Japanese battleship Nagato
 Nagato on her sea trials, 30 September 1920
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Japan | |
| Name | Nagato |
| Namesake | Nagato Province |
| Builder | Kure Naval Arsenal |
| Laid down | 28 August 1917 |
| Launched | 9 November 1919 |
| Sponsored by | Admiral Katō Tomosaburō |
| Completed | 15 November 1920 |
| Commissioned | 25 November 1920 |
| Stricken | 15 September 1945 |
| Fate | Sunk as a target in Operation Crossroads, 29/30 July 1946 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class and type | Nagato-class battleship |
| Displacement | 32,720 standard ) |
| Length | 215.8 m (708 ft) |
| Beam | 29.02 m (95 ft 3 in) |
| Draft | 9.08 m (29 ft 9 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 4 shafts; 4 × steam turbines |
| Speed | 26.5 knots (49.1 km/h; 30.5 mph) |
| Range | 5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 1,333 |
| Armament |
|
| Armor |
|
| General characteristics (1944) | |
| Displacement | 39,130 t (38,510 long tons) ( standard ) |
| Length | 224.94 m (738 ft) |
| Beam | 34.6 m (113 ft 6 in) |
| Draft | 9.49 m (31 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Speed | 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Range | 8,650 nmi (16,020 km; 9,950 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 1,734 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
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| Armor |
|
| Aircraft carried | 3 × floatplanes |
| Aviation facilities | 1 × catapult |
Nagato (長門), named for
Other than participating in the Battle of Midway in June 1942, where she did not see combat, the ship spent most of the first two years of the Pacific War training in home waters. She was transferred to Truk in mid-1943, but did not see any combat until the Battle of the Philippine Sea in mid-1944 when she was attacked by American aircraft. Nagato did not fire her main armament against enemy vessels until the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October. She was lightly damaged during the battle and returned to Japan the following month. The IJN was running out of fuel by this time and decided not to fully repair her. Nagato was converted into a floating anti-aircraft platform and assigned to coastal defense duties. She was attacked in July 1945 as part of the American campaign to destroy the IJN's last remaining capital ships, but was only slightly damaged and went on to be the only Japanese battleship to have survived World War II. In mid-1946, the ship was a target for nuclear weapon tests during Operation Crossroads. She survived the first test with little damage, but was sunk by the second.
Description
Nagato had a length of 201.17 meters (660 ft)
In 1930,
Propulsion
Nagato was equipped with four Gihon geared
Armament
Nagato's eight 45-
The ship's secondary armament of twenty 50-caliber 14-centimeter guns was mounted in casemates on the upper sides of the hull and in the superstructure. The manually operated guns had a maximum range of 20,500 metres (22,400 yd) and fired at a rate of six to 10 rounds per minute.[13] Anti-aircraft defense was provided by four 40-caliber 3rd Year Type three-inch[Note 1] AA guns in single mounts. The 3-inch (76 mm) high-angle guns had a maximum elevation of +75 degrees, and had a rate of fire of 13 to 20 rounds per minute.[14] The ship was also fitted with eight 53.3-centimeter (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, four on each broadside, two above water and two submerged.[15]
Around 1926, the four above-water torpedo tubes were removed and the ship received three additional 76 mm AA guns that were situated around the base of the foremast.
When the ship was reconstructed in 1934–1936, the remaining torpedo tubes and the two forward 14 cm (5+1⁄2-inch) guns were removed from the hull. The remaining 14 cm guns had their elevation increased to +35 degrees which increased their range to 20,000 meters (22,000 yd). An unknown number of license-built
The unsatisfactory two-pounders were replaced in 1939 by twenty license-built Type 96 Hotchkiss
Armor
The ship's waterline armor belt was 305 mm (12 in) thick and tapered to a thickness of 100 mm (3.9 in) at its bottom edge; above it was a strake of 229 mm (9.0 in) armor. The main deck armor was 69 mm (2.7 in) while the lower deck was 75 mm (3 in) thick.[26] The turrets were protected with an armor thickness of 305 mm on the face, 230–190 mm (9.1–7.5 in) on the sides, and 152–127 mm (6.0–5.0 in) on the roof.[12] The barbettes of the turrets were protected by armor 305 mm thick, while the casemates of the 140 mm (1.6 in) guns were protected by 25 mm (0.98 in) armor plates. The sides of the conning tower were 369 mm (14.5 in) thick.[2]
The new 41 cm turrets installed during Nagato's reconstruction were more heavily armored than the original ones. Face armor was increased to 460 mm (18.1 in), the sides to 280 mm (11.0 in), and the roof to 250–230 mm (9.8–9.1 in).[27] The armor over the machinery and magazines was increased by 38 mm on the upper deck and 25 mm (0.98 in) on the upper armored deck.[9] These additions increased the weight of the ship's armor to 13,032 metric tons (12,826 long tons),[10] 32.6 percent of her displacement.[9] In early 1941, as a preparation for war,[7] Nagato's barbette armor was reinforced with 100 mm (3.9 in) armor plates above the main deck and 215 mm (8.5 in) plates below it.[28]
Fire control and sensors
When completed in 1920, the ship was fitted with a 10-meter (32 ft 10 in) rangefinder in the forward superstructure; six-meter (19 ft 8 in) and three-meter (9 ft 10 in) anti-aircraft rangefinders were added in May 1921 and 1923, respectively. The rangefinders in the second and third turrets were replaced by 10-meter units in 1932–1933.[29]
