japanese battleship named warship imperial_japanese_navy world war world war battlecruiser class heavily armed ships navy built designer british naval engineer laid britain japanese capital ship constructed outside japan formally commissioned patrolled chinese coast world war underwent major beginning imperial_japanese_navy rebuilt battleship strengthening armor improving speed power capabilities superstructure completely rebuilt speed increased equipped launch fast accompany japan growing carrier fleet reclassified fast battleship second sino japanese war operated coast mainland china sailed preparation fought large number major naval actions pacific war world war covered amphibious landings present day malaysia dutch_east_indies indonesia engaging american forces battle midway primarily remained naval base near hiroshima near nagasaki deployed times response american aircraft carrier air raids japanese island bases scattered pacific participated battle gulf october engaging sinking american vessels torpedoed sunk submarine uss november japanese battleship sunk submarine second world war battleship sunk submarine history design construction imperial_japanese_navy class battlecruisers large costly armed battleships traded armored protection higher speeds designed british naval engineer ordered japanese emergency naval expansion bill commissioning hms invincible battlecruisers class designed match naval capabilities battlecruisers major naval powers time called battlecruiser versions british turkish battleship heavy armament inch naval guns armor protection took approximately ton greatly superior japanese capital ship afloat time keel laid january japan contract vickers vessel class constructed united_kingdom remainder built japan launched transferred portsmouth england fitting began parts construction manufactured completed april armament main battery consisted inch heavy caliber main naval guns twin turrets forward aft turrets noted similar british inch turrets improvements flash main guns fire high explosive armor piercing shells yards nmi firing rate shells minute keeping japanese doctrine deploying powerful vessels opponents sister ships vessels world equipped inch guns main guns carried ammunition shots approximate barrel lifetime shots separate introduced armor piercing shells class battleships assist targeting armor piercing shells red secondary battery originally consisted sixteen inch caliber guns single casemates located amidships calibre means lengths guns times bore inches inch guns submerged inch torpedo tubes inch naval guns fire rounds minute barrel lifetime rounds inch calibre gun capable firing shells positioning guns firing impractical second reconstruction older inch guns removed replaced inch inch calibre dual purpose guns guns fire rounds minute barrel lifetime rounds guns inch guns widest variety shell types illumination shells armed large number inch machine guns october secondary armament inch guns inch guns type rapid fire cannons service history battlecruiser august completed commissioned imperial_japanese_navy days later departed portsmouth headed japan docked singapore october october arriving naval arsenal november placed reserve january docked naval base armament checks august declared war france invaded belgium sparking beginning world war west days later japan issued warning ordering withdraw german troops base china respond japan declared war germany august occupying german possessions quickly deployed patrol sea lines communication returned port japan september month later assigned october new sister ship sortied chinese coast support japanese army units siege returned naval base upgrades october participated sinking old practice target russian pre dreadnought captured russo japanese war served warship defeat royal_navy battle islands december little need operations pacific_ocean spent rest world war based patrol coast china december following end hostilities world war placed second reserve april fitted new flooding system ammunition magazines conclusion world war signing february size significantly limited ratio required capital ships united_kingdom united_states responsible ocean country fewer warships france italy treaty banned signatories building new capital ships capital ship permitted exceed long tons displacement provided new additions exceed tons displacement existing capital ships allowed upgraded improved anti torpedo armored main decks time fully implemented japan classes world war type capital ships remained active class battleships class battlecruisers class battleships april gave transportation emperor official visit japanese possession taiwan november docked modifications main armament increasing elevation main guns improving fire control systems underwent major modifications superstructure rebuilding mast style accommodate growing number fire control systems main guns steering equipment upgraded placed reserve preparation major modifications reconstruction reconstruction battleship prohibited constructing new capital ships japan resorted upgrading world war era battleships battlecruisers beginning september underwent extensive modernization modification drydock naval arsenal years horizontal armor near ammunition magazines strengthened machinery spaces hull given increased torpedo protection anti torpedo added waterline permitted refitted accommodate type model aircraft fitted increase speed power yarrow boilers removed replaced newer boilers direct drive turbines installed forward funnel removed second funnel enlarged lengthened modifications hull increased armor weight long tons directly violating terms march capable speed knots reclassified battleship april japan signed london naval treaty placing restrictions signatories naval forces older battleships scrapped new capital ships built replacements minor fitting work reconstruction begun september declared complete march december months japanese invasion assigned designated flagship additional fitted superstructure january captain assumed command vessel december aircraft fitted rear turrets february following report agreed japan invasion china violated chinese sovereignty refusing accept judgement organization japan withdrew day japan immediately withdrew london naval treaty removing restrictions