Japan's Battleship Kirishima

[Tanz]

I have to split this in 2 mainly due to limit of picture I can load on here :ohmy: Sorry about that.

HIJMS Kiriskima

 

The Battlecruiser Kirishima was designed by British naval engineer George Thurston. She served during both World Wars, and was the third launched of the four Kongo class battlecruisers. She was among the most heavily armed ships in any navy when built.

 

Laid down in 1912 at the Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki; the ship was approximately 728 feet long and 101 feet wide, had a top speed of 30 knots, and had a crew of 1,360 officers and men. Kirishima was heavily armed with eight 14-inch guns, 16 6.1-inch guns, eight 5-inch guns, and numerous smaller caliber anti-aircraft guns. Kirishima was formally commissioned in 1915 on the same day as her sister ship, Haruna.

 

Early Years and Modernization

 

She was assigned to the 1st Battleship Division of the First Fleet. Later to be reassigned to the 3rd Battleship Division of the Second Fleet. She did a patrol the East China Sea for ten days with the Haruna in April 1916, then returned and stayed in Sasebo until April of the following year when she and two of her sisters deployed off the Chinese coast. Her final operation of WWI, were of the Korean and Chinese coasts in April 1918.

 

After WWI, Kirishima was reassigned to the Third Division of the Second Fleet in December 1920 & became significantly less active. On 10 September 1922, she collided with the destroyer Fuji during fleet maneuvers, with both ships sustaining minor damage. Following the Great Kantō Earthquake of September 1923, the capital ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy assisted in rescue work until the end of the month. She was placed in reserve in December 1923.

 

Due to the Washington Naval Treaty, the size of the Imperial Japanese Navy was significantly lessened, with a ratio of 5:5:3 required between the capital ships of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. The treaty also banned Japan from building any new capital ships until 1931, with no capital ship permitted to exceed 35,000 tons. Provided that new additions did not exceed 3,000 tons, existing capital ships were allowed to be upgraded with improved torpedo bulges and deck armor. By the time the Washington Treaty had been fully implemented in Japan, only three classes of World War I era capital ships the Yamashiro and Ise class battleships, and the Kongo class battlecruisers remained active. Stripped of the ability to construct new capital ships, the Imperial Japanese Navy instead opted to significantly upgrade and reconfigure their existing battleships and battlecruisers.

 

Twelve years after being commissioned, Kirishima was modernized at Kure, Japan. Her First modernization was from 1927 to 1930, where she was rebuilt as a battleship. They also strengthened her armor and improved her speed.

 

She then underwent yet another major reconstruction from 1934 to 1936, which lengthened her hull, rebuilt her superstructure, gave her catapults for floatplanes, and gave her much more powerful engines. Her older 3-inch guns were removed and replaced with eight 5-inch dual-purpose guns. She was also outfitted with twenty Type 96 25 mm antiaircraft guns in twin turrets, while two of her 6 inch guns and her remaining torpedo tubes were removed. Kirishima's armor was also extensively upgraded. She was now re-classified as a “fast battleship” since she could now keep up with the Japanese Carriers.

 

Although the now larger, the 32,156 ton Kirishima looked like a modern battleship, but she still had rather light armor protection for a ship her size. This would be a flaw that would prove fatal later on in her career.

 

WWII

 

Kirishima’s high speed played an important role during the first year of the Pacific War. She was part of Admiral Nagumo’s Combined Fleet, and escorted Japanese aircraft carriers during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

 

As part of the Third Battleship Division, Kirishima participated in many of the Imperial Japanese Navy's early actions and was extensively used during Japan’s invasion of the East Indies in early 1942.

 

On 8 January 1942, Kirishima departed Japan for Truk Naval Base in the Caroline Islands alongside the Carrier Strike Force. She provided escort during the invasion of New Britain on 17 January before returning to Truk. She sortied again in response to American carrier raids in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. In March 1942, while supporting fleet operations off of Java in the Dutch East Indies, one of Kirishima's floatplanes bombed an enemy merchant vessel. South of Java, the Japanese fleet was surprised by the appearance of the destroyer USS Edsall. Hiei and Chikuma initially opened fire on the ship but failed to score any hits. After dive-bombers from three of Admiral Nagumo's carriers immobilized the destroyer, Kirishima and the other two ships resumed firing on the Edsall until she sank.

