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IJN Agano

2024-11-04T20:22:14Z

U81286377: Added content

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_cruiser_agano
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

'''Agano''' (Japanese: 阿賀野) was the lead ship of her class of Imperial Japanese Navy light cruisers (in Japanese also designated as 阿賀野型軽巡洋艦 - second-rank cruisers of the Agano class). Launched and commissioned in October 1940, she saw limited combat during her service. Although designed as a modern vessel, she was criticised for her inadequate anti-aircraft armament. Agano participated in several missions, including the Battle of Bougainville Island, but her role was marginal at best. In November 1943, she was heavily damaged during the Rabaul air raids, losing her rudder and two propellers. While attempting to return to Japan for repairs, she was torpedoed by the American submarine USS Skate on 16 February 1944 and subsequently sank, marking the first loss of her class.

'''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced along with the initial release of the Imperial Japanese Navy in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]]. She has a fairly high speed, long-lance torpedoes, scout planes, and a good rate of fire, making it easy to fight against destroyers and other cruisers, while also being very competent at winning missions through objectives. Her biggest downsides are very limited anti-air capability, relatively poor survivability, and low penetration of the armour-piercing rounds. She should not be played as a conventional ship when in uptiers, her large torpedo broadside and quick scout plane should be utilized and used as a supporting role ship.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Agano is very fast for a cruiser and can keep up with some destroyers when fully upgraded.The ship makes up for its overall semi-weak armour with speed. It is able to weave in and out of combat at will and is relatively manoeuvrable when compared to its usual adversaries.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)}}

{{:15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)/Ammunition|152 mm Type 0 HE, 152 mm Type 4 SAP, 152 mm Type 0 HE-TF}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|8 cm/60 Type 98 (76 mm)}}

{{:8 cm/60 Type 98 (76 mm)/Ammunition|76.2 mm Type 98 HE, 76.2 mm Type 98 HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}
{{main|25 mm/60 Type 96 (25 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
{{main|Type 93 Model 1, Mod 2 (610 mm)}}

'''''16 x [[Type 93 Model 1, Mod 2 (610 mm)]]''''' '''(''two mounts of four tubes, with one reload with of torpedoes)''''' The famous Japanese long lance torpedo, incredibly effective and makes the ship relevant in top tier. After launching your float plane, send all of them toward the enemy spawn. High speed, high range, high payload. No downside to this torpedo.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one Aichi E13A1 scout plane (the second stored on the trolley is not available) which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The E13A1 is equipped with a [[Type 97 navy (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]] defensive machine gun and a formidable load of 4 x 60 kg bombs. It also has the scout plane ability to cap zones and lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Carrying a heavier bomb load than most other scout planes, this unit has a very good chance to sink enemy boats or even a destroyer.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 16 Long Lance torpedoes are devastating against enemy ships
* Very fast for a cruiser, can keep up with some destroyers when fully upgraded
* Main guns have a great rate of fire in first-stage, equal to US cruisers
* One scout plane

'''Cons:'''

* 25 mm AA guns cannot engage close targets
* Torpedoes have very limited firing arc
* Armour is mediocre, other cruisers will punch right through it at close range
* Turrets are large and lack armour, can thus easily be disabled
* Main gun shells are very weak

== History ==

Agano was the lead ship of four light cruisers built to supercede and replace the older cruisers serving as destroyer flotilla flagships in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched in October 1941, she entered service a year later and saw her first operation escorting troop transports to New Guinea in December 1942. The ship was involved in Operation Ke, the evacuation of 10,652 Japanese troops from Guadalcanal as well as the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, an American victory which closed the Solomon Islands campaign. Several weeks later, American airstrikes damaged the ship as it lay in port at Rabaul and whilst en route to receive repairs, she was struck by a torpedo from an American submarine which flooded the boiler rooms and knocked out all power. The submarine Albacore prepared to finish the helpless and immobile ship, but was prevented from doing so by depth charges from the Urakaze. Taken under tow to Truk, Agano underwent 4 months of repairs before being able to attempt the journey back to the home islands of Japan in February 1944, for more permanent fixes. Ambushed by the American submarine Skate, Agano was hit by 2 torpedoes and sank 6 hours later.