numbers sizes capital warships november placed preparation modifications january toured nazi german naval japan captain gunnery demonstration fast battleship june dry docked naval arsenal preparation upgrades enable escort japan growing fleet aircraft carriers stern lengthened feet improve ratio older boilers removed replaced oil fired newer geared turbines addition bridge completely reconstructed according japan mast style forward superstructure added support reconnaissance armor extensively upgraded main belt strengthened uniform thickness inches varying inches diagonal bulkheads depths ranging inches added reinforce main armored belt turret armor strengthened inches inches added portions deck armor ammunition magazine protection strengthened inches reconstruction finished january capable greater knots despite significant increase hull displacement reclassified fast battleship february assigned naval district december placed command april float planes bombed chinese town second sino japanese war steamed chinese coast support operations war november captain assumed command november april additional armor added armament barbettes ammunition tubes ventilation equipment improved august assigned command vice admiral alongside fully modified sister warships early war service departed fleet anchorage november begin war pacific southern force overall command vice admiral december arrived coast southern thailand northern malaya preparation invasion thailand days later britain force consisting battleship prince wales battlecruiser quickly defeated japan land based aircraft southern vietnam withdrew waters subsequently sortied days mid december protect reinforcement convoy traveling malaya december cover landing philippines departed bay french december bound taiwan arriving days later january heavy cruisers provided distant cover air attacks february joined fast aircraft carriers heavy cruisers numerous support ships preparation operation japan invasion dutch_east_indies february provided cover air attacks bombarded christmas island western coast australia march returned staring days standby alert april joined fleet carriers attacks ceylon following destruction british heavy cruisers hms cornwall april naval task force moved southwest locate remainder command admiral april reconnaissance spotted aircraft carrier south day japanese air attacks sank carrier attacked missed british medium bombers having crippled offensive capability britain returned japan reached april april armament sortied heavy cruisers admiral invasion force following disastrous loss fast carriers june force withdrew japan july assigned flagship august receive surface detection radar additional range september embarked carriers numerous smaller warships response marine_corps amphibious landing solomon islands september task force ordered return naval base north equator aftermath opted reinforce troops protect transport convoy enemy air attack admiral sent escorted light cruiser destroyers bombard american air base henderson field high speeds battleships bombard airfield withdraw subjected air attack land based american aircraft carriers night october battleships shelled area distance yards firing inch high explosive shells successful japanese battleship action war bombardment heavily damaged destroyed aviation fuel destroyed damaged marines killed marines large japanese troop supply convoy reached day battle october attacked torpedo bombers received hits mid november battleship warships provided distant cover unsuccessful mission bombard deliver army reinforcements november following japanese defeat sinking naval battle returned remained rest movement bases engaged enemy targets late january participated operation distant covering force support destroyers evacuating army troops february february transferred naval base february receive upgrades armament additions triple gun mounts removal inch turrets additional concrete protection added near steering gear response invasion sortied alongside fleet carriers cruisers destroyers days later american submarine uss spotted naval task force unable attack task force arrived joined additional fleet carriers light cruisers force disbanded fell necessary preparations counterattack finished october left larger task force consisting battleships fleet carriers heavy cruisers light cruisers numerous destroyers sortied response air raids contact forces japanese task force returned october soon left home waters december arrived training combat loss january dry docked anti aircraft suite inch guns pair twin mounts removed replaced inch guns triple mounts arriving march division remained training admiral departed joined vice admiral force june departed battle philippine sea escorted japanese fast carriers remained undamaged carrier aircraft june returned japan triple single mounts added anti aircraft armament total mounts august inch guns removed eighteen single mounts installed october departed preparation operation japan counterattack battle largest naval engagement history october undamaged near misses american carrier aircraft october battle engaged 7th fleet escort carriers destroyers succeeded scoring numerous hits escort carrier destroyers sank destroyer escort fierce defensive action american ships sank japanese heavy cruisers admiral elected withdraw ending battle retreating suffered damage near misses attacking aircraft fleet arrived october november following air raid rest fleet departed preparation major reorganization fleet battle repairs november entered shortly midnight november submarine uss radar contact fleet yards maneuvering position fired bow torpedoes followed stern torpedoes minutes later minute launched torpedoes seen hit port sank destroyer hands torpedoes flooded boiler rooms able mph slowed mph given permission break fleet head port destroyers escort minutes main force listing degrees flooding ship lost power order given abandon ship evacuation underway forward inch magazine exploded broken ship sank quickly loss crew including commander captain escort destroyers rescued survivors believed sunk feet water approximately nautical miles northwest british built battleships sunk submarine attack world war class battleship queen elizabeth class battleship hms
Japanese battleship Kongō