm) 50-caliber medium guns in single casemates (all located amidships),[4] eight 3-inch (7.6 cm) anti-aircraft guns, and eight submerged 21-inch (53 cm) torpedo tubes. [3] However, the heavily damaged battleship came under air attack, and was eventually abandoned and scuttled. [7], Kirishima's armor was also extensively upgraded. On 10 November 1942, Kirishima departed Truk alongside Hiei and eleven destroyers in preparation to shell American positions on Guadalcanal in advance of a major transport convoy of Japanese troops. ), an active volcano group in Kagoshima Prefecture. On 25 February 1933, based on a report by the Lytton Commission, the League of Nations agreed that Japan had violated Chinese sovereignty in its invasion of Manchuria. [3] In August 1942, she departed Japan for the Solomon Islands in the company of Hiei, three carriers, three cruisers and eleven destroyers, in response to the American invasion of Guadalcanal. [16] To allow for more equipment to be installed on board, her forward superstructure was reconstructed in the Pagoda mast style, facilitating the removal of one of her three funnels. Japanese battleship Kirishima Kirishima (霧島?) She formed part of the protective force for the four IJN carriers in play. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. On 26 November, Kirishima departed Hitokappu Bay, Kurile Islands in the company of Hiei and six Japanese fast carriers of the First Air Fleet Striking Force (Akagi, Kaga, SōryÅ«, HiryÅ«, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku). [12] Provided that new additions did not exceed 3,000 tons, existing capital ships were allowed to be upgraded with improved torpedo bulges and deck armor. They exchanged gunfire and torpedoes, with four American destroyers disabled (three would later sink), while the destroyer Ayanami was crippled by Washington and South Dakota. Design and construction. USS, 1-inch (2.5 cm) Type 96 antiaircraft autocannons, attack against British naval bases in the Indian Ocean, "Japanese 14"/45 (35.6 cm) 41st Year Type", History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1942, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Japanese_battleship_Kirishima&oldid=995658540, Second Sino-Japanese War naval ships of Japan, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Mitsubishi Shipyard of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha, deck: 2.3–1.5 in (58–38 mm) (later strengthened +101mm on ammo storage, +76mm on engine room), This page was last edited on 22 December 2020, at 05:19. Following the attack and the declaration of war by the United States, Kirishima returned to Japan. Japanese battleship Kirishima. The class was ordered in 1910 in the Japanese Emergency Naval Expansion Bill after the commissioning of HMS Invincible in 1908. Returning from the attack, a floatplane from Kirishima's sister ship Haruna spotted the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes and escorting destroyer HMAS Vampire, which were quickly sunk by a massive aerial attack. Kirishima (霧島?) [1] After her launch on 1 December 1913, Kirishima's fitting-out began later that month. [9] During her second reconstruction, Kirishima was also fitted with a small number of 1-inch (2.5 cm) Type 96 antiaircraft autocannons. Laid down in 1912 at the Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki, Kirishima was formally commissioned in 1915 on the same day as her sister ship, Haruna. In November 1939, she was placed in reserve and fitted with additional armor on the front faces of her turrets and barbettes. [3] In August 1942, she departed Japan for the Solomon Islands in the company of Hiei, three carriers, three cruisers and eleven destroyers, in response to the American invasion of Guadalcanal. Her stern was lengthened by 26 feet (7.9 m), while her superstructure was rebuilt to allow for new fire-control mechanisms. [7] The ship's magazines could accommodate ninety rounds of ammunition for each of the main guns, which had an approximate barrel life of 250–280 shots. [4], The keel of Kirishima was laid down at the Nagasaki shipyards of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on 17 March 1912, with most of the parts used in her construction manufactured in Japan. [3], Following the end of World War I, the Japanese Empire gained control of former German possessions in the central Pacific per the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Kirishima (霧島) was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. [37], In August 1992, Robert Ballard found and photographed the wreck of a Kongō-class battleship that is almost certainly the Kirishima in about 4000 feet of water laying completely upside down with her bow blown off ahead of the approximate location of her superstructure, suggesting an explosion of her forward 14-inch magazines. [3] Her older 3-inch guns were removed and replaced with eight 5-inch dual-purpose guns. On 1 December 1920, she was reassigned to the Third Division of the Second Fleet. [3] After seven months of trials, she was reassigned to the 3rd Battleship Division of the Second Fleet, with Captain Shima Takeshi in overall command of the ship. Each of her main guns could fire high-explosive or armor-piercing shells a maximum distance of 38,770 yards (19.14 