japanese battleship warship imperial_japanese_navy world war world war designed british naval architect second launched class battlecruisers heavily armed ships navy built laid naval arsenal formally commissioned patrolled chinese coast occasions world war helped rescue efforts following great earthquake starting converted gunnery training ship avoid scrapped terms served emperor transport mid-1930s starting underwent scale reconstruction completely rebuilt superstructure upgraded powerplant equipped launch fast accompany japan growing fleet aircraft carriers reclassified fast battleship eve entry world war sailed vice admiral combined fleet escorting carriers attacked pearl harbor december participated imperial_japanese_navy early actions providing support invasion dutch_east_indies indonesia indian ocean raid april sailed admiral solomon islands escorted japanese carrier forces battles sailing bombardment force admiral naval battle evening november engaged american cruisers destroyers alongside sister ship inflicting heavy damage american cruisers destroyers crippled enemy vessels subjected continuous air attack sank evening november design construction second imperial_japanese_navy class battlecruisers line capital ships designed british naval architect class ordered japanese emergency naval expansion bill commissioning hms invincible battlecruisers class designed match naval capabilities major powers time called battlecruiser versions british turkish battleship heavy armament armor protection approximately ton displacement sister ships vastly superior japanese capital ship afloat time keel laid naval arsenal november parts construction manufactured britain launched november fitting began december december captain assigned chief officer completed august armament main battery consisted inch heavy caliber main guns twin turrets forward aft turrets noted similar british inch turrets improvements flash gun chambers main guns fire high explosive armor piercing shells yards nmi rate shells minute keeping japanese doctrine deploying powerful vessels opponents sister ships vessels world equipped inch guns main guns carried ammunition ninety shots approximate gun life shots introduced armor piercing shells class battleships assist gunners distinguishing hits distance armor piercing shells black secondary battery originally sixteen inch caliber medium guns single casemates located amidships inch guns submerged inch torpedo tubes sixteen inch caliber guns capable firing rounds minute barrel life rounds inch caliber gun capable firing shells positioning guns firing impractical inch caliber guns added later fire rounds minute barrel life rounds guns widest variety shot type guns designed fire illumination shells armed large number inch type service battlecruiser august formally commissioned assigned naval district attached fleet weeks later august japan declared war occupying german colonies caroline marshall october departed alongside support units siege recalled october october participated sinking russian pre dreadnought captured russo japanese war subsequently served coastal defense ship april patrolled chinese coast newly launched sisters end world war remained primarily patrolling chinese korean coasts sister ships occasions following end world war japanese empire gained control german possessions central pacific terms treaty versailles japan warm relations british_empire united_states time japanese warships significantly active war patrol alongside chinese coast march remained japanese home ports october placed reserve following earthquake september capital ships assisted rescue work end month arrived naval base december refit increased elevation main guns degrees rebuilt foremast conclusion world war world powers attempted stem war terms imperial_japanese_navy significantly reduced ratio required capital ships united_kingdom united_states japan treaty banned japan building new capital ships capital ship permitted exceed tons provided additions exceed tons existing capital ships allowed upgraded improved torpedo deck armor time fully implemented japan classes world war era capital ships class class battleships class battlecruisers remained active july emperor younger brother assigned october november ship underwent minor refit accommodate launch added march departed alongside battleships patrol arriving company port arthur april october returned preparation reconstruction training ship avoid having scrap terms imperial_japanese_navy decided convert training ship october went drydock naval arsenal aft inch gun turrets removed stripped submerged torpedo tubes inch guns armor belt boilers taken reducing speed knots funnels removed reclassified reserve ship end november april reconstruction halted signing london naval treaty restricted battleship construction possession great naval powers preservation work begun reconstruction resume july september japanese army units invaded chinese province transforming puppet state december reassigned imperial_japanese_navy training squadron february ruled japan violated chinese sovereignty international law invasion refusing accept league judgment withdrew league day signaled exit washington london naval treaties removed restrictions imperial_japanese_navy construction capital ships end august received upgrades allowed perform regular duties emperor served emperor observation ship days later january march turret ammunition magazine refitted november served emperor ship official visit reconstruction fast battleship longer bound restrictions washington london treaties imperial_japanese_navy proceeded reconstruct lines sisters received new oil fired boilers geared turbines stern lengthened feet increase speed aft inch turret refitted fire control systems installed main turrets elevation main secondary guns increased equipped dave reconnaissance end launch rails fitted aft turret fourteen inch guns refitted suite inch dual purpose guns twin mounts type mounted superstructure rebuilt prototype tower mast eventually class design phase armor extensively upgraded main belt strengthened uniform thickness inches opposed varying inches upgrades diagonal bulkheads depth ranging inches reinforced main armored belt turret armor strengthened inches inches added portions deck armor armor ammunition magazines strengthened course refit heavily armored japanese battleships significantly faster reconstruction declared complete january capable speeds knots mph reclassified fast battleship participated october inspected emperor members royal family navy minister admiral november assigned fleet november departed bay islands company japanese fast carriers command vice admiral december aircraft carriers attacked home base pearl harbor sinking navy battleships numerous vessels following attack declaration war united_states returned japan combat loss january departed naval base support carrier operations february deployed alongside force carriers destroyers response american raids japanese bases gilbert march following carrier operations darwin java dutch_east_indies acting escorts carrier task force engaged destroyer uss firing inch seventy inch shells ships failed score hits dive bombers carriers destroyer sunk gunfire ships april joined fleet carriers cruisers massive raid british naval forces indian_ocean april easter sunday japanese fleet attacked harbor ceylon cruiser tone spotted fleeing british cruisers later sunk aerial attack april japanese carrier aircraft attacked royal_navy base find admiral remaining warships withdrawn previous night returning attack sister ship spotted aircraft carrier quickly sunk massive aerial attack fleet returned japan arriving home bases april sortied heavy cruisers admiral following disastrous loss fast carriers june force withdrew japan july aircraft complement addition single twin gun mounts august escorted japanese carrier battle eastern october sortied rear admiral maintained distant cover nearly destroyed night october october sisters participated november departed alongside destroyers preparation shell american positions near advance major convoy japanese troops command rear admiral force spotted navy reconnaissance aircraft days advance force heavy cruisers light cruisers destroyers deployed command rear admiral sound meet november japanese force detected yards light cruiser uss anticipated resistance battleships main guns loaded high explosive shells bombarding unable open fire immediately switch armor piercing shells activated opened fire light cruiser uss atlanta commencing naval battle atlanta guns succeeded able concentrate main batteries bridge light cruiser killing rear admiral disabled american destroyers later sank turn target majority american firepower american inch guns inflicting severe damage superstructure close range admiral later injured shelled bridge guns killing chief staff captain concentration enabled evade american barrage uss san_francisco killing admiral shells san_francisco disabled steering machinery battleships crippled ordered remainder japanese fleet withdraw attempted tow safety water flooded steering compartments rudder starboard morning november subjected attack bombers continued starboard knots mph torpedoes launched torpedo bombers struck suffering torpedo dive bomber attacks day order given crew abandon ship escorting destroyers scuttled sank evening november loss crew battleship lost action japan removed navy list december
Japanese battleship Hiei