 

In April 1942, Kirishima and the Third Battleship division joined five fleet carriers and two cruisers in an attack against British naval bases in the Indian Ocean. On 5 April the Japanese fleet attacked the harbor at Colombo in Ceylon. During this attack a floatplane from Kirishima strafed a withdrawing oil tanker and on April 8th, Japanese carrier aircraft attacked the Royal Navy base at Trincomalee in Ceylon. Yet the British ships under the command of Admiral James Somerville's had withdrawn the previous night. Returning from the attack, a floatplane from Kirishima's sister ship Haruna spotted the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes, which was quickly sunk by a massive aerial attack. Upon returning to Japan, Kirishima was drydocked and her secondary armament configuration modified with the addition of 25 mm antiaircraft guns in twin mounts.

 

Midway

 

In June 1942, Kirishima sailed as part of the Carrier Strike Force during the Battle of Midway, providing escort for Admiral Nagumo's four fast carriers alongside Haruna. Following the disastrous battle, during which all four Japanese carriers were sunk or scuttled, she took on survivors from the four flattops before returning to Japan.

In August 1942, she departed Japan for the Solomon Islands in the company of Hiei, three carriers, three cruisers and eleven destroyers, in response to the American invasion of Guadalcanal. She escorted Japanese carriers during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, during which the light carrier Ryujo was sunk. Following the battle, the fleet returned to Truk Naval Base. During the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, Kirishima was part of Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe's Vanguard Force, which provided distant cover to Nagumo's carrier groups. She was attacked by American dive bombers on the 26th October, yet remained undamaged.

 

(Cont below)

[Tanz]

Guadalcanal

 

On 10 November 1942, Kirishima departed Truk alongside Hiei and eleven destroyers in preparation to shell American positions on Guadalcanal in advance of a major transport convoy of Japanese troops. U.S. Navy reconnaissance aircraft spotted the Japanese fleet several days in advance, and deployed a force of two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers and eight destroyers under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan in Ironbottom Sound to meet them.

 

In the early hours of November 13th, 1942 the Kirishima took part in the close-quarters melee later known as the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, wherein she, her sistership HIJMS Hiei and a task force of one Cruiser and twelve Destroyers were intercepted by US warships while en route to bombard Henderson Field and US transports on Guadalcanal. During the short but intense battle, the Japanese fleet inflicted a heavy toll on the US ships, causing the loss of five Destroyers and two Cruisers, for the loss of the Japanese Battleship Hiei and three Destroyers.

 

After withdrawing from the battle area the Kirishima was ordered to proceed to sea at once to refuel, rearm and link up with a Japanese Heavy Cruiser force inbound from Truk to complete the original shore bombardment mission, which they completed on the evening of November 13th. The following morning found the Kirishima and her task force North of Guadalcanal attempting to link up with a troop and cargo convoy headed to reinforce Japanese troops on Guadalcanal, however shortly after the two forces joined they came under concentrated air attack from US land-based aircraft flying from the supposedly destroyed Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. In the resulting daylong series of air attacks mounted from the enemy airfield, the Japanese force lost two Cruisers and six Troopships, casualties which cancelled the reinforcement mission and brought orders for the Kirishima and all nearby warships to reform another shore bombardment task force and execute another shelling of the US Airfield.

 

Splitting into three groups, Japanese naval forces re-entered Ironbottom Sound after sunset on November 14th, with the Kirishima leading a dedicated bombardment force consisting of two Heavy and two Light Cruisers screened by two Destroyers. Japanese success the night prior in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal led many aboard the Japanese ships to believe that there would be minimal US Navy presence in Ironbottom Sound to oppose their movements, however just to the Southeast of their position the USS South Dakota and the USS Washington, two US Battleships, were steaming towards Savo Island on a combat patrol, their screen of four Destroyers running in a van well ahead of their position. Still unaware of any enemy presence, the entire Japanese formation appeared on the long range Radar systems aboard the US Battleships at 2255hrs, which immediately sent out contact reports and ordered the entire formation to prepare for battle. As the first members of the Japanese force came into contact with the four US Destroyers at 2322hrs, surprise and heavy gunfire led to the entire Japanese formation to break its ranks and attack, assuming the four US Destroyers they were encountering to be a much larger American force. In the resulting half hour of close-quarters combat, the American Destroyers were all but decimated, with two ships being sunk and two so heavily damaged they were knocked out of the fight and withdrew to the Southwest away from the battle. With combat ceasing as suddenly as it had started, the Japanese force believed they had once again defeated a US Naval surface force sent to repel them, and with their path to bombard the enemy airfield seemingly clear, the Kirishima and the entire bombardment force reformed their artillery line and proceeded towards the Guadalcanal coast, switching ammunition from anti-ship armor piercing shells to fragmentation artillery shells.