Her destroyer escort Oite took on 523 survivors from the Agano, but was herself sunk 2 days later by Grumman TBF Avengers of Task Force 58 during Operation Hailstone. She sank almost immediately with the loss 172 out of her 192 complement whilst all 523 survivors of the Agano were lost.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_cruiser_agano Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery |market|ugcitem_1000611|IJN Agano 1944.jpg|1944 Camo}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Japanese cruiser Agano|[Wikipedia] Japanese cruiser Agano]]
* [https://japanese-warship.com/light/agano-class/ <nowiki>[大日本帝国軍主要兵器]</nowiki> 『阿賀野型軽巡洋艦』【Agano-class light cruiser】]
* [https://japanese-warship.com/light/agano/ <nowiki>[大日本帝国軍主要兵器]</nowiki> 阿賀野【阿賀野型軽巡洋艦　一番艦】【Agano-class light cruiser first】]

{{ShipManufacturer Sasebo Naval Arsenal}}
{{Japan light cruisers}}

IJN Kongo

2024-11-04T20:16:28Z

U81286377: Some changes that better reflect the Kongo

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_battlecruiser_kongo
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (金剛, [[Abbreviations#.28JP.29_Naval|namesake]]: Mount Kongō) was the lead ship of the Kongō-class and would be the last Japanese capital ship built outside Japan. Designed by the British naval engineer George Thurston and laid down in 1911 initially as a battlecruiser, she would see 2 major refits that would reclassify her as a fast battleship. First commissioned in 1913, patrolling the Chinese coast during WWI, she would see many major naval actions in the Pacific War until November 1944 when she would be sunk by a submarine while in transit.

{{PAGENAME}}
was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]]. Being a sidegrade to the other capital ships Japan offers, the Kongō offers speed over total amount of guns and armour, this gives her more opportune reaction times in regards of angling her armour, and getting to desired locations faster than other battleships. Being in her last refit of 1944, she provides a large suite of 25 mm anti-air cannons to fend off medium-close range aerial targets.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}


Kongo's armour truly reflects her legacy as a battlecruiser, even though she has been uparmoured from her original design. Her 203 mm main belt is the second weakest capital ship belt in the game - only HMS Invincible's 152 mm belt is worse, and it's enough to stop cruiser shells, but will stand no chance against battleships. The rest of her amidships hull is protected by 152 mm armour, which greatly improves her survivability against splash damage and weaker shells, but is not very effective against enemy AP. Her bow has a 76 mm belt that extends from the waterline, but as with most battleships, the majority of the bow is left unarmoured. Her turrets have 254 mm of armour, while her barbettes have 229 mm. This is reasonable by battleship standards, but still leaves her turrets vulnerable to even cruiser AP. Her conning tower, nestled behind turret B, is surrounded by 254 mm of armour.

Within the ship, all four magazines are protected by a turtleback armour scheme, which greatly improves her protection against ammunition detonations, especially at close range. In addition to this, the steering at the stern of the ship is armoured by an enormous concrete block.

Overall, her armour is certainly enough to give her protection against most cruisers and some battleships, especially when angled, but given her design and playstyle, it will never be her strength. At the end of the day, she is a battlecruiser at her core, and you should not expect her armour to make you impervious to battleship fire.

The {{PAGENAME}}'s crew consists of 1,437 personnel, which is respectable. It is far more than any World War One-era dreadnought, although it's less than the Scharnhorst's complement, and is smaller than the crews of even some World War Two cruisers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Kongo's nature as a battlecruiser reflects in her speed, which is a very good 56 km/h. This is only slightly less than most cruisers, and is leaps and bounds ahead of the speed of dreadnoughts. However, her acceleration and deceleration is still unexceptional, and her turning is not very good.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|36 cm/45 Type 41 (356 mm)}}

The 36 cm/45 Type 41, also seen on IJN Hyuga, is an exceptional 356 mm battleship cannon. Compared to the Hyuga, the {{PAGENAME}} gets only 8 guns, but she features a new selection of shells. Her stock shell, ''Ordinary SAP'', is identical to the shell on Hyuga, and certainly gets the job done. With the equivalent of 68.64 kg of TNT, her SAP is still a head and shoulders over even the HE on most other battleships. These shells will smash cruisers whenever they hit, and against battleships, while they will rarely penetrate the hull armour, the splash damage from the detonation will frequently destroy guns and turrets. Type 91 APC is an improvement over the Hyuga's equivalent AP shell, with extra penetration. This shell is mostly used against battleships, where the extra penetration is needed to penetrate the belt armour. The last shell is Type 0 Common, an HE shell. This shell is very poor, possessing only half the explosive filler of SAP. It may find some utility when it comes to sniping patrol boats or stray floatplanes, but overall, it isn't very good.