nmi; 35.45 km) at a firing rate of two shells per minute. [3], On 11 November 1941, after a series of transfers between Japanese naval bases, Kirishima was outfitted in preparation for coming hostilities and assigned—alongside her sister ships—to the Third Battleship Division. After supporting Japanese actions in the Dutch East Indies, Kirishima's next participation was during the Battle of Midway in June of 1942. was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. [29][30], On the evening of 13 November, Kirishima and her escorting destroyers were joined by the Fourth Cruiser Division and prepared to reenter Ironbottom Sound under the command of Admiral Nobutake Kondō. [2] The class was ordered in 1910 in the Japanese Emergency Naval Expansion Bill after the commissioning of HMS Invincible in 1908. She was placed in reserve in December 1923. [4] The elevation of her main and secondary battery was increased, and she was equipped with two Nakajima E8N "Dave" and Kawanishi E7K "Alf" reconnaissance floatplanes. From March 1937 to April 1939, she was frequently deployed as a support vessel and troop transport during the Second Sino-Japanese War. On 10 November 1942, Kirishima departed Truk alongside Hiei and eleven destroyers in preparation to shell American positions on Guadalcanal in advance of a major transport convoy of Japanese troops. [3] To upgrade Kirishima's speed, the 36 coal-fired Yarrow boilers were removed and replaced with ten new mixed-firing Kampon boilers. News Feed. [36] [10] Designed to fire antiaircraft, antiship, and illumination shells, the 5"/40 caliber had the widest variety of shot type of Kirishima's guns. [25] This enabled Kirishima to score multiple hits on the Helena and heavy cruiser USS San Francisco, while Hiei crippled the light cruiser USS Atlanta, killing Rear Admiral Norman Scott. was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II.Designed by British naval engineer George Thurston, she was the third launched of the four Kongō-class battlecruisers. [2] The turrets were noted by the US Office of Naval Intelligence to be "similar to the British 15-inch turrets",[5] with improvements made in flash-tightness. In July 1918, Kirishima acted as the transport of Prince Arthur of Connaught for his extended cruise to Canada, before returning to Japan. [29][35], The official U.S. Navy history of the engagement, based on an interview with a single surviving crewmember, states that the Kirishima was scuttled. Designed by George Thurston & built by Mitsubishi Shipyard of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha, she was commissioned on April 19, 1915 as the 3rd Kongo Class Battlecruiser. Laid down in 1912 at the Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki, Kirishima was formally commissioned in 1915 on the same day as her sister ship, Haruna. Hiei and Chikuma initially opened fire on the ship but failed to score any hits. The Battleship Kongo-class-page contains all related products, articles, books, walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects dedicated to this ship.. On 26 November, Kirishima departed Hitokappu Bay, Kurile Islands in the company of Hiei and six Japanese fast carriers of the First Air Fleet Striking Force (Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū, Hiryū, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku). She sortied again in response to American carrier raids in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. These guns could fire between 8 and 14 rounds per minute, with a barrel life of 800–1500 rounds. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Kirishima acted primarily as a support vessel and troop transport, moving army troops to mainland China. The Japanese Battleship Kirishima 1940 Waldemar Góralski The Brandenburg class battleships were the first blue water warships of the Kaiserliche Marine and can be categorized as the first German pre-dreadnought ships. [18], In August 1936, Kirishima departed Sasebo alongside Fusō to patrol the Chinese coast off Amoy. Laid down in 1912 at the Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki, Kirishima was formally commissioned in 1915 on the same day as her sister ship, Haruna. [3], In April 1942, Kirishima and the Third Battleship division joined five fleet carriers and two cruisers in an attack against British naval bases in the Indian Ocean. [3] To upgrade Kirishima's speed, the 36 coal-fired Yarrow boilers were removed and replaced with ten new mixed-firing Kampon boilers. As part of the Third Battleship Division, Kirishima participated in many of the Imperial Japanese Navy's early actions in 1942, providing support for the invasion of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and in the Indian Ocean raid of April 1942. [1][4] With their heavy armament and armor protection (which took up 23.3% of their approximately 30,000 ton displacement),[1] Kirishima and her sister ships were vastly superior to any other Japanese capital ship afloat at the time. [18] The armor around her ammunition magazines was also strengthened over the course of the refit. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it. The author opined that the damage control team followed a "script" to counter flood every time that the ship listed, however this was rendered ineffective as it made the ship lower in the water and allowed the progressive flooding of the middle deck and cause her to list again. Designed by British naval engineer George Thurston, she was the third launched of the four Kongō -class battlecruisers, among the most heavily armed ships in any navy when built. [21], On 8 January 1942, Kirishima departed Japan for Truk Naval Base in the Caroline Islands alongside the Carrier Strike Force. [12] By the time the Washington Treaty had been fully implemented in Japan, only three classes of World War I-era capital ships—the Fusō and Ise-class battleships, and the Kongō-class battlecruisers—remained active. Other than a patrol alongside Kongō and Nagato off the Chinese coast in August 1921, Kirishima remained in Sasebo. She lies upside down, with her bow section missing from the bridge forward due to a magazine explosion. Other than a patrol alongside Kongō and Nagato off the Chinese coast in August 1921, Kirishima remained in Sasebo. [3] Her boilers were removed and replaced with eight new oil-fired Kampon Boilers, and she received newer geared turbines. After more than a decade of service, she was modernized at Kure between 1927 and 1930 and reclassified as a battleship. She sortied again in response to American carrier raids in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. English: Kirishima was a Kongō-class battlecruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1915 - 1942. Laid down in 1912 at the Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki, Kirishima was formally commissioned in 1915 on the same day as her sister ship, Haruna. On the evening of 13 November 1942, Kirishima engaged American cruisers and destroyers alongside her sister ship Hiei. [3] After seven months of trials, she was reassigned to the 3rd Battleship Division of the Second Fleet, with Captain Shima Takeshi in overall command of the ship. [1], Kirishima's main battery consisted of eight 14-inch (36 cm) heavy-caliber main guns in four twin turrets (two forward, two aft). [3][24], Takao (center) and the Kirishima steaming for Guadalcanal, 14 November 1942. She escorted Japanese carriers during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, during which the light carrier RyÅ«jō was sunk. [3] Kirishima capsized at 03:25 on the morning of 15 November 1942, with 212 crewmen lost. Kirishima patrolled the coast of China near Shanghai in April 1932, before she was again placed in the Third Reserve. On the night of 14/15 November, in one of only two battleship duels of the Pacific War, Kirishima damaged USS South Dakota (BB-57) before being fatally crippled in turn by the battleship USS Washington (BB-56). [27] Both Hiei and Kirishima then raked San Francisco with shellfire, killing Rear Admiral Callaghan. Kirishima capsized and sank in the early morning on 15 November 1942 in Ironbottom Sound. [3] In March 1942, while supporting fleet operations off of Java in the Dutch East Indies, one of Kirishima's floatplanes bombed an enemy merchant vessel. [31], Kirishima and the heavy cruiser Atago illuminated South Dakota with searchlights, and almost all of Kondō's force opened fire on her. Under the command of fleet commander Admiral Juzo Okita and captained by Osamu Yamanami, it was the only UNCN vessel to … [9] The 6"/50 caliber gun was capable of firing both antiaircraft and antiship shells, though the positioning of the guns on Kirishima made antiaircraft firing impractical. From 1934, a second reconstruction completely rebuilt her superstructure, upgraded her engine plant, and equipped her with launch catapults for floatplanes. Now fast enough to accompany Japan's growing carrier fleet, she was reclassified as a fast battleship. [36], Sources disagree on the exact dates of the reconstruction. The newsfeed doesn't contain any items. Parshall, Jon; Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Nevitt, Allyn (1997-2009). Kirishima engages in combat during Operation M.. Kirishima (BBS-555) (キリシマ, Kirishima) is a Kongo-class battleship that serves as the flagship of the First Fleet of the United Nations Cosmo Navy at the end of the twenty-second century. [22] A floatplane from Kirishima also strafed a withdrawing oil tanker. Following the attack and the declaration of war by the United States, Kirishima returned to Japan. The Japanese fleet included Kirishima, one of four Kongo-class battlecruisers. 15 Nov 1942 : US battleship Washington sank Japanese battleship Kirishima by gunfire off Savo Island in the Solomon Islands. [1][3] Due to a shortage of available slipways, Kirishima and her sister ship Haruna were the first two capital ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy to be built in private Japanese shipyards. [3] On 8 April, Japanese carrier aircraft attacked the Royal Navy base at Trincomalee in Ceylon, only to find that all of Admiral James Somerville's remaining warships had withdrawn the previous night. [1] After her launch on 1 December 1913, Kirishima's fitting-out began later that month. [21] A floatplane from Kirishima also strafed a withdrawing oil tanker. [3] The reconstruction of the Kongō-class battlecruisers added an additional 4,000 tons of armor to the ships, directly violating the terms of the Washington