IJN Tsukuba

The IJN Tsukuba was a battlecruiser used by Japan in World War I. Along with her sisters of her class, Ikoma, Ibuki, and Kurama, she had originally been designed as a battleship and her construction had been ordered in 1904. All four of them belonged to the Ibuki-class of battlecruisers. Launched in 1911, Tsukuba would be re-designated 'battlecruiser' when it entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1912. However, after only five years of duties, it would be sunk in an explosion in 1917, during the Great War.

Technical Descriptions

The Tsukuba was well armored, with 178-mm-thick armor on the belt, and 76-mm-thick plate on the deck. it was powered by vertical, triple-expansion steam engines, with two shafts, delivering 24,000 HP. Her main weapons were four 305-mm-caliber naval guns, which were set up in two twin turrets. At the time it was launched, it was a powerful, impressive, and advanced battlecruisers. However, it would not survive to be used in World War II. The other three ships of her class would be scrapped between 1924 and 1925.

Specifications

Type: battlecruiser

Length: 137.2 m (485 ft)

Beam: 23 m (75 ft, 3 in)

Displacement: 15,580 tons (full loaded)

Draft: 8 m (26 ft)

Maximum Speed: 23 knots

Armament: four 305mm naval guns; eight 203mm guns; fourteen 120mm guns;

Crew: 844 officers and sailors.

Below, the IJN Tsukuba in 1914.

 

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US Warships used at Midway

The US warships used at midway were grouped into two flotillas: Task Force 16 and Task Force 17, totaling 31 ships of all kinds. Therefore, the United States of America Navy's surface fleet that defeated the Japanese at the Battle of Midway between June 4 and 7, 1942, was composed of 3 aircraft carriers (USS Hornet CV-8, USS Yorktown CV-5, USS Enterprise CV-6); 7 heavy cruisers (USS New Orleans CA-32, USS Minneapolis CA-36, USS Pensacola CA-24, USS Astoria CA-34, USS Vincennes CA-44, USS Northampton CA-26, USS Portland CA-33); 1 light cruiser (USS Atlanta CL-51); 20 destroyers (USS Clark DD-361, Aylwin DD-355, Blue DD-387, Anderson DD-411, Benham DD-397, Balch DD-363, Morris DD-417, Hughes DD-410, Conyngham DD-371, Phelps DD-360, Dewey DD-349, Hammann DD-412, Ellet DD-398, Gwin DD-433, Maury DD-401, Monaghan DD-354, Ralph Talbot DD-390, Worden DD352, Russel DD-414, Monssen DD-436).

The US Navy also deployed 20 submarines at Midway (USS Dolphin SS-169, Cachalot SS-170, Gato SS-212, Cuttlefish SS-171, Finback SS-230, Grouper SS-214, Fish SS-229, Grayling SS-209, Grenadier SS-210, Pike SS-173, Nautilus SS-168, Growler SS-215, Tarpon SS-175, Plunger SS-179, Gudgeon SS-211, Narwhal SS-167, Tambor SS-198, Trout SS-202, Trigger SS-237). They lurked and stalked underwater, like predators, ready to sink enemy ships.

The Japanese fleet consisted of 5 aircraft carriers (4 heavy and 1 light), 11 battleships, 14 cruisers, and 40 destroyers, among other minor vessels, with Akagi (carrier) being the flagship.

American Warships in Action at Midway (footage)

 

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Kongo Class Battleship

A Kongo class battleship was one of four Imperial Japanese Navy's battleships, which were produced successively in a series and used during WW2. Originally built as battlecruisers between 1913 and 1915, they underwent modernization in the late 1920s and 1930s, as they were converted into powerful war vessels, with a longer deck, thicker armor, and a new power plant.

The IJN Kongo was the first one of the series and it was launched in 1913. It had been produced at Vickers shipyards, England. It was the last major  Japanese warship made in a foreign country. It would be followed by IJN Hiei, in 1914. The following year, 1915, IJN Haruna and IJN Kirishima would be launched successively. The last three of the series had been built at Japanese shipyards. However, they complied with the Vickers' engineers' concept of a battlecruiser: fast speed, heavy armament, but limited protection.

All four of them were part of the Japanese Navy fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. They would also participate in the Battle of Midway, in early June 1942. With IJN Kirishima and Hiei having been sunk by USS Washington near Guadalcanal in November 1942, the remainder two Kongo class battleships would take part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944, and the naval engagement off Samar island, Philippines. However, in November 1944, the IJN Kongo, the first of the series, was sunk by the USS Sealion submarine. Meanwhile, the IJN Haruna would be sunk by Allied bombers, on July 28, 1945, a couple of weeks before the war ended.

Below, photo of the IJN Kongo taken in 1913 during trials right after she had been launched.

Description

The Kongo class battleship originally featured three funnels, but one of them would be taken out during the modernization process, fitting them with a strong 'pagoda' mast. In the 1930s, new boilers and steam turbines were installed, doubling their maximum speed. Their belt armor was reinforced and the turrets modified to increase the maximum elevation of their naval guns, from +30 to +40 degrees. However, they kept their powerful 356mm (14 in) naval guns, which were set up in four twin turrets; two on fore and two on aft deck.

Kongo Class Specifications

Type: Fast Battleship

Number built: four

Length: 222 m (728 ft, 6 in)

Beam: 31 m (102 ft, 4 in)

Displacement: 36,000 tons (with full load)

Power Plant: 4 shafts, reduction-geared steam turbines, and four boilers, putting out 136,000 HP.

Maximum Speed: 30 knots

Armament: eight 356-mm (14 in) guns; sixteen 152-mm guns; sixteen 76mm AA guns.

Crew: 1,210 officers and sailors

 Below, the IJN Haruna in 1937

 The funnels of the IJN Kongo during her modernization

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