{{:36 cm/45 Type 41 (356 mm)/Ammunition|356 mm ordinary SAP, 356 mm Type 91 APC, 356 mm Common Type 0}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)}}

The Kongo's secondaries consist of eight 15 cm/50 Type 41 cannons, four per side. Comparable guns can be found on the IJN Agano, although these guns can maintain a sustained rate of fire of 10 RPM. While they are 6-inch secondaries, they are nothing to write home about, as the best shell only has 81 mm of penetration at point blank range. That being said, the exceptionally high explosive mass of the SAP round - nearly as good as HE - makes it very well suited for fighting destroyers. It should also be known that the traverse of them are absolutely miserable. Unless you are absolutely 90 degrees to the enemy, you are unlikely to have more than half the broadside of four guns trained onto the target. Although their caliber is nice, compared to the Fuso class of ship, these are not all that useful.

{{:15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)/Ammunition|152 mm Type 0 HE, 152 mm Type 4 SAP}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|5 inch/40 Type 89 (127 mm)|25 mm/60 Type 96 (25 mm)}}

The IJN Kongo's AA armament sets her apart from other battleships. It includes six 127 mm (5 inch/40 Type 89) twin cannons, as well as a total of 100 25 mm cannons. The 127 mm guns, which behave more like secondaries, are automatically loaded with HE-TF, with no alternate ammunition choice, which makes them pretty useless against surface targets, as the shells will always detonate early, but decent against aircraft. Meanwhile, the 25 mm cannons provide the Kongo with exceptional close-range AA firepower, being able to put up a hail of fire in any direction. However, note the stopping power of the 25 mm is not very good, and these cannons are only really suitable for self-defense and are unlikely to rip apart a ship like some American ones can. Due to the amount of AA, I recommend to not repair that often as too avoid bleeding crew.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located between the aft main turrets is a deck area and catapult for one Aichi E13A1 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The E13A1 is equipped with a [[Type 97 navy (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]] defensive machine gun and a formidable load of 4 x 60 kg bombs. It also has the scout plane ability to cap zones and lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Carrying a heavier bomb load than most other scout planes, this unit has a very good chance to sink enemy boats or even a destroyer, I recommend to attack destroyers or PT boats attempting to retake the coastal point or mid point.

== Usage in battles ==


This ship should not be used too aggressively, you should focus on taking out other cruisers. It is best to lean into the {{PAGENAME}}'s advantages, and play like the battlecruiser that she was originally designed as. Her speed allows her to keep pace with friendly cruisers, while her exceptional gun arcs on the rear turrets (±150°) allow her to make the most of her somewhat lacklustre armour, as well as maintaining the ability to deliver full primary armament broadsides while sailing into combat. In addition, her AA is an extremely useful asset, as it allows her to be self-sufficient in combat, instead of relying on teammates for AA support.

Overall, the Kongo is not a battleship. Don't sit passively - put your ship on the line and try to avoid brawls with battleships and kill them quickly, despite her light protection. While she isn't exactly a very well protected capital ship, her armour is good enough to let her speed and alright firepower earn you a good match.

