Japanese battleship Fusō
Fusō undergoing trials on 10 May 1933 after a major refit
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History | |
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Empire of Japan | |
Name | Fusō (Japanese: 扶桑) |
Namesake | Fusang, a classical name for Japan |
Builder | Kure Naval Arsenal |
Laid down | 11 March 1912 |
Launched | 28 March 1914 |
Commissioned | 8 November 1915 |
Stricken | 31 August 1945 |
Fate | Sunk during the Battle of Surigao Strait , 25 October 1944 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type | Fusō-class battleship |
Displacement | |
Length | |
Beam | 28.7 m (94 ft 2 in) |
Draft | 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 4 × shafts; 2 × steam turbine sets |
Speed | 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) |
Range | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
Complement | 1,198 |
Armament |
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Armor |
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General characteristics (1944) | |
Displacement | 34,700 long tons (35,300 t) |
Length | 212.75 m (698 ft) (overall) |
Beam | 33.1 m (108 ft 7 in) |
Draft | 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 4 × steam turbines |
Speed | 24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph) |
Range | 11,800 nmi (21,900 km; 13,600 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
Complement | approximately 1,900 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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Armor | Deck: 51–152 mm (2–6 in) |
Aircraft carried | 3 × floatplanes |
Aviation facilities | 1 × catapult |
Fusō (扶桑, a
Fusō was modernized in 1930–1935 and again in 1937–1941, with improvements to her armor and propulsion machinery and a rebuilt superstructure in the pagoda mast style. With only 14-inch (356 mm) guns, she was outclassed by other Japanese battleships at the beginning of World War II, and played auxiliary roles for most of the war.
Fusō was part of
Description
The ship had a length of 192.1 meters (630 ft 3 in)
During the ship's first modernization during 1930–1933, her forward superstructure was enlarged with multiple platforms added to her tripod foremast. Her rear superstructure was rebuilt to accommodate mounts for 127-millimeter (5 in)
Propulsion
The ship had two sets of
During her first modernization, the Miyahara boilers were replaced by six new Kampon oil-fired boilers fitted in the former aft boiler room, and the forward funnel was removed. The Brown-Curtis turbines were replaced by four geared Kanpon turbines with a designed output of 75,000 shp (56,000 kW).[5] During her 1933 trials, Fusō reached a top speed of 24.7 knots (45.7 km/h; 28.4 mph) from 76,889 shp (57,336 kW).[1] The fuel storage of the ship was increased to a total of 5,100 long tons (5,182 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 11,800 nautical miles (21,900 km; 13,600 mi) at a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[5]
Armament
The twelve 45-
Originally, Fusō was fitted with a secondary armament of sixteen 50-caliber six-inch 41st Year Type guns mounted in casemates on the upper sides of the hull. The gun had a maximum range of 22,970 yards (21,000 m)[9] and fired at a rate of up to six shots per minute.[10] She was fitted with five 40-caliber three-inch (76 mm) AA guns in 1918. The high-angle guns were in single mounts on both sides of the forward superstructure and both sides of the second funnel, as well as on the port side of the aft superstructure.[9] These guns had a maximum elevation of +75 degrees, and could fire a 5.99-kilogram (13.2 lb) shell at a rate of 13 to 20 rounds per minute to a maximum height of 7,200 meters (23,600 ft).[11] The ship was also fitted with six submerged 533-millimeter (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, three on each broadside.[3]
During the first phase of Fusō's modernization of the early 1930s, all five three-inch guns were removed and replaced with eight 40-caliber
The improvements made during the first reconstruction increased Fusō's draft by 1 meter (3 ft 3 in), soaking the two foremost six-inch guns, so they were removed during the first phase of the ship's second modernization in 1937 and 1938.