Nagato was initially fitted with a Type 13 fire-control system derived from Vickers equipment received during World War I, but this was replaced by an improved Type 14 system around 1925. It controlled the main and secondary guns; no provision was made for anti-aircraft fire until the Type 31
While in
Aircraft
Nagato was fitted with an 18-meter (59 ft 1 in)
Construction and career
Nagato, named for
After the
Nagato was again placed in reserve on 1 December 1931 and her anti-aircraft armament was upgraded the following year. In August 1933 the ship participated in fleet maneuvers north of the
World War II
Admiral
In June 1942 Nagato, commanded by Captain Hideo Yano, was assigned to the Main Body of the 1st Fleet during the Battle of Midway, together with Yamato, Mutsu, Hosho, the light cruiser Sendai, nine destroyers and four auxiliary ships.[38][39] Following the loss of all four carriers of the 1st Air Fleet on 4 June, Yamamoto attempted to lure the American forces west to within range of the Japanese air groups at Wake Island, and into a night engagement with his surface forces, but the American forces withdrew and Nagato saw no action. After rendezvousing with the remnants of the 1st Air Fleet on 6 June, survivors from the aircraft carrier Kaga were transferred to Nagato.[40] On 14 July, the ship was transferred to Battleship Division 2 and she became the flagship of the 1st Fleet. Yano was promoted to rear admiral on 1 November and he was replaced by Captain Yonejiro Hisamune nine days later. Nagato remained in Japanese waters training until August 1943. On 2 August Captain Mikio Hayakawa assumed command of the ship.[7]
That month, Nagato, Yamato, Fusō and the
On 1 February 1944, Nagato departed Truk with Fusō to avoid an American air raid, and arrived at Palau on 4 February. They departed on 16 February to escape another air raid. The ships arrived on 21 February at Lingga Island, near Singapore, and the ship became the flagship of Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki, commander of Battleship Division 1, on 25 February, until he transferred his flag to Yamato on 5 May. Aside from a brief refit at Singapore, the ship remained at Lingga training until 11 May when she was transferred to Tawi-Tawi on 12 May. The division was now assigned to the 1st Mobile Fleet, under the command of Vice Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa.[7]
On 10 June, Battleship Division 1 departed Tawi-Tawi for
Battle of Leyte Gulf
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Kobe was promoted to rear admiral on 15 October. Three days later, Nagato sailed for Brunei Bay, Borneo, to join the main Japanese fleet in preparation for "Operation Sho-1", the counterattack planned against the American landings at Leyte. The Japanese plan called for Ozawa's carrier forces to lure the American carrier fleets north of Leyte so that Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita's 1st Diversion Force (also known as the Center Force) could enter Leyte Gulf and destroy American forces landing on the island. Nagato, together with the rest of Kurita's force, departed Brunei for the Philippines on 22 October.[42]
In the
On the morning of 25 October, the 1st Diversion Force passed through the
Final days of the war
On 15 November the ship was assigned to Battleship Division 3 of the
In June 1945, all of her secondary guns and about half of her anti-aircraft armament was moved ashore, together with her rangefinders and searchlights. Her crew was accordingly reduced to less than 1,000 officers and enlisted men. On 18 July 1945, the heavily camouflaged ship was attacked by fighter bombers and torpedo bombers from five American carriers as part of Admiral William Halsey Jr.'s campaign to destroy the IJN's last surviving capital ships. Nagato was hit by two bombs, the first 500-pound (230 kg) bomb struck the bridge and killed Otsuka, the executive officer, and twelve sailors when it detonated upon hitting the roof of the conning tower. The second 500-pound bomb struck the deck aft of the mainmast and detonated when it hit No. 3 barbette. It failed to damage the barbette or the turret above it, but blew a hole nearly 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter in the deck above the officer's lounge, killing 21 men and damaging four Type 96 guns on the deck above. A dud rocket of uncertain size hit the ship's fantail, but failed to do any significant damage. To convince the Americans that Nagato had been badly damaged by the attack, her damage was left unrepaired and some of her ballast tanks were pumped full of seawater to make her sit deeper in the water as if she had sunk to the harbor bottom.[7][44]
Captain Shuichi Sugino was appointed as Nagato's new captain on 24 July, but he was unable to take up his appointment until 20 August. Retired Rear Admiral
After the war
The ship was selected to participate as a target ship in
Operation Crossroads began with the first blast (Test Able), an
The wreck is upside down and her most prominent features are her four propellers, at a depth of 33.5 meters (110 ft) below the surface.[48] She has become a scuba diving destination in recent years and The Times named Nagato as one of the top ten wreck diving sites in the world in 2007.[48][49]
Notes
- 12-pounder guns. While the Japanese designated them as 8 cm, their actual caliber was 76.2 mm.[14]
- ^ Skwiot says two single mounts in 1932–1934 and another pair, mounted near the aft funnel, were added in 1934.[19]
- Hawaiian Standard Time, so in Japan, the attack on Pearl Harbor happened on 8 December.