'''Specific enemies worth noting'''

* [[:Category:Heavy cruisers|Heavy cruisers]] - Most cruisers are completely incapable of doing significant damage to you, but if left to their own devices they will eventually chip away at you. Learn their ammunition locations, and dispose of them quickly with SAP. Also, keep in mind which enemy cruisers are armed with torpedoes, and keep them at arms length.
* [[Scharnhorst]] - The Scharnhorst is the Kongo's biggest rival, boasting heavier armour and a lower profile hull, while having weaker but more rapid firing armament. Approach them with caution, aiming to disable turrets, and preferably have backup from your team. Never brawl them, as the Scharnhorst's torpedoes will be decisive.
* [[USS Arizona]] - The USS Arizona is extremely durable, and their broadside of twelve 356 mm guns is very imposing. However, her Achilles' heel is her reload. Knocking out turrets and dodging incoming fire from an Arizona will cripple their damage output, while you can bombard them until they eventually explode.
* [[IJN Hyuga]] - Essentially having your guns, but four more of them, the Hyuga has the deadliest broadside in the game. Chip away from them at long range, and make sure you do not get hit in return. If the Hyuga is playing passively, use your speed to flank and attack from an unexpected direction.
* [[Kronshtadt]] - This Soviet battlecruiser is another key rival, possessing a total of nine highly lethal 305 mm cannons in three triple turrets. This ship has a very effective armour layout that can significantly reduce damage when angled, especially at longer ranges, whilst the anti-frag armour and lack of deck clutter renders the vessel quite resistant to fragmentation damage from explosions. It's best to face these ships by focusing on the frontal turrets and taking them out before they can cripple or destroy you first. Ignoring fire coming from this ship is a great way to get blown up.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Exceptional 356 mm guns with the most potent SAP round in the game and comfortable gun arcs
* Relatively fast for her size
* Good AA protection, 25 mm AA guns don't cost crew count (the animated crew models don't affect the gameplay)
* Workable armour above waterline; turtleback around the magazines
* Access to floatplanes

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely weak underwater protection, vulnerable to large calibre diving shots from heavy cruiser or above
* Subject to flooding and capsizing in addition due to aforementioned weakness
* 25 mm guns don't have good range - may fire on a target too late, or not at all if at high altitude
* 127mm batteries are categorized into AAA group and hence no combined manual control or ammo options
* Does not work all that well as a support ship

== History ==

=== Design and construction ===
The end of the Russo-Japanese war and the end of the pre-dreadnought era saw the IJN pursuing bigger and more powerful capital ships to bolster the fleet. However, much of the IJN's budget was spent repairing the newly captured Russian warships and thus Japan's first attempts at a Dreadnought design suffered, leading to them becoming "semi-dreadnoughts" with a mixed main armament. To overcome their current technological deficit, it was decided to order a new ship of the battlecruiser type from Great Britain and the contract was awarded to Vickers Sons & Co, the same company that built Mikasa several years earlier. This contract would lead to the final Japanese warship built by a foreign power and would update the Japanese warship-building industry to the latest British standards. The Vickers design would displace 27,000 tons and carry a speed of 26 knots, this was significantly larger than domestic designs. The Naval General Staff (NGS) worked closely with Vickers to ensure that the new battlecruiser would meet the operational needs of the IJN. Originally, the ship was to have 10 x 12"/50 guns in 5 dual turrets. The NGS decided against this and opted to use the newer and much more powerful Vickers 14"/45 guns, resulting in numerous design changes after the keel of the first ship of the class, Kongō, had already been laid down.

The final design would be a ship with a waterline length of 212m and a beam of 28 m. She would be armed with 8 x 14" guns in 4 dual turrets with superfiring pairs fore and aft, 16 casement-mounted 6" guns, several 8 cm AA guns and 8 submerged torpedo tubes. Protection was offered by an 8" thick main belt, 9-10" on the main turrets and 1.5" on the main deck. Propulsion was provided by 36 mixed-fired (coal sprayed with oil) boilers and two sets of Parsons turbines for a designed output of 64,000 shp.

A technical dispatch would be present for the construction of Kongō and would later finalize the technology transfer to allow the remaining 3 ships of the class; Hiei, Kirishima and [[IJN Haruna|Haruna]], to be built in Japanese shipyards. Kongō would be launched on May 18th, 1912, at Barrow-In-Furness and completed a year later on August 16th, 1913. During her sea trials, Kongō displaced 27,580 tons and attained a top speed of 27.5 knots with 78,275 shp. Kongō would leave Britain the same year and arrive in Japan on November 5th.

Kongō would see very little operational service during WW1. The British requested for her and her 3 sisters to be transferred to the Grand Fleet to counter the German Navy, however, this was denied and instead, they remained in the Pacific and were used to confiscate island territories of the German Empire. Kongō attempted to intercept the cruiser SMS Nurnberg but saw little action afterwards.