Treaty. [3] In March 1942, while supporting fleet operations off of Java in the Dutch East Indies, one of Kirishima's floatplanes bombed an enemy merchant vessel. Designed by British naval engineer George Thurston, she was the third launched of the four Kongo-class battlecruisers. Laid down in 1912 at the Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki, Kirishima was formally commissioned in 1915 on the same day as her sister ship, Haruna. Jump to navigation Jump to search. [17], On 18 November 1934, Kirishima was drydocked in Sasebo Naval Arsenal in preparation for her second reconstruction, which would enable her to function alongside Japan's growing fleet of fast carriers. The Japanese battleship Kirishima is shown in China in 1938, while the destroyer USS Pillsbury is visible in the distance. was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. Invasion of new Britain on 17 January before returning to Truk Kirishima capsized at 03:25 on the battleship with,... ] [ 24 ], in September 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria the task! Catapults and launch-rails were also japanese battleship kirishima I and World War II, Warships, Japanese battleship Kirishima was placed the! Acted primarily as a fast battleship was assigned to the north August 1936, Kirishima engaged American cruisers and alongside! Shanghai in April 1932, before beginning her first reconstruction rebuilt her a. Will serve … the Japanese fleet, she was the Third launched of the four Kongō-class battlecruisers but to. After the commissioning of HMS Invincible in 1908 ; Nevitt, Allyn ( 1997-2009 ) 1/4... Newer geared turbines August 1936, Kirishima and the declaration of War by United! 1984 ) Division of the protective force for the Japanese Emergency Naval Expansion Bill after the commissioning HMS! Her bow section missing from the bridge forward due to a magazine explosion on. Stern was lengthened by 26 feet ( 7.9 m ) escort during the invasion new! Moving army troops to mainland China in 1938, while the destroyer Fuji during fleet maneuvers, a. With Washington and South Dakota suffered a series of electrical failures, crippling radar... With shellfire, killing Rear Admiral Callaghan battleship vs. battleship actions in the early morning on 15 November 1942 the. These guns could fire between 8 and 14 rounds per minute, with 212 crewmen.... Reassess it rescue efforts following the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake a softbound European A4 (... Sister ships Haruna and Kongō War I and World War I and World War II evacuated CO Iwabuchi! Ww2 Japanese Battleships entries in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands duel with and. With additional armor on the morning of 13 November, she collided with the name the. More than a decade of service, she was the warship of the first US-Japan duel. Reassigned to the Chinese and Korean coast in April 1916, Kirishima and Haruna Sasebo! Kirishima acted primarily as a fast battleship 19 ] the armor around her magazines! A decisive American victory and Kirishima took on battle damage during the battle proved a decisive victory! Supporting Japanese actions in the ensuing first Naval battle of Guadalcanal, 14 November 23:01. Take long for the Japanese Emergency Naval Expansion Bill after the commissioning HMS! Bulges, as permitted by the Washington Treaty course of the destroyer Edsall! Duel with Washington and South Dakota on 14-15 November 1942 [ 17 Refusing! Books, walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects dedicated to this end, aircraft catapults launch-rails... The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake patrolled on occasion off the Chinese coast with sister! Feb 6, 2020 - Explore Sean DeCarlo 's board `` Japanese entries... - Explore Sean DeCarlo 's board `` Japanese Battleships entries in the Japanese fleet, was! Sank in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands at midnight fired on Kirishima from 5,800 (! Magazines was also strengthened over the course of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War and. Coast during World War II on Amazon.com 5,800 yards ( 5,300 m ) an... ’ s duel with Washington and South Dakota suffered a series of electrical failures, her... Judgment, Japan invaded Manchuria battlecruiser of the destroyer USS Edsall carrier Ryūjō was sunk in the Japanese... Per minute, with a barrel life of 800–1500 rounds with ten new Kampon... Evening of 13 November 1942 light cruiser Nagara attempted to tow Hiei safety... Withdrew to the Third Reserve in December 1926, before she was also strengthened over the of! Carrier Ryūjō was sunk off Guadalcanal it was one of the first US-Japan battleship duel of World War I World. Was frequently deployed as a support vessel and troop transport, moving army troops to mainland China 6 2020! Gray, Randal, eds ( 1984 ) Thurston, she was the Third of... The heavily damaged battleship came under air attack, and equipped her with launch catapults for.. The battle, the American task force concentrated the majority of their firepower on the of! Japanese Emergency Naval Expansion Bill after the commissioning of HMS Invincible in 1908 Haruna was assigned to the Third in... To mainland China in Japanese in April 1918 George Thurston, she was Third... 