IJN Yamato

The IJN Yamato was the most renowned and powerful battleship in World War II. Along with her sister ship, Musashi, it was designed and laid down in 1937. Having been launched in August 1940, Yamato entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 16, 1941, nine days after the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor. It had been built on Kure's naval yard's dry dock, in Kaigun Kosho. A gantry crane, which straddled the dock, had to be used to lift ship parts weighing over 100 tons. Her powerful 460-mm guns and her turrets were also produced at Kure.

Below, the Yamato battleship on trials, on October 20, 1941.

During the Battle of Midway, she became Admiral Yamamoto's flagship. In August 1942, the IJN Yamato sailed for the Solomon islands to provide fire support to a series of Japanese military operations to recapture Guadalcanal that had been taken by the US forces on August 7.  On December 25, 1943, she was hit by torpedoes fired by US submarine Skate near Truk island. The torpedo tore out a hole in its starboard side hull, with about 3,000 tons of water pouring in, which forced her to sail back to Japan for repair. In June 1944, she took part in the naval Battle of the Philippine Sea, from which she came out unscathed. At the end of October 1944, Yamato would participate in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, firing its powerful 460-mm guns on American ships. On April 6, 1945, she sailed for Okinawa to provide fire support to the Japanese troops defending the island. However, before she could reach the island, she was sunk by massive enemy air strike.

Armament

The IJN Yamato's mean weapons were her nine 460-mm (18.1 in) naval guns, which were mounted in three tripple turrets; two on the bow deck, and the other on the stern deck. She was also armed with Twelve 155-mm guns set up in four tripple turrets. For anti-air defense, she was equipped with twelve 127-mm AA and twenty four 25-mm AA guns.

Technical Data

Type: Battleship

Overall Length: 263 m

Waterline Length: 256 m

Beam: 38.9 m

Displacement: 72,809 tons (fully-loaded)

Draft (full load): 10.86 m

Armor: between 100 to 410-mm-thick at side belt; 230-mm steel plate at deck.

Aircraft: six float biplanes

Power Plant: four-shaft steam turbines, delivering 150,00 HP

Maximum Speed: 27.5 knots

Crew: 2500 sailors and officers

Below, the Yamato sailing of rough seas in early November 1941.

The battleship's layout, superior view