=== Interwar reconstruction ===
The Washington Arms Limitation Treaty of 1922 put a stop to all ongoing battleship construction and limited the possession of major warships of the US, Great Britain, Japan, France and Italy to a ratio of 5:5:3:1.75:1.75 for the respective nations. Replacements were only permitted for warships exceeding 20 years of age, as a result, the IJN would set about refitting the Kongō-class as these were the oldest dreadnoughts in their fleet.

The first reconstruction of Kongō would begin in December 1928 and would finish in September 1932. Major visual changes would include the reduction in the number of funnels from 3 to 2, the superstructure- which had been built up with platforms and positions from the simple tripod mast of the 1910s, had become more refined and would become the famous Pagoda mast seen on all major Japanese battleships of WW2.

Internally; 4 of her 8 submerged torpedo tubes were removed due to the threat of an internal explosion should the torpedo room sustain damage and her turret rangefinders were updated to newer, more accurate types along with the new Type 13 fire control system. The deck armour over her decks was increased to 3.2" and 4.8" over the magazines and machinery rooms as well as a doubling of the turret roofs from 3" to 6" to protect against plunging fire. Bulkheads and anti-torpedo bulges were added to protect against torpedoes and "diving shells". An emergency counterflooding system was also added to quickly correct a list by up to 8 degrees.

Her 36 Yarrow boilers were replaced by 10 new Kampon-RO boilers. Although intended for complete conversion from mixed to oil, 6 mixed-fired boilers had to be retained. Power output from the boilers increased from 64,000 shp to 75,000 shp, however, the increase in displacement from 26,330 tons to 29,330 tons as well as an increased beam resulted in a reduction in speed to 25 knots. During this reconstruction, Kongō and her sisters (with the exception of Hiei who would be de-armed and converted into a training ship) would be re-rated as battleships.

In 1936, Japan had left the naval treaties. Tensions with the various powers and the need to keep a qualitative advantage over their USN and RN adversaries had meant the abandonment of the limitations imposed upon them.

Thus, the Kongō class would once again enter drydock for another reconstruction. Kongō's main guns would have their maximum elevation increased from 33 degrees to 43 degrees resulting in a range increase from 28,600 m to 34,450 m. The secondary battery was reduced from 16 to 14 guns but the range was also increased from 14,200 m to 19,350 m. Her remaining torpedo tubes were removed and her AA complement would now consist of 10 twin mounts of the infamous 25 mm Type 96 AA gun. Numerous surface and air fire directors and rangefinders were added or improved to make use of the new ranges the ship was capable of engaging at.

The old oil-fired boilers and turbines were replaced with new Kampon RO-Go oil boilers and geared turbines, new propellers, larger rudders and an increased length- achieved through the cutaway, lengthening and reattachment of the bow and stern, which resulted in her achieving a top speed of 30.27 knots with 137,200 shp during trials at a displacement of 37,003 tons (almost 10,000 tons more than her original displacement in 1912). Re-rated as a fast battleship, Kongō had the speed and firepower but still retained the weak armour of her battlecruiser origin.

=== The Pacific War ===
Following the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941, Kongō and her sister ship Haruna were assigned to cover the invasions of Malaya, the Philippines and later, the Dutch East Indies in 1942. By March Kongō would sail with all her sisters during the Indian Ocean raid, escorting the IJN's carrier force. This would be the only time the 4 Kongō class would operate together. Kongō would then be assigned to the Midway invasion force along with Hiei, the other 2 sisters were part of the carrier escort group.

====Bombardment of Henderson Field====
Following the disastrous loss of 4 fleet carriers at Midway, Kongō was tasked with what would be the most successful IJN battleship operation. To prevent US air forces from harassing transports for the Army landing forces destined for Guadalcanal, Kongō and her sister Haruna were dispatched to destroy Lunga Airfield. Lunga had previously come under an unsuccessful daytime air attack, therefore a night bombardment involving battleships had to be executed. For the operation, the two battleships were to use the Type 3 Anti Aircraft Incendiary shells, the timed fuses were to be set to detonate the shells 50-150 metres above the airfield to spread shrapnel and incendiary tubes over a large area of the airfield. During the night between October 13th and 14th Kongō would expend 104 Type 3 shells before resorting to Type 91 AP shells. Of the 45 fighters, 45 dive bombers and 8 B-17 Flying Fortresses, 35 fighters, 7 dive bombers and 6 B-17s remained. Almost all the Kerosene had burned leaving Henderson Field and the Cactus Force out of action.

