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IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 2:52 am
by DonBoyer
Since I've been a moderator on an IJN website for the past few years, I have managed to acquire some "not often seen" photos of Imperial navy ships and thought this would be a good place to share some of them. Two Japanese friends in particular have superb collections -- Mr. Akira Ohtsuka and Ed Low. Many of these photos are from their collections. Ed in particular has great stuff, including every "Maru Special" ever issued and the massive two-volume set on IJN warships put together by the noted naval constructor and author Shizuo Fukui. I am sooo jealous!
A view of Hosho's forecastle deck, probably late war when she was used exclusively for training on the Inland Sea.
HOSHO FORECASTLE.13 OCT 1945.jpg
Two views of Hosho in the same general area after the "4th Fleet Incident" pre-war when many ships were badly damaged in a typhoon.
HOSHO.4TH FLT INCID.2.jpg
HOSHO.4TH FLT INCID.3.jpg
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 5:21 am
by DonBoyer
Couple of views of one of the early light cruisers of the Japanese navy, Tatsuta. The first is her in Saeki Bay in 1927. The second is date and location unknown, but it must be late 1930s as the photo has the odd censoring of the background the Japanese used to disguise the location of their ships when in home waters.
TATSUTA.SAEKI BAY.1927.jpg
TATSUTA.DATE UNKNOWN.jpg
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:00 am
by DonBoyer
Heavy cruiser Kako at sea. Photo undated but probably just before the Savo Island Battle.
KAKO.BEFORE SAVO ISLAND.jpg
Tone in September of 1940.
TONE.9.1940.jpg
Kumano, Mikuma and Suzuya, Ise Bay, 1938
KUMANO.MIKUMA.SUZUYA.ISE BAY.1938.jpg
Chikuma, Zuikaku, Tone and Haguro at Eniwetok, 1942
CHIKUMA.ZUIKAKU.TONE.HAGURO.ENIWETOK.1943.jpg
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 12:33 pm
by designeraccd
GOOD stuff...you lil ol picture collector!!!
A couple more......... DFO
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 5:10 pm
by ivorthediver
DonBoyer wrote: ↑Sat Sep 29, 2018 2:52 am
Since I've been a moderator on an IJN website for the past few years, I have managed to acquire some "not often seen" photos of Imperial navy ships and thought this would be a good place to share some of them. Two Japanese friends in particular have superb collections -- Mr. Akira Ohtsuka and Ed Low. Many of these photos are from their collections. Ed in particular has great stuff, including every "Maru Special" ever issued and the massive two-volume set on IJN warships put together by the noted naval constructor and author Shizuo Fukui. I am sooo jealous!
A view of Hosho's forecastle deck, probably late war when she was used exclusively for training on the Inland Sea.
HOSHO FORECASTLE.13 OCT 1945.jpg
Two views of Hosho in the same general area after the "4th Fleet Incident" pre-war when many ships were badly damaged in a typhoon.
HOSHO.4TH FLT INCID.2.jpg
HOSHO.4TH FLT INCID.3.jpg
Blimey thats some storm damage Don , ........seems like the divine winds were having an off day
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 8:47 pm
by designeraccd
That
DARK camo the IJN used really blends in the ol details...
DFO
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 7:17 pm
by designeraccd
Here is another "camo" photo
this one is of KONGO in drydock-1930-for her conversion (lower/first pic) from a battlecruiser to a high speed battleship. Quite effective until she "met" SEALION II in 1944....
DFO
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:14 am
by designeraccd
and on the surface scene............SHOKAKU. DFO
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:00 am
by DonBoyer
Some more shots from the IJN photo stash....
View of Akagi, Kirishima, Kongo, Mikuma, Ryujo, Kumano and Fuso at Tsingtao (now Quingtao) China in 1938. Rather a poignant photo as not one of these ships would survive the war.
AKAGI.KIRISHIMA.KONGO.MIKUMA.RYUJO.KUMANO.FUSO.QUINGTAO.1938.jpg
A view of Fuso inclining in 1940.
FUSO.1940.INCLINING..jpg
A shot of Hiryu being completed. The censor has blocked out the background at the left of the photo.
HIRYU.COMPLETING.jpg
Light cruiser Tatsutsa with battleships Mutsu and Nagato. ca 1940
TATSUTA.MUTSU.NAGATO.jpg
Heavy cruiser Kako with here original fit of 7.9 inch guns in single gunhouses. When she was refitted with twin turrets later, several of these single gun mounts and housings were installed on Pacific islands as shore batteries, two still remain on Tarawa.
KAKO.EARLY GUN FIT.jpg
Re: IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:52 am
by ivorthediver
Excellent photo's Don , and very sobering that they chose to take on what they must have realised was a NO WIN fight , with such horrendous costs to their people and the loss of their empire with no hope of ever rebuilding it ........again a demented few leading a power hungry mass