Armor
The ship's waterline armor belt was 305 to 229 millimeters (12 to 9 in) thick; below it was a strake of 102 mm (4 in) armor. The deck armor ranged in thickness from 32 to 51 mm (1.3 to 2.0 in). The turrets were protected with an armor thickness of 279.4 mm (11.0 in) on the face, 228.6 mm (9.0 in) on the sides, and 114.5 mm (4.51 in) on the roof. The barbettes of the turrets were protected by armor 305 mm thick, while the casemates of the 152 mm guns were protected by 152 mm armor plates. The sides of the conning tower were 351 millimeters (13.8 in) thick. The vessel contained 737 watertight compartments (574 underneath the armor deck, 163 above) to preserve buoyancy in the event of battle damage.[20]
During her first reconstruction Fusō's armor was substantially upgraded. The deck armor was increased to a maximum thickness of 114 mm (4.5 in). A longitudinal bulkhead of 76 mm (3.0 in) of high-tensile steel was added to improve underwater protection.[21]
Aircraft
Fusō was briefly fitted with an aircraft flying-off platform on Turret No. 2 in 1924. During the first phase of her first modernization, a catapult was fitted on the roof of Turret No. 3 and the ship was equipped to operate three floatplanes, although no hangar was provided. The initial Nakajima E4N2 biplanes were replaced by Nakajima E8N2 biplanes in 1938. Fusō's ability to operate her aircraft was greatly improved during the second phase of her second modernization in 1940–41 when the aircraft handling equipment was moved to the stern and a new catapult was installed. Mitsubishi F1M biplanes replaced the E8Ns from 1942 on.[22]
Fire control and sensors
When completed in 1915, Fusō had two 3.5-meter (11 ft 6 in) and two 1.5-meter (4 ft 11 in)
While in
Construction and service
Given a
The first phase of the ship's first modernization began on 12 April 1930 at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal; machinery was replaced, armor was reinforced, and torpedo bulges were fitted. Fusō arrived on 26 September 1932 at Kure Naval Arsenal, where her armament was upgraded and her torpedo tubes were removed. Her sea trials began on 12 May 1933, and the second phase of her modernization began less than a year later. The ship's stern was lengthened and work was completed in March 1935. Captain Jinichi Kusaka[32][33] was assigned command from November 1935 to December 1936. After sporadic use for training for the next two years, Fusō was assigned as a training ship in 1936 and 1937.[34]
Fusō began the first phase of her second modernization on 26 February 1937, and Captain Hiroaki Abe assumed command on 1 December. He was relieved by Captain Ruitaro Fujita on 1 April 1938, the day after this phase of her modernization was completed. The ship was again assigned to the 1st Division of the 1st Fleet on 15 November. She briefly operated in Chinese waters in early 1939 before the second phase of her second modernization began on 12 December 1940. This was completed on 10 April 1941, and Fusō was assigned to the 2nd Division of the 1st Fleet.[35] Captain Mitsuo Kinoshita assumed command on 15 September, when the division consisted of the two Fusō-class and the two Ise-class battleships.[36]
World War II
On 10 April 1941, Fusō was assigned to the 2nd Division of the 1st Fleet.
Fusō and the rest of the 2nd Battleship Division set sail on 28 May 1942 with the Aleutian Support Group at the same time that most of the Imperial Fleet began an attack on
On 14 June, Fusō returned to Yokosuka and arrived back at Hashirajima on 24 June. In an effort to replace the aircraft carriers lost at the Battle of Midway, the navy made plans to convert the two Fusō-class ships to hybrid battleship-carriers, but the two Ise-class battleships were chosen instead. The ship was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima, Hiroshima, for use as a training ship between 15 November 1942 and 15 January 1943. Captain Keizō Komura assumed command on 5 December, and was relieved by Captain Nobumichi Tsuruoka[33][40] on 1 June the next year. Seven days later, Fusō rescued 353 survivors from Mutsu when that ship exploded at Hashirajima.[36]
Between 18 and 24 July 1943, the ship was at the Kure drydock for fitting of radar and additional 25 mm AA guns. Fusō sailed from the
On 1 February 1944, Fusō departed Truk with Nagato to avoid an American air raid, and arrived at Palau on 4 February. They left on 16 February to escape another air raid. The ships arrived on 21 February at
Battle of Surigao Strait
Commanded by Rear Admiral Masami Ban, Fusō left
At 09:08 on 24 October, Fusō, Yamashiro, and the
One or two torpedoes, possibly fired by the destroyer
[Survivors' accounts] and the USS Hutchins report are describing a sinking and event at odds with the conventional record—one that seems far removed from the spectacle of the invariably alleged huge magazine explosion and blossom of light at 0338 that supposedly blew the battleship in half! ... Fuso was torpedoed, and as a result of progressive flooding, upended and capsized within forty minutes.