 

Steaming astern of the Destroyer van, the crew on the Kirishima were totally unaware that their battlegroup was heading straight for the two US Battleships, which had gone all but unnoticed in the preceding action due to their distance from the battle and were now using their radars to shape their course broadside to the Japanese ships and guide their main batteries onto their first target. No sooner had the Japanese force reformed than a bright flash of light appeared from the Southeast horizon, followed moments later by the distinctive thunder of heavy guns. Caught once again by surprise, there was little time to react to the new enemy threat before the Destroyer HIJMS Ayanami, steaming ahead of Kirishima in the lead of the formation, burst into flames as radar-directed shells from the American Battleships slammed into her with horrifying accuracy. Passing the battered and Anayami to Port as she slowed to a halt and began to sink, Kirishima and the balance of the Japanese force raced to reform their battle lines and identify their enemies, which now came into view less than 11,000 yards away.

 

At precisely midnight on November 15th, 1942 the USS Washington opened fire on the HIJMS Kirishima, initiating one of history's last Battleship vs. Battleship conflicts. Aboard the Kirishima, gun directors relied on searchlights mounted aboard their escorting Cruisers to illuminate their attackers and guide the Battleships 14-inch battery onto their first target; an enormous vessel quickly identified as a South Dakota Class Battleship. Joining with the rest of the Japanese force in concentrating their fire on the enemy Battleship, the Kirishima loosed her main and secondary batteries at the enemy, which had ceased firing after its first salvo and was beginning to withdraw as shells from Kirishima and her escorts raked across her superstructure. Seizing on the opportunity to destroy a seemingly defenseless enemy Battleship, Kirishima’s Captain raised his speed in an attempt to run down the retreating American ship while his gunners kept up their high rate of fire, but as she completed her course change bring the enemy vessel onto her Port side, another bright flash lit up the night from only 5,700 yards off Kirishima’s Starboard side. Before the sound of the gunfire could even reach the ship, Kirishima was struck by a full salvo of 16-inch shells from the USS Washington, which had managed to remain totally undetected by the Japanese force as it concentrated on the hapless South Dakota. Using her radar and the copious amount of gunfire flashes from the Kirishima to target her in the night, the Washington commenced firing her entire main battery and Starboard secondary battery from point blank range. Caught once again by surprise, Kirishima’s gun crews were all but powerless to defend themselves as at least nine 16-inch shells and over forty 5-inch shells slammed into their ship above the waterline, with several other 16-inch shells near-missing the Kirishima's decks and punching through her hull below the waterline and devastating her internal spaces. With her main batteries and many of her secondary batteries trained to Port attacking the South Dakota, this sudden attack from Starboard left the Kirishima largely unable to defend herself during the 10 minute attack, and by the time her gunners were able to return fire on the Washington the American Battleship had already disengaged and was withdrawing to the Southwest.

 

With the parting shots fired by the Washington lading wide of the ship at 0010hrs on November 15th, Kirishima’s role in the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal came to an end with the ship heavily damaged, listing to Starboard, on fire in several locations and unable to steer due to a 16-inch shell having destroyed her steering gear room. Damage control parties set about the herculean task of attempting to effect repairs on the battered ship as the Light Cruiser HIJMS Nagara came alongside and rigged a towline to get her out of Ironbottom Sound, however after two hours of painfully slow progress Kirishima was barely North of Savo Island and suffering from a steadily increasing list. After inspections revealed her steering system could not be repaired without the use of a shipyard and fires below decks growing steadily out of control, the decision was taken by Kirishima’s Captain to order the ship abandoned shortly before 0300hrs. With her colors struck and the Emperors portrait removed, HIJMS Kirishima was abandoned by her surviving crew and set adrift off Savo Island where charges placed on her scuttles went off and flooded the ship, rolling her onto her Starboard side and sinking her at 0325hrs on November 15th, 1942 with 212 crew still aboard ship.

 

Her wreck was discovered in 1993 by Robert Ballard, lying upside down and missing her entire bow on the bottom of Iron Bottom Sound in 4,000 feet of water at 9°5'S, 159°42E.

