Materials of IJN (Vessels - Yamato class Battleships)

Yamato class battleships

Displacement	62,315t standard, 67,123t trial, 69,990t full load
Length	244m pp, 256m wl, 263m oa
Width	36.9m
Draught	10.4m
Machinery	4 shaft geared turbine, 12 boilers, 150,000shp
Fuel	Oil 6300t
Speed	27kt
Armour	belt 410mm, deck 230-200mm, barbette 546-50mm, turret 650-193mm, CT 500-300mm
Armament	9-46cm/45cal gun (3x3), 12-15.5cm/60cal gun (3x4), 12-12.7cm/45cal AA gun (2x6), 24-25mm AA, 4-13.2mm AA, 7 aircraft
Complement	2500

Name	Plan	Builder	Laid down	Launch	Complete
Yamato	FY1937	Kure NYd	1937.11. 4	1940. 8. 8	1941.12.16	BB	1945. 4. 7 sunk (air attack, East China Sea) [30.22N, 128.04E] 1945. 8.31 disc
Musashi	FY1937	Mitsubishi, Nagasaki	1938. 3.29	1940.11. 1	1942. 8. 5	BB	1944.10.24 sunk (air attack, Sibuyan Sea) [12.50N, 122.35E] 1945. 8.31 disc
Shinano	FY1939	Yokosuka NYd	1940. 5. 4	-	-		1942 convert to CV 1944.10. 8 launched 1944.11.19 completed as CV 1944.11.29 sunk (torpedoed, S of Japan) [32N, 137E] 1945. 8.31 disc
No.111	FY1939	Kure NYd	1940.11. 7	-	-		1942. 3 cancelled, BU
No.797	FY1941	-	-	-	-		cancelled

They are well known as the world's largest battleships ever built. Their raison d'etre was the most heavy gun which equipped among the modern warships - 46cm in caliber. Yamato has been served as flagship of Admiral Yamamoto from Feb.1942 to Feb.1943. Musashi has succeeded the role until March 1944, Yamamoto and his successor Koga commanded Combined Fleet on board. Both Yamato and Musashi had been sunk by massive air attack from US task forces. The third sister, Shinano, had been converted as an aircraft carrier after destructive loss in Midway. She was the largest aircraft carrier in that time, however when she had been completed, Philippines were being lost and she had no chance to fight carrier-battle. Shinano had been torpedoed by US submarine Archerfish and sunk just after 10 days from her completion. The fourth sister had been broken up on the slipway after outbreak of war, the fifth (or later) was cancelled.
They were named after states of traditional age. Yamato is now Nara prefecture, capital in ancient era (before eighth century) resided there. Musashi insists of Tokyo Metropolis, Saitama prefecture, and a part of Kanagawa prefecture nowadays. Shinano is now Nagano prefecture, known as the area where the winter Olympic game had been held in 1998.

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