IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos

[designeraccd]

Here is either the KONGO or HARUNA under air attack, Oct. '44 in the Sulu Sea! Both survived this battle, but by Spring '45 HARUNA was sitting in mud while KONGO had been sunk by a USN sub in late '44......... DFO

[Brian James]

Launch day for Seaplane Carrier Chitose, pictured on Slipway No3 at Kure Naval Arsenal on November 29th 1936... In her initial guise as a Seaplane Carrier, she first saw service during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1938, and subsequently played a key role in the Imperial Japanese Navy's development of a network of Seaplane bases on the islands of the Pacific Ocean. After the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific, she took part in the Philippines campaign, the Dutch East Indies campaign, the Battle of Midway, and the Guadalcanal campaign, during which she was damaged in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and also saw service related to the Battle of Cape Esperance...Chitose was converted into a Light Aircraft Carrier during 1943, and subsequently took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She was sunk in the Battle off Cape Engaño, one of several actions that made up the Battle of Leyte Gulf, on October 25th 1944.

[Brian James]

Despatch Vessel Yodo pictured at Kure Naval Arsenal on January 11th 1916.

[Brian James]

A Mitsubishi A6M Zero pictured launching from Shōkaku Class Aircraft Carrier Zuikaku, to attack Rabaul on January 20th 1942.

[Brian James]

Armoured Cruiser Chiyoda pictured at Kure Naval Arsenal on January 30th 1916..The order was placed with J & G Thomson Shipyards at Clydebank, for several unfortunate mishaps had caused the Japanese to lose faith in French designs. Chiyoda was the first Armoured Cruiser to be completed for the Japanese Navy, and one of the first to carry an armament of shielded Elswick 120mm guns, well-sited in sponsons on the broadside and as bow and stern chasers. The QF guns gave the Chiyoda a great advantage over contemporary Armoured Cruisers; the brass cartridges, used instead of the previous silk-cased charges, dispensed with the need for sponging out the breech after each firing. This resulted in an increase in the rate of fire of nearly six times over older guns.

The original design had planned for the ship 10 carry two 320mm Canet guns, but this would have resulted in excessive top weight, so 120mm QF guns were substituted. The armoured belt of chrome steel was narrow, but extended for 60m along the waterline. A total of 84 watertight compartments was incorporated in the design. Chiyoda saw action in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars. On July 27th 1904, she struck a Russian mine off Takhe Bay, but was towed to Dalny where repairs were carried out in time to enable her to take part in the Battle of Tsushima. After 1920 she was used as a Submarine Depot Ship and removed from the operational fleet. She was disarmed in April 1922, converted to Transport Ship in 1924, discarded in February 1927 and sunk as target in August 1927.

[Brian James]

No 31 Class Torpedo Boat No 47 pictured at Sasebo Naval Arsenal on January 30th 1905...Built at Schichau Shipyards at Danzig and shipped to Kawasaki Shipyards at Kobe.

[Brian James]

Protected Cruiser Akitsushima at Kobe Naval Arsenal on February 2nd 1897..Whilst Belted Cruiser Chiyoda pictured in the background is paying homage to the earlier death of Empress Eishō by rendering a gun salute.

[designeraccd]

The NISSHIN under air attack, but she survived this one! DFO

[designeraccd]

A post war photo aboard USN LSM-362 carrying a surviving IJN/YAMATO class 18.1" back to USA for inspection, testing. BIG GUN! DFO

[Brian James]

Former Oiler Kamoi pictured post her Seaplane Tender conversion at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on February 13th 1933...She was built at New York Shipbuilding Corporation Shipyards and completed in 1922...In January 1942, she provided support to the Rabaul and Kavieng invasions. On April 1st 1942, the 24th Air Flotilla was assigned to the 11th Air Fleet. On April 1st 1943, she was assigned to the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet. On January 28th 1944, Kamoi sustained heavy damage in an attack by Balao Class Submarine USS Bowfin off Makassar. During the resulting repairs at Singapore, her aviation facilities were removed. As such, she was reclassified as a special service ship (oiler) on April 15th 1944. Repairs were completed on August 29th. On 24 September 24th, she was slightly damaged by aircraft of Task Force 38 at Coron Bay. Three days later, she sustained heavy damage in an attack by a USN Submarine outside Manila Bay. At some unspecified point afterward, she went into repairs at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal. Repairs were completed on December 31st, at which point she joined the Hi-87 convoy from Moji to Singapore. On January 16th 1945, she was heavily damaged in an air raid on Hong Kong. She was separated from the convoy at this time. On April 5th 1945, with repairs still incomplete, she was once again damaged by air raid, later sinking in shallow water. Kamoi was decommissioned on May 3rd 1947 and was was scrapped by the occupying British force.