 

Ship Data

 

Laid down: 17 March 1912

Launched: 1 December 1913

Commissioned: 19 April 1915

Fate: Sank following the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 15 November 1942

 

Class & type: Kongo Class Battlecruiser / Battleship

 

Displacement: 36,600 long tons (37,187 t)

Length: 222 m (728 ft 4 in)

Beam: 31 m (101 ft 8 in)

Draught: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)

 

Propulsion: Steam turbines, 4 shafts

Speed: 30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h)

Range: 10,000 nmi (19,000 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h)

 

Complement: 1360

 

Armament:

8 × 356 mm (14 in) guns (4×2)

16 × 152 mm (6.0 in) guns (8×2)

8 × 127 mm (5 in) DP (8×1)

Up to 115 25 mm (0.98 in) Type 96 AA guns

 

Armor:

deck: 2.3–1.5 in (58–38 mm) (later strengthened +101mm on ammo storage, +76mm on engine room)

turrets: 9 in (230 mm)

barbettes: 10 in (250 mm)

belt: 8–11 in (200–280 mm)

 

Aircraft: 3

[Tanz]

:Smile_unsure: Sorry again for having to split it. Enjoy :Smile_honoring:

[Jumarka]

AWESOME, just "insert cursing" AWESOME!

 

Very good article! i love that ship, the only Japanese Battleship to actually hit a US Battleship in combat.

 

An amazing article at NavWeapons about the Kirishima's hit on South Dakota:

http://www.navweaps....ch/tech-092.htm

[KaiserinStark]

The best like always! :Smile_izmena::Smile_honoring:

[ThePfeil]

Well done Sir, another awesome article. I especially love these digitally coloured photographs. Do you have a special site where you get these? (If so, which one? :P).

[Gigaton]

Jumarka, on 29 September 2012 - 02:47 AM, said:

An amazing article at NavWeapons about the Kirishima's hit on South Dakota:
http://www.navweaps....ch/tech-092.htm

Also this: http://www.navweaps....ex_lundgren.htm

Tanz, the name of the destroyer should be Ayanami.

[ReiAyanami]

Hehe Indeed, meaning "Twilled Waves" I have this old tape of National Geographic about Ballard's Guadalcanal expedition. The Kongos were the true workhorses of IJN, I have a lot of respect for this class.

 

They tried to win the war in the hell of the Iron Bottom while Yamato was sitting on his fat [edited]in Truk!!!

[pointzu]

Looks good ! ;)

[Tanz]

ThePfeil, on 29 September 2012 - 06:04 AM, said:

Well done Sir, another awesome article. I especially love these digitally coloured photographs. Do you have a special site where you get these? (If so, which one? :P).

Thx Pfeil...those color pics are awesome. Always have a hard time thinking over to use them or not...only since I think of WWII in Black n White :Smile_smile: but not special site that I go to really...just alot of serching to see whats good and what fits :Smile_honoring:

Gigaton, on 29 September 2012 - 06:56 AM, said:

Tanz, the name of the destroyer should be Ayanami.

Thanks Gigaton..went up there and change it :Smile_great:

[Eyeless_Camper]

Man, that was a great read :D

[Captainhelios]

Good read. Always liked the way these ships looked.

[Crazyman23]

I enjoyed this ship on NF and will be great to play her on here.

 

Another good one man  :Smile_great:

[madmanthan21]

Awesome post, good read.

[Windhover118]

Tanz, you never disapoint. Another great read.

[Sampsonite]

Great post!! The South Dakota lost power due to her electrical system having not been tested for shock response as of yet. If she had not lost power then Kirishima probably would have suffered a lot more than she did.

[Haguro]

Another great post Tanz!

 

The IJN Kongo class rebuilds were among the most successful of any WWI battleship.  They were fast, 14 inch guns, and had good range for escorting aircraft carriers.  That being said they were no match for any USN fast battleship armed with 16 inch guns.  It is doubtful the Kirishima would have been committed if it was known that USN fast battleships were in the area.  Now if the IJN heavy cruisers Atago and Takao along with the light cruisers Nagara and Sendai and their destroyers had managed to get their "long lances" into the USN fast battleships, the outcome could have been much different.

[Erminaz]

I've been interested in Kirishima since I read about Ballard's exploration of it. I'll play it for sure as soon as I get the chance.

[IlonginusI]

An awesome ship..well the entire class was great.

[XxHellSpawnxX]

:Smile_great: Good one. Really like the 2nd and 3rd pics u have under Guadalcanal

[joshua132destroyer]

Always great reads

Epic pics keep doing these

[Gohibniu]

Nice read, but she wasn't scuttled. She went down due to uncontrolled flooding.

[EndlessSoul]

Very nice read indeed.  :Smile_honoring:

[Tpond]

Got here through the link.. Another good read...plus the pictures helped. A fine ship  :Smile_great: