class battlecruiser class battlecruiser class battlecruisers built imperial_japanese_navy immediately world war designed british naval architect lead ship class japanese capital ship constructed outside japan vickers late 1920s reconstructed reclassified battleships signing london naval treaty training ship avoid scrapped following japan withdrawal london naval treaty underwent massive second reconstruction late 1930s following completion modifications increased speeds knots mph reclassified fast battleships class battleships active capital ships world war participating major engagements war acted escorts attack pearl harbor supported invasion singapore participated battles lost naval battle november jointly bombarded remaining class battleships spent japanese naval bases participating major naval campaigns engaged american surface vessels battle torpedoed november sunk air attack naval base late july subsequently scrapped design design class battlecruisers came result modernization programs perceived need compete british_royal_navy march royal_navy launched hms invincible newcastle armed inch main guns invincible rendered current designed japanese capital ships obsolete comparison japanese diet passed emergency naval expansion bill authorizing construction battleship armoured cruisers designed british naval architect design class relied techniques eventually british tiger class terms contract signed vickers november member class lead ship built britain vickers maximize technology transfer japan design ships corresponding japanese design designation original design featured inch caliber guns sixteen inch guns inch torpedo tubes pushed adoption new inch calibre gun currently development trials new gun witnessed royal_navy japanese decision use new gun despite keel having laid january resulting need quickly large number design construction final design battlecruisers resulted improved version lion class displacing estimated tonnes long tons called inch guns mounted twin gun turrets forward aft speed knots mph ensure transfer latest design knowledge japan technical specialists sent months japan vickers construction phase trial witnesses included approximately japanese spent time britain description ships length meters overall beam meters draft meters displaced metric tons long tons normal load propulsion class ships sets parsons direct drive steam turbines turbines drove propeller shafts high pressure turbines drove wing shafts low pressure turbines drove inner shafts turbines arranged compartments separated centerline longitudinal bulkhead compartments situated turrets designed produce total shaft horsepower steam provided yarrow water tube boilers working pressures ranging kpa psi boilers arranged compartments mixed firing fuel oil sprayed coal extra power ships capacity long tons coal long tons oil giving range nautical miles speed knots mph battlecruisers designed reach speed knots mph exceeded speed sea trials attained knots mph knots mph shp shp respectively reconstruction late 1920s ships boilers fuel rearranged accommodate long tons coal long tons oil increased range nautical miles knots allowed fore funnel removed greatly decreased smoke interference bridge fire control systems coupled addition external torpedo reduced speed knots mph caused battleships 1930s fast battleships existing boilers removed replaced oil fired boilers upgraded boilers gave sister ships greater power class capable speeds exceeding knots mph japanese battleships fully suited operations alongside fast carriers armament primary armament class consisted calibre inch guns mounted superfiring twin gun turrets turrets elevation capability degrees turrets maximum elevation capability degrees shells loaded angle guns firing cycle seconds guns turrets underwent multiple ships careers reconstruction class 1920s elevation main guns increased maximum degrees mechanism guns changed hydraulic system allowed faster firing cycle main guns world war guns type armor piercing capped shells shells weighed kilograms muzzle velocity meters second maximum range meters degrees elevation meters degrees available kilogram high explosive shell muzzle velocity meters second special type shell developed 1930s anti aircraft use built class fitted secondary armament sixteen caliber inch guns mounted single casemates sides hull level upper deck guns mounted arc fire degrees maximum elevation degrees gun fire kilogram high explosive maximum distance yards rate shots minute reconstruction 1930s maximum elevation guns increased degrees increased maximum range approximately metres second reconstruction guns removed ship bringing total fourteen inch guns ships mounted caliber anti aircraft guns millimetre high angle guns single mounts guns maximum elevation degrees fire muzzle velocity maximum height metres ships equipped submerged millimetre torpedo tubes broadside class secondary armament changed significantly time 1930s guns replaced caliber dual purpose guns guns fitted sides fore aft twin gun mounts firing surface targets guns range metres maximum ceiling metres maximum elevation degrees maximum rate fire rounds minute sustained rate fire rounds minute reconstruction foremost guns removed light armament class changed dramatically second reconstruction ships fitted twin machine guns later replaced millimeter gun mounts weapons license built french hotchkiss designs guns mounted class single double triple mounts model standard japanese light anti aircraft gun world war suffered severe design shortcomings rendered largely ineffective weapon twin triple mounts lacked sufficient speed train elevation gun sights unable handle fast targets gun exhibited excessive vibration magazine small finally gun produced excessive muzzle blast ultimately carried guns triple twin single mounts armour class battlecruisers designed intention speed heavily armoured later japanese capital ships class possessed significant quantities armour heavily upgraded initial configuration class possessed upper belt inches thick lower belt thickness inches construction original armour constructed variation designed subsequent developments japanese armour technology relied hybrid design variations drastic changes design class armoured belt near bow stern vessels strengthened additional inches cemented armour conning tower class heavily armoured variations inches thick