japanese battleship warship imperial_japanese_navy world war world war designed british naval engineer launched class battlecruisers laid nagasaki formally commissioned day sister ship patrolled occasion chinese coast world war helped rescue efforts following great earthquake starting reconstruction rebuilt battleship strengthening armor improving speed second reconstruction completely rebuilt superstructure upgraded engine plant equipped launch fast accompany japan growing carrier fleet reclassified fast battleship second sino japanese war acted primarily support vessel troop transport moving army troops mainland china eve world war sailed vice admiral escort carriers attacked pearl harbor december participated imperial_japanese_navy early actions providing support invasion dutch_east_indies indonesia indian_ocean raid april provided escort carriers escorted japanese carrier fleets battles sailing bombardment force admiral naval battle evening november engaged american cruisers destroyers alongside sister ship night november battleship pacific war heavily damaged uss south crippled turn battleship uss washington capsized sank early morning november sound design construction imperial_japanese_navy class battlecruisers group capital ships designed british naval engineer class ordered japanese emergency naval expansion bill commissioning hms invincible battlecruisers class designed match naval capabilities major powers time called battlecruiser version british turkish battleship heavy armament armor protection took approximately ton displacement sister ships vastly superior japanese capital ship afloat time keel laid nagasaki shipyards march parts construction manufactured japan shortage available sister ship capital ships imperial_japanese_navy built private japanese shipyards launch december fitting began later month december captain assigned chief officer completed april armament main battery consisted inch heavy caliber main guns twin turrets forward aft turrets noted similar british inch turrets improvements flash main guns fire high explosive armor piercing shells maximum distance yards nmi firing rate shells minute ship magazines accommodate ninety rounds ammunition main guns approximate barrel life shots introduced armor piercing shells class battleships shells blue secondary battery originally sixteen inch caliber medium guns single casemates located amidships inch anti aircraft 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 second reconstruction inch guns removed replaced inch guns guns fire rounds minute barrel life rounds designed fire illumination shells inch caliber widest variety shot type guns second reconstruction fitted small number inch type service battlecruiser formally commissioned april assigned 1st fleet seven months trials reassigned captain overall command ship april departed naval base patrol days remained april deployed chinese coast sister ships patrol operation world war chinese korean coast april july acted transport prince arthur extended cruise canada returning japan 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 december reassigned patrol alongside chinese coast august remained september collided destroyer fleet maneuvers ships sustaining minor damage following earthquake september capital ships imperial_japanese_navy assisted rescue work end month placed reserve december conclusion world war signing size imperial_japanese_navy significantly ratio required capital ships united_kingdom united_states japan treaty banned japan building new capital ships capital ship permitted exceed tons provided new additions exceed tons existing capital ships allowed upgraded improved torpedo deck armor time fully implemented japan classes world war era capital ships class battleships class battlecruisers remained active battleship stripped ability construct new capital ships imperial_japanese_navy instead opted significantly upgrade existing battleships battlecruisers placed reserve december beginning reconstruction early horizontal armor ammunition magazines strengthened fitted anti torpedo permitted upgrade speed coal fired yarrow boilers removed replaced new mixed firing boilers allow equipment installed board forward superstructure reconstructed mast style removal funnels reconstruction class battlecruisers added additional tons armor ships directly violating terms april reconstruction declared complete days reconstruction completed japan pledged scrap battleships signed london naval treaty placed capital ship construction august october outfitted equipment necessary equip reconnaissance patrolled coast china near shanghai april placed reserve september japan invaded february based report agreed japan violated chinese sovereignty invasion refusing accept organization judgment japan withdrew day immediately following japan withdrew washington london naval treaties removing restrictions number size capital ships fast battleship november naval arsenal preparation second reconstruction enable function alongside japan growing fleet fast carriers stern lengthened feet superstructure rebuilt allow new fire control mechanisms boilers removed replaced new oil fired received newer geared turbines elevation main secondary battery increased equipped dave reconnaissance end aircraft launch rails refitted older inch guns removed replaced inch dual purpose guns outfitted type guns twin turrets inch guns remaining torpedo tubes removed 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 reconstruction declared complete june capable speeds knots mph reclassified fast battleship august departed alongside patrol chinese coast march april frequently deployed support vessel troop transport second sino japanese war november designated command vessel command november placed reserve fitted additional armor faces turrets barbettes november series transfers japanese naval bases outfitted preparation coming hostilities assigned alongside sister ships november departed islands company japanese fast carriers december aircraft carriers attacked home base pearl harbor sinking battleships numerous vessels following attack declaration war united_states returned japan combat loss january departed japan naval base caroline islands alongside carrier strike force provided escort invasion january returning sortied response american carrier raids marshall march supporting fleet operations java dutch_east_indies bombed enemy merchant vessel south java japanese fleet surprised appearance destroyer uss initially opened fire ship failed score hits dive bombers carriers destroyer ships resumed firing sank april battleship division joined fleet carriers cruisers attack british naval bases indian_ocean april easter sunday japanese fleet attacked harbor ceylon tone spotted fleeing british cruisers later sunk aerial attack withdrawing oil tanker april japanese carrier aircraft attacked royal_navy base ceylon find admiral remaining warships withdrawn previous night returning attack sister ship spotted aircraft carrier escorting destroyer quickly sunk massive aerial attack returning japan secondary armament configuration modified addition guns twin mounts june sailed carrier strike force providing escort fast carriers alongside following disastrous battle japanese carriers lost took survivors returning japan august departed japan solomon islands company carriers cruisers destroyers response american invasion escorted japanese carriers battle eastern light carrier sunk following battle fleet returned naval base battle rear admiral provided distant cover carrier groups attacked american dive bombers october remained undamaged november departed alongside destroyers preparation shell american positions advance major transport convoy japanese troops reconnaissance aircraft spotted japanese fleet days advance deployed force heavy cruisers light cruisers destroyers command rear admiral sound meet november japanese force detected yards light cruiser uss ensuing naval battle american task force concentrated majority firepower battleship enabled score multiple hits heavy cruiser uss san_francisco crippled light cruiser uss atlanta killing rear admiral san_francisco killing turn crippled san_francisco american destroyers effectively battle surviving destroyers withdrew north morning november ordered tow safety heavily damaged battleship came air attack eventually abandoned scuttled evening november escorting destroyers joined prepared sound command admiral early morning november japanese heavy cruisers bombarded withdrawing aware damage suffered ships previous night admiral reinforced american naval units new battleships uss south fleets contact november exchanged gunfire torpedoes american destroyers disabled later sink destroyer crippled washington suffered series electrical failures radar radios gun batteries heavy cruiser illuminated battleship force opened fire achieved hits inch secondary battery knocked battleship fire control systems communications failed penetrate armor washington managed evade japanese fleet midnight fired yards point blank range washington inch caliber guns easily capable penetrating armor maximum range hit primary seventeen secondary battery projectiles destroying bow inch turrets rear inch turrets steering setting superstructure causing battleship list degrees starboard initially light cruiser attempted tow sound clear salvaged surviving japanese destroyers evacuated admiral remaining survivors capsized morning november crewmen lost
Japanese battleship Kirishima