====1943-1944====
It was becoming increasingly clear that the Japanese were unable to keep hold of the Solomons and the decision was made to evacuate Guadalcanal. Kongō would cover the operation before returning to Japan for an overhaul and would spend the remainder of 1943 in Truk thereafter. The following year Kongō participated in the catastrophic Battle of the Marianas and achieved very little. She then tested radar-directed gunfire for the first time prior to Leyte Gulf and would use this at Samar at nearly 20,000 metres, where she would play a part in the sinking of USS Samuel B. Roberts and damaging USS Heermann. The rest of 1944 would be spent avoiding air attacks by US aircraft.

====Sinking by USS Sealion====
On November 16th, Kongō departed Brunei accompanied by the battleships Yamato and Nagato. Initially zigzagging to avoid submarine torpedo attacks, the fleet would stop soon after entering the Formosa Strait (now known as the Taiwan Strait) on November 20th. At 0020 hours on November 21st, USS Sealion would pick up radar contact and at 0245 and 0300 hours begin sending torpedoes into the formation. At 0301, Yamato would report 2 hits on Kongō while Sealion reported 3. Boiler rooms 6 and 8 would flood, causing a 15-degree list to port. Despite the damage, Kongō continued on at 16 knots. At 0450, the ship slowed to 11 knots and to a complete stop at 0520. Kongō would capsize and explode 4 minutes later, taking 1,200 sailors. 237 sailors were rescued by the accompanying destroyers Hamakaze and Isokaze.

=== [[wt:en/news/7600-development-kongō-battleship-the-imperial-jewel-en|Devblog]] ===
After the Royal Navy commissioned the battlecruiser HMS Invincible into service in 1908, the IJN was quick to react with a plan to expand its fighting force with modern warships being approved already by the end of the decade. However, the problem persisted that Japanese shipyards simply lacked the technological know-how to build such warships at the time. As a result, taking advantage of the existing naval cooperation agreement with Great Britain, Japan sought assistance from the Vickers company, who besides helping design a matching warship, also agreed to manufacture the lead ship, to be named Kongō, while the remaining ones would be built in Japan.

IJN Kongō was laid down in January 1911 as the lead ship of its class of modern battlecruisers to be built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was launched in May 1912 and completed in April 1913, subsequently entering service in August as the most advanced Japanese warship of its time. During WWI, IJN Kongō took part in minor operations but was quickly placed in reserve after the conflict. With international agreements limiting naval power after WWI, Japan was forced to upgrade existing warships in order to maintain its fighting power. As a result, Kongō was extensively upgraded on two occasions in the interwar period, not only vastly improving its characteristics but also noticeably changing its visual appearance.

During WWII however, Kongō had a rather illustrious service record. It took part in several major operations, including the Invasion of the Dutch East Indies, the Battle of Midway and also supported Japanese forces at Guadalcanal. After taking part in the famous Battle of Leyte Gulf, Kongō would serve until November 1944 when it was sunk by a successful torpedo attack by the American submarine USS Sealion.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_battlecruiser_kongo Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Kongo (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7600-development-kongō-battleship-the-imperial-jewel-en|[Devblog] Kongō battleship: The Imperial Jewel]]
* [http://combinedfleet.com/kongo.htm <nowiki>[Combined Fleet] IJN Battleship KONGO: Tabular Record of Movement</nowiki>]

'''Bibliography'''

* Ahlberg, Lars, and Hans Lengerer. ''Kongō-Class Battleships''. ''Schiffer Military'', 2021.
* Low, Joseph E. ''The Kongō Class Battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy''. vol. 3, ''Kindle Direct Publishing'', 2022.
* Stille, Mark E. ''The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War''. ''Osprey Publishing'', 2013.
{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Japan battleships}}

IJN Yamashiro

2024-11-04T20:00:23Z

U81286377: Added relevant information about the weaponry.

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_battleship_yamashiro
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=12859
}}

== Description ==

'''Yamashiro''' (山城) was the second ship of the [[Fuso (Family)|Fusō-class]] battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, laid down in November 1913 and commissioned in March 1917. Throughout the interwar period, she underwent several modernisations, enhancing her armament, armour, and superstructure, including the enlargement of her distinctive pagoda-style mast. Despite these upgrades, Yamashiro was considered inferior to newer battleships, limiting her active deployment. During World War II, she served mainly as a training ship and participated in troop transport missions until October 1944, when she became the flagship of Vice Admiral Shōji Nishimura's Southern Force. During the Battle of Leyte Gulf, specifically the Battle of Surigao Strait, Yamashiro was sunk after an engagement where she was focused by multiple US battleships, marking the last battleship-versus-battleship combat in naval history.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank Japanese battleship introduced in [[Update "Kings of Battle"]], with an additional pre-order which opened on 18 October 2023, granting a unique title - "''Oni no Yamashiro''" - and a unique Kyoto Prefecture flag. These bonuses have not been obtainable since 31 October 2023, when the update was released and pre-orders closed. Yamashiro has six turrets with twin 356 mm cannons, which can fire an extremely powerful broadside of twelve 356 mm shells, something that no other vessel can match at her BR. Similarly, her secondary casemate guns are able to deal with destroyers and light cruisers, although they suffer from very limited accuracy. Finally, her anti-air defences and torpedoes are mostly symbolic, offering limited effectiveness. Compared to her [[IJN Fuso|tech-tree equivalent]], she trades a lower BR for worse survivability, less accurate secondaries, and a much worse anti-air/anti-boat capability.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|36 cm/45 Type 41 (356 mm)}}

'''''12 x [[36 cm/45 Type 41 (356 mm)]] (six twin turrets)''''' Yamashiro's primary guns are the 36cm/45 type 41 and she gets 6 turrets with 2 guns each making it very difficult to put out of combat action. Turrets 3-6 all swing backward when rotating, but the rotation does not feel that long when in battle as the secondaries give you a lot to do. Another note is that the guns very rarely get softlocked by ammo destruction. As a whole, these are quite good.

{{:36 cm/45 Type 41 (356 mm)/Ammunition|356 mm ordinary SAP, 356 mm 3rd Year Type APC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)}}

'''16 x ''[[15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)]] (8 for each side)''''' The secondary guns are extremely good, they are 152mm in size and a broadside easily outguns many cruisers whose main caliber is typically the same size. The restrictions of horizontal movement are very good and you can easily have all but two broadside guns on target with ideal angling for survivability and primary armament usage. In contrast to the primary armament, these are easily softlocked by damage and in many battles have I found myself with only a few left on a broadside, to rectify this, I recommend presenting the undamaged side toward the enemy, as the secondaries are worth it to do so

{{:15 cm/50 Type 41 (152 mm)/Ammunition|152 mm Type 0 HE, 152 mm Type 4 SAP}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|8 cm/40 3rd Year Type (76 mm)}}'''6 x''' '''''[[8 cm/40 3rd Year Type (76 mm)]]''''' These 76mm single shot artillery pieces are absolutely useless against anything with a wingspan smaller than a b25. Rely on your secondaries for destroying torpedo boats and horizon level aircraft. This ship does not even carry a single machine gun. These confetti poppers are only good for notifying you when under air attack. I recommend shadowing ships with better AA than you, even destroyers.

A pro to this though, is that very little of your crew are exposed to

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|21 inch Type 43 (1910) (533 mm)}}

'''''18 x [[21 inch Type 43 (1910) (533 mm)]]''''' '''''(3 tubes on each side, with 3 torpedo's per tube)''''' These can get some usage out of them when in a brawl. Their speed of 50km is not that bad and their range of 8km is quite usable. Typically when I have needed them it was when accidentally creeping up on a scharn by accident. Their warhead is too small to do much of any damage and is likely to just critical a destroyer. Given they are fixed, its a nuisance to aim them with a ship as fat as the Yamashiro. After having taken them to battle many times, I have only got one kill with them and find their damage of not much consequence to anyone but yourself when hit by a torpedo.