turrets lightly armoured compared later designs maximum plate thickness inches deck armour ranged inches ship underwent interwar period armour class heavily upgraded main lower belt strengthened uniform thickness inches diagonal bulkheads depth ranging inches reinforced main armoured belt upper belt remained unchanged closed inch bulkheads bow stern ships turret armour strengthened inches inches added portions deck armour armour upgrades increased displacement close tons ship violating terms modifications armour capacity class remained newer capital ships factor played major role sinking hands cruisers battleships ships lack available japanese warships built japanese private shipyards completed considered modern battlecruisers imperial_japanese_navy according naval historian contemporary capital ships design successful construction fourth battlecruiser lion class hms tiger halted design features class added laid january launched commissioned august arrived singapore november undergo armaments sighting checks naval arsenal placed reserve arrival august japan formally declared war contribution deployed near patrol communications lines pacific_ocean attached fleet following washington naval treaty contemporaries including ships classes japanese capital ships avoid november docked modifications improved fire control main gun elevation increased armament september began major reconstruction horizontal armour boilers machinery space improved equipped carry type model reconstruction completed march reclassified battleship october november flagship placed reserve flag transferred june second reconstruction began japan withdrawal london naval treaty led reconstruction forward tower fit style design improvements boilers turbines aircraft aft turret new speed knots mph qualified fast battleship modifications completed january august november assigned sister ships sailed november main body fast battleships heavy cruisers destroyers japanese invasion malaya singapore following destruction departed french escorting fast carrier task force february invasion dutch_east_indies provided cover japanese carriers attacks dutch_east_indies february ceylon march april diverted north june assist invasion sisters engaged american naval forces engagement bombarded inch inch shells october following armament armour upgrades late early sailed admiral battle philippine sea battle sortied scoring hits american escort carrier sinking damaging destroyers battle escort sunk northwest taiwan november submarine uss hit port bow torpedoes approximately crew including captain commander vice admiral lost removed navy list january laid naval arsenal november launched november commissioned august attached fleet conducting patrols china world war placed reserve undergoing minor avoid scrapped terms converted training ship armour armament removed restrictions treaty carefully preserved refitted following reconstruction emperor ship late following japan withdrawal london treaty underwent massive reconstruction lines similar sister ships reconstruction completed january reclassified battleship sailed november escort vice admiral carrier force attacked pearl harbor provided escort cover carrier raids darwin february joint engagement sank american destroyer march participated carrier actions ceylon subsequently july following carrier escort duty battles departed flagship rear admiral bombard night november fleet encountered sound naval battle ensued extremely confusing melee disabled american heavy cruisers killing rear process hit shells guns cruisers destroyers rendering virtually transferred flag battleship taken tow ship starboard position day attacked american aircraft different times trying evade attack lost emergency rudder began list stern starboard scuttled northwest evening november japanese destroyers keel laid nagasaki yard march launched year half later december transferred naval arsenal fitting completion april served japan china korea coasts world war war alternated based japan patrolling japanese ports september collided destroyer causing minor damage ships assisted rescue efforts aftermath devastating earthquake destroyed tokyo sent reserve fleet december received refit returning main fleet battlecruiser operated china periods time returned reserve preparation major reconstruction superstructure rebuilt received extensive upgrades armour propulsion waterline period fleet duty early 1930s underwent year reconstruction rebuild fast battleship upgrade improved engine plant redesigned superstructure lengthened stern enabled equip serving transport support ship second sino japanese war escorted aircraft carrier bound attack pearl harbor december following start world war served escort carrier attacks port darwin dutch_east_indies joined sister ships escorting naval sorties ceylon served escort duty disastrous transferring preparation operations american landings participating battles joined night attack november following loss evening november subsequently engaged american battleships night november managed inflict superficial damage uss south turn caught guard attacking crippled engines largely disabled listing heavily starboard abandoned early morning november capsized sank loss crew laid march launched december formally commissioned april short patrolling duty suffered breech explosion gunnery drills september seven crewmen killed turret badly damaged long period time reserve underwent modernization process upgraded propulsion capabilities enabled carry launch increasing armour capacity tons shortly reclassified battleship overhauled second time additionally strengthened armour reclassified fast battleship second sino japanese war primarily served large scale troop transport japanese troops chinese mainland eve commencement world war sailed vice admiral december provided heavy support invasion malaya singapore participated major japanese southern southwestern pacific early sailing carrier strike force bombarded american positions henderson field provided escort carriers solomon islands campaign deployed larger force multiple occasions counter threat american carrier strikes actively participate single battle escort battle philippine sea fought american surface vessels battle battleships class survive remained sunk aircraft task force july taking bomb hits subsequently raised broken scrap
Kongō-class battlecruiser