Fusō sank between 03:38 and 03:50, releasing a large quantity of oil which ignited on the surface as she went down; only a few dozen men survived the rapid sinking and subsequent oil fire. There is evidence that some of these were rescued by the destroyer Asagumo, which was itself sunk a short time later; it is also possible that some who escaped the sinking reached Leyte only to be killed by Filipinos, as is known to have happened to survivors from other Japanese warships sunk in the Battle of Surigao Strait. Ten crew members are known to have survived, all of whom returned to Japan.[49] The total number of casualties is estimated at 1,620 sailors.[28]
Fusō was removed from the
Wreck
RV Petrel discovered the wreck of Fusō on 25 November 2017. The ship lies upside down in 185 m (607 ft) of water and is in one piece on the seabed, with the hull broken amidships from the impact with the bottom. The pagoda mast broke off during the sinking and is some distance away from the wreck.[50]
Notes
- ^ Skulski and Preston use Squadron while Hackett uses BatDiv, presumably Battleship Division.
- Hawaiian Standard Time, so in Japan, the attack on Pearl Harborhappened on 8 December.
Footnotes
- ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 229
- ^ Jentschura, Jung and Mickel, p. 25
- ^ a b c Skulski, p. 30
- ^ Skulski, pp. 11, 29
- ^ a b c Skulski, p. 17
- ^ Jentschura, Jung and Mickel, pp. 25–26
- ^ a b Skulski, p. 18
- ^ Chesneau, p. 171
- ^ a b Skulski, p. 20
- ^ Campbell, p. 189
- ^ Campbell, p. 198
- ^ Skulski, p. 21
- ^ Campbell, pp. 192–93
- ^ Skulski, pp. 21–22
- ^ Skulski, pp. 20, 30
- ^ Stille, p. 11
- ^ a b Stille, p. 23
- ^ Skulski, p. 22
- ^ Campbell, p. 200
- ^ Skulski, pp. 16, 101, 163
- ^ Skulski, pp. 16, 101
- ^ Skulski, pp. 25–26
- ^ Skulski, pp. 28–29, 82, 84
- ^ Skulski, p. 26
- ^ Silverstone, p. 328
- ^ a b Skulski, p. 12
- ^ Nishida, Hiroshi. "Sato, Kozo, Vice admiral (Naval Academy 18th)". Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013.
- ^ a b Parshall, Jon; Bob Hackett; Sander Kingsepp; Allyn Nevitt. "Fuso Tabular record of movements". Imperial Japanese Navy Page. Combinedfleet.com.
- ^ Preston, p. 199
- ^ Nishida, Hiroshi. "Takahashi, Sankichi, Admiral (Naval Academy 29th)". Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013.
- ^ Skulski, pp. 12, 28
- ^ Nishida, Hiroshi. "Kusaka Jinchi, Vice admiral (Naval Academy 37th)". Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013.
- ^ a b c Skulski, p. 13
- ^ Skulski, pp. 12–13, 29
- ^ Skulski, pp. 13, 29
- ^ a b c d e f g Hackett
- ^ Rohwer, pp. 168–69
- ^ Parshall & Tully, p. 454
- ^ Parshall & Tully, p. 46
- ^ Nishida, Hiroshi. "Tsuruoka, Nobukichi, Rear admiral (Naval Academy 43rd)". Imperial Japanese Navy. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013.
- ^ Skulski, p. 14
- ^ Rohwer, p. 325
- ^ Tully, pp. xi, 43, 56
- ^ Tully, pp. 66, 120
- ^ Tully, p. 152
- ^ Tully, pp. 275–77
- ^ Toland, pp. 697–98
- ^ Tully, p. 179
- ^ Tully, pp. 178, 179, 261
- ^ "Rv Petrel". Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
References
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Hackett, Bob (2003). "IJN FUSO: Tabular Record of Movement". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter; Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- Parshall, Jonathan; Tully, Anthony (2007). Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. Washington, DC: Potomac Books. ISBN 978-1-57488-924-6.
- Preston, Antony (1972). Battleships of World War I: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Battleships of All Nations 1914–1918. New York: Galahad Books. ISBN 0-88365-300-1.
- Rohwer, Jurgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN 0-88254-979-0.
- Skulski, Janusz (1998). The Battleship Fuso. Anatomy of the Ship. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-665-5.
- Stille, Mark (2008). Imperial Japanese Navy Battleships 1941–45. New Vanguard. Vol. 146. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-280-6.
- OCLC 944111.
- Tully, Anthony P. (2009). Battle of Surigao Strait. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-35242-2.