It is best to not take these.

== Usage in battles ==

Given it is a downgrade from the Fuso, its still quite the brawler. While you can stay back as a sniper, it is very fun and rewarding to charge in at flank speed. Though you occasionally will get one shot by contemporaries, you can easily deal out the same kind of damage.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

- One of the best premium pack top tier ships.

- Stays combat capable even after getting damaged

- Makes bonus SL and RP

- Still a relevant ship at 7.0 for grinding and combat

- Above average handling for its size

*

'''Cons:'''

- Miserable anti-air and torpedoes

- Easily softlocked secondaries

*

== History ==

Yamashiro was the second vessel of the [[Fuso (Family)|Fusō-class]] battleships, laid down on 20 November 1913 at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal and launched on 3 November 1915. Her construction was delayed due to budgetary constraints. During this period, her sister ship [[IJN Fuso|Fusō]] was completed and entered service. Criticisms of Fusō's design, particularly issues related to the protection scheme and the placement of rangefinders, prompted modifications to Yamashiro's design during her construction.

As a result of these alterations, Yamashiro differed significantly from Fusō despite starting as identical twins. The most noticeable difference was in the design of the superstructure: Yamashiro's bridge had a straighter, more forward-leaning appearance compared to Fusō's pagoda-style superstructure. Additionally, the orientation of the third turret was modified, with Yamashiro's turret facing aft while Fusō's faced forward, allowing for a better design of the internal machinery and ammunition-handling spaces. During the interwar period she served in various capacities, including as a training vessel, and underwent a number of refits, with the largest modernisation lasting from December 1930 to February 1935, including upgrades to her main, secondary, and anti-air guns, complete replacement of the machinery, adding torpedo bulges, and extending the length of the entire vessel by nearly 8 metres.

She took part in the beginning of the Second World War in the Pacific, as part of Battleship Division 2 during the attack on Pearl Harbor (Operation Z), but did not see combat. Following that, Yamashiro served largely as a training vessel during the later stages of the conflict. In 1942 she took part in the Battle of Midway (Operation Mi), but was kept away from combat. She continued her service as a training vessel and received a few minor refits during that period, most notably to the radars and fire control systems as well as increased anti-air complement. Finally, in October 1944 she became the flagship of Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura's force during the Battle of Leyte Gulf (Operation Shō-1-Go). On 25 October 1944, Yamashiro participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait, where she was sunk by United States naval forces, marking one of the last battleship-versus-battleship engagements in history. The ship was lost with most of her crew, including Nishimura himself. In December 2017, the wreck of Yamashiro was discovered in the Surigao Strait by a research team led by Paul Allen.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_battleship_yamashiro Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[HMS Iron Duke]] <small>(Battleship sold in pre-order alongside the Yamashiro)</small>

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8521-development-pre-order-battleships-hms-iron-duke-and-ijn-yamashiro-en|[Devblog] Battleships HMS Iron Duke and IJN Yamashiro!]]
* [[wikipedia:Japanese battleship Yamashiro|[Wikipedia] Japanese battleship Yamashiro]]
* [https://japanese-warship.com/battleship/yamashiro/ <nowiki>[大日本帝国軍主要兵器]</nowiki> 山城【扶桑型戦艦　二番艦】 Yamashiro【Fuso-class battleship Second】]
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/Yamashiro.htm <nowiki>[Combined Fleet]</nowiki> IJN Battleship YAMASHIRO: Tabular Record of Movement]
* [https://naval-encyclopedia.com/ww2/japan/fuso-class-battleships-1915.php <nowiki>[Naval Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Fuso class battleships (1915)]
* [https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=B31 <nowiki>[World War II Database]</nowiki> Battleship Yamashiro]
* [http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Yamashiro_(1915) <nowiki>[The Dreadnought Project]</nowiki> Yamashiro (1915)]
* [https://www.navypedia.org/ships/japan/jap_bb_fuso.htm <nowiki>[Navypedia]</nowiki> FUSO battleships (1915 - 1917)]

{{ShipManufacturer Yokosuka Naval Arsenal}}
{{Japan battleships}}
{{Japan premium ships}}