Izumo class cruiser
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| Izumo-class cruiser |  |
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 The Japanese cruiser Izumo in 1905 |
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 The Japanese cruiser Iwate in 1905 |
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| General characteristics | |
| Built by: | Armstrong Whitworth, Great Britain |
| Displacement: | 9,750 tons |
| Length: | 132.28 meters at waterline |
| Beam: | 20.94 meters |
| Draught: | 7.37 meters |
| Propulsion: | 2-shaft VTE, 14,500 bhp; 24 boilers |
| Speed: | 20.75 knots |
| Fuel & Range: | 1,412 tons coal; 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) |
| Complement: | 648 |
| Armament: |
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| Armor: |
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| Aircraft: |
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The Izumo-class Armored Cruisers (出雲型装甲巡洋艦 Izumo-gata Kōjunyōkan?) were an early class of armored cruiser operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. They participated in numerous actions during the Russo-Japanese War, World War I and World War II.
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[edit] Background
The Izumo-class armored cruiser were the second pair of six cruisers ordered to overseas shipyards after the First Sino-Japanese War as part of the “Six-Six Program” (six battleships-six cruisers) intended form the backbone of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Construction of the Izumo-class ships was awarded to the British shipbuilder Armstrong Whitworth of Elswick, the same shipyards who had built the previous 2 Asama class cruisers. The Japanese navy specification for the Izumo-class was almost identical to that of the Asama-class; however, minor differences internally and a major external difference (i.e. 3-smoke stacks instead of two) mean that the second pair of cruisers in the construction program are regarded as a separate class of ship.
[edit] Design
The hull of the Izumo-class cruiser was a typical flush deck with high freeboard to improve seaworthiness. The design still came with a ram attached to the bow. The 45-caliber 203 mm main guns were mounted in twin gun turrets fore and aft. Each could fire a 113 kilogram shell at the rate of 2 per minute over a range of 18,000 meters. The turrets were capable of 150 degree rotation left and right, and the guns could be elevated to 30 degrees. The secondary side-mounted 40-caliber, 152 mm guns had a range of 9,140 meters, and could fire at the rate of 5 shells per minute (up to 7 per minute for a very skilled gun crew).
Propulsion was by 2 vertical steam expansion engines, 2-shafts, with 12 boilers, yielding a speed of 21.5 knots and a range of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) based on bunkerage of 1409 tons of coal.
[edit] Ships in class
Two Izumo class cruisers were purchased from Armstrong Whitworth of Great Britain. Both were scrapped after the end of World War II.
Ordered in 1897, launched on 19 September 1898, and completed 25 September 1900, the Izumo participated in the Russo-Japanese War, World War I and World War II. It between wars, it served as a training ship for long distance oceanic navigation and officer training. It was sunk at dock in an American air attack on Kure 24 July 1945.
Ordered in 1897, launched 29 March 1900, and completed 18 March 1901, the Iwate participated in the Russo-Japanese War, World War I and World War II. It between wars, it served as a training ship for long distance oceanic navigation and officer training. It was sunk in an American air attack on Kure 26 July 1945.
[edit] References
- Evans, David. Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941. US Naval Institute Press (1979). ISBN 0870211927
- Howarth, Stephen. The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum; (1983) ISBN 0689114028
- Jane, Fred T. The Imperial Japanese Navy. Thacker, Spink & Co (1904) ASIN: B00085LCZ4
- Jentsura, Hansgeorg. Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Naval Institute Press (1976). ISBN 087021893X
- Schencking, J. Charles. Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922. Stanford University Press (2005). ISBN 0804749779
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