IJN Ships -- Some Less Well-Known Photos

[Brian James]

No1 Class, Amphibious Assault Ship No 1 pictured on completion, off Mitsubishi Shipyards at Yokohama on May 10th 1944. She was sunk by aircraft at Palau on June 29th 1944.

[designeraccd]

A view of A and B turrets on TAKAEO, prewar. DFO

[Brian James]

Matsu Class Destroyer Momo pictured on sea trials in Miyazu Bay on June 3rd 1934.

[Brian James]

The captured Imperator Aleksandr II Class Pre-Dreadnought Battleship Imperator Nikolai I, pictured post salvage and in the service of the IJN as Iki, at Kure Naval Arsenal on June 11th 1906.

[Brian James]

Launch day for Submarine Tender Takasaki on Slipway No2 at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on June 19th 1936. Whilst under construction the decision was made to convert her to Light Aircraft Carrier Zuihō.

[designeraccd]

A less than sharp view, but it is MUSHASHI on her trials. DFO

[Brian James]

The launch pictured of Katsuragi Class, composite hulled sail and steam Corvette Musashi at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on March 30th 1886...The three ships of the Class, (Katsuragi, Yamato and Musashi) were designed as iron-ribbed, wooden-hulled, three-masted Barque-rigged sloops-of-war. The design for the Katsuragi-Class ships was by British-educated Japanese naval architect Sasō Sachū, director of the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal. Two of the three vessels (Katsuragi and Musashi) were built at Yokosuka, and one (Yamato) built by the private-contractor, Onohama Shipyards in Kobe (a predecessor of Hitachi Zosen Corporation). In late 1900, the ships were extensively refitted, during which time their sail rigging was removed, and armament changed to eight QF 2.5 pdr guns and six quadruple 1-inch Nordenfelt guns. The torpedoes were upgraded from 15 inch to 18-inch torpedo tubes. However, during the Russo-Japanese War, the ships were regarded as obsolete and were assigned as Guard Ships in ports in the Japanese home islands.
In 1907, the armament was changed again, this time to four 3-inch and two 2.5-inch guns, and the ships were reclassified as Survey Ships or as a Second-Class Coastal Patrol Vessels. Katsuragi was removed from the navy list on April 11th 1913, and Musashi on April 1st 1928. Yamato was removed from the navy list April 1st 1935, but survived as a floating prison until the end of World War II.

[designeraccd]

Survivors, post war.....Sept., '45.......

[Brian James]

Main armament, Twin 8.2 inch Breech loading Krupp guns pictured on Japanese Protected Cruiser Saien (Former Chinese Imperial Navy Cruiser Jiyuan) in 1895....She was constructed at AG Vulcan Stettin in Germany and commissioned in 1865. In the First Sino-Japanese War, she was involved in the Battle of Pungdo, and at the Battle of Yalu River, which resulted in the subsequent execution of her captain. She was captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy as a prize of war at the Battle of Weihaiwei, and commissioned as Saien (済遠 巡洋艦, Saien jun'yōkan) on March 16th 1895. Under the Japanese flag, she was used to bombard positions in the Japanese invasion of Taiwan, and was sunk on November 30th 1904 after striking a Russian mine during the Battle of Port Arthur of the Russo-Japanese War.

[Brian James]

Maya Class Gunboat Akagi pictured fitting out at Onohama Shipyards, near Kobe in 1888. Akagi was the last in a series of 600-ton Gunboats, which included Maya, Chōkai, and Atago, built from 1885–1886 under the supervision of French naval architect, Bellard. She was the only vessel in the Class to be equipped with a steel-hull instead of an iron or composite hull.