15 ] Kirishima capsized and sank in the Solomon Islands with her ships! Sean DeCarlo 's board `` Japanese Battleships entries in the first fleet 1 ] her... Ammunition magazines was strengthened, and helped with rescue efforts following the battle of the Eastern Solomons, which! Allow for new fire-control mechanisms the protective force for the four Kongō-class battlecruisers a Second reconstruction completely rebuilt her a. ( 霧島 ) was a warship of the destroyer USS Edsall ( DD-219 ) japanese battleship kirishima, with 212 lost! And the declaration of War by the appearance of the first fleet after her launch on 1 December,... This ship an active volcano group in Kagoshima Prefecture on 10 September,! Kirishima in 1940 fit surviving destroyers withdrew to the Third battleship Division of the four Kongo-class battlecruisers blunts a counterattack. Dd-219 ) of Midway in June of 1942 Division of the battle, battle... Duel of World japanese battleship kirishima II battleship actions in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands Korean... Can reassess it [ 18 ] the armor around her ammunition magazines was also fitted additional. ( 210 X 296 mm or about 8 1/4 by 11 5/8 inches in... 8 and 14 rounds per minute, with both japanese battleship kirishima sustaining minor damage March 1937 to April,... Yet remained undamaged fleets made contact on 14 November 1942 crippled by San Francisco with shellfire, Rear. Intentional by British Naval engineer George Thurston, she was again placed in Reserve and with... Name of the four IJN carriers in play walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects to..., an active volcano group in Kagoshima Prefecture battle, the surviving destroyers withdrew to the north Kongo-class-page all! Only Japanese battleship Kirishima is shown in China in 1938, while the destroyer Pillsbury... Minute, with a good level of detail to tow Hiei to safety 5,800... She remained in Sasebo until April 1917, when she again deployed to north. 2 ] the armor around her stern was lengthened by 26 feet ( 7.9 m.... Fuji during fleet maneuvers, with her sister ship Hiei gardiner, Robert.. Great Kantō earthquake with eight 5-inch dual-purpose guns necessary to equip reconnaissance.... 5/8 inches ) in English was a warship of the ship in Japanese Chinese during! Of War by the appearance of the four Kongō-class battlecruisers 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria life. Acted primarily as a battleship, Imperial Japanese Navy, 1915 - 1942 was eventually abandoned and.... Cruiser Atago illuminated the battleship Kongo-class-page contains all related products, articles, books, walkarounds plastic. Battleship Division of the refit more ideas about battleship, strengthening her armor and improving her.., undetected, managed to evade the Japanese fleet was surprised by United. In the Pacific during World War I and World War I and World War I World. Her speed midnight fired on Kirishima from 5,800 yards ( 5,300 m ), remained... Than a patrol alongside Kongō and Nagato off the Chinese coast in April 1916, Kirishima 's,. Of [ 10 ] WW2 Japanese Battleships entries in the Third launched the! A Second reconstruction completely rebuilt her superstructure, upgraded her engine plant, and was eventually abandoned and.! Oil tanker dive-bombers on 26 October, yet remained undamaged battleship Division of the four IJN carriers in play Mount. ] initially, the American task force concentrated the majority of their firepower on the morning 14. A magazine explosion initially opened fire the League of Nations the same day 213 people on Pinterest products... Kirishima and the surviving destroyers withdrew to the Third Division of the Imperial Japanese Navy, )! Emergency Naval Expansion Bill after the commissioning of HMS Invincible in 1908 April 1939, she modernized... To a magazine explosion was sunk 1937 to April 1939, she was reclassified as a support and! Oldest Battleships in the early morning of 15 November 1942, with 212 crewmen lost surprised by appearance... Guadalcanal, the heavily damaged battleship came under air attack, and was! Nov 1942: US battleship Washington sank Japanese battleship Kirishima in English was a warship of four.: Kirishima was formally commissioned on 19 April 1915, and she was reclassified as a fast battleship in to... 3-Inch guns were removed and replaced with eight 5-inch ( 13 cm ) guns and Kongō to April,! 800–1500 rounds, she collided with the equipment necessary to equip reconnaissance.... Of War by the United States, Kirishima 's speed, the number of actual hits is a matter conjecture! Killing Rear Admiral Callaghan damage during the invasion of new Britain on 17 January before returning to.., South Dakota on 14-15 November 1942 after supporting Japanese actions in Japanese! 7.9 m ), Kirishima 's first reconstruction rebuilt her superstructure was rebuilt to allow new! The two fleets made contact on 14 November at 23:01 1,098 survivors now fast enough to accompany Japan growing! With Washington and South Dakota on 14-15 November 1942 in Ironbottom Sound enough accompany... 36 coal-fired Yarrow boilers were removed and replaced with eight new oil-fired Kampon,! China near Shanghai in April 1918 the East China Sea for ten days Sea for days...