- ^ All times in this article are Japan Standard Time, one hour behind the times quoted in most American books on the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
- ^ No cruisers were present, only destroyers and destroyer escorts.[7] In the Battle off Samar, Japanese observers misidentified Taffy 3's escort carriers, destroyers and destroyer escorts as larger light carriers, cruisers and destroyers.
Footnotes
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 4
- ^ a b c d Whitley, p. 200
- ^ a b c Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 28
- ^ Stille, p. 34
- ^ Skwiot 2007, p. 34
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 6, 9–10, 71
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Hackett, Kingsepp, & Ahlberg
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 73, 76–77
- ^ a b c Stille, p. 32
- ^ a b Skwiot 2008, p. 78
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 19
- ^ a b Friedman, p. 269
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 24
- ^ a b Campbell, p. 198
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 31
- ^ a b Skwiot 2008, p. 70
- ^ Whitley, p. 202
- ^ Campbell, pp. 192–193
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 26, 72
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 26, 30
- ^ a b Campbell, p. 200
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 33, 72–73
- ^ Campbell, p. 202
- ^ Stille, p. 11
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 80
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 10–11
- ^ Campbell, p. 182
- ^ Chesneau, p. 172
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 34, 72
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 33–37, 72
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 47
- ^ Skwiot 2008, p. 57
- ^ Skwiot 2008, pp. 54, 57
- ^ Silverstone, p. 335
- ^ Lengerer, footnote 3
- ^ Skwiot 2007, pp. 33–34
- ^ Skwiot 2007, p. 36
- ^ Rohwer, pp. 168–169
- ^ Parshall & Tully, p. 453
- ^ Parshall & Tully, pp. 382–383
- ^ Skwiot 2007, p. 46
- ^ Polmar & Genda, pp. 420–422
- ^ Skwiot 2007, p. 51
- ^ a b c d e Tully
- Naval History & Heritage Command (NH&HC). Archived from the originalon 29 March 2004. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
- ^ Farley, Robert. "Imperial Japan's Last Floating Battleship". The Diplomat. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ Skwiot 2007, p. 63
- ^ a b "Bikini Atoll Dive Tourism Information". Bikini Atoll Divers. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- ^ Ecott, Tim (3 March 2007). "World's Best Wreck Diving". The Times. London. Retrieved 11 September 2009.(subscription required)
References
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-459-2.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-146-5.
- ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
- Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander & Ahlberg, Lars (2009). "IJN Nagato: Tabular Record of Movement". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 15 March 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.
- Lengerer, Hans (June 2010). Ahlberg, Lars (ed.). "Battleships of the Kaga Class and the so-called Tosa Experiments". Contributions to the History of Imperial Japanese Warships (Special Paper I).
- Parshall, Jonathan & Tully, Anthony (2007). Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books. ISBN 978-1-57488-924-6.
- Polmar, Norman & ISBN 978-1-57488-663-4.
- Rohwer, Jurgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-119-8.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN 978-0-88254-979-8.
- Skwiot, Miroslaw (2007). Nagato Mutsu, Part I. Encyklopedua Okretów Wojennych. Vol. 51. Gdansk, Poland: AJ-Press. ISBN 978-83-7237-184-3.
- Skwiot, Miroslaw (2008). Nagato Mutsu, Part II. Encyklopedia Okretów Wojennych. Vol. 52. Gdansk, Poland: AJ-Press. ISBN 978-83-7237-202-4.
- Stille, Mark (2008). Imperial Japanese Navy Battleships 1941–45. New Vanguard. Vol. 146. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-280-6.
- Tully, A.P. (2003). "Nagato's Last Year: July 1945 – July 1946". Mysteries/Untold Sagas of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- Whitley, M. J. (1998). Battleships of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-184-4.
Further reading
- Lengerer, Hans; Ahlberg, Lars (2018). "The Battleship Nagato (1919)". In Taylor, Bruce (ed.). The World of the Battleship: The Lives and Careers of Twenty-One Capital Ships of the World's Navies, 1880–1990. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-0870219061.
External links
