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IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY (JAPAN)

CRUISERS

SENDAI light cruisers (1924-1925)

Naka 1942

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
那珂 [Naka]     Mitsubishi, Yokohama 10.6.1922 // 24.5.1924 24.3.1925 30.11.1925 sunk 17.2.1944
川内 [Sendai]     Mitsubishi, Nagasaki 16.2.1922 30.10.1923 29.4.1924 sunk 2.11.1943
神通 [Jintsu]     Kawasaki, Kobe 4.8.1922 8.12.1923 31.7.1925 sunk 13.7.1943
加古 [Kako]     Sasebo K K 15.2.1922 --- --- cancelled 17.3.1922

  

Displacement standard, t

5195

Displacement full, t

7100

Length, m

152.4 pp 158.5 wl 163.0 oa

Breadth, m

14.2

Draught, m

4.91

No of shafts

4

Machinery

4 sets Mitsubishi-Parsons-Gihon geared steam turbines, 12 Kampon boilers

Jintsu: 4 sets Kawasaki-Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 12 Kampon boilers

Power, h. p.

90000

Max speed, kts

35.2

Fuel, t

oil 1010, coal 570

Endurance, nm(kts)

6000(15)

Armour, mm

belt:  64, deck: 29 

Armament

7x 1 - 140/50 3-shiki, 2 x 1 - 76/40 3-shiki, 2 x 1 - 6.5/115, 4 x 2 - 610 TT, 48 mines, 1 seaplane

Complement

450

Project history: They were built under the FY1920 Programme within the limits of the "8-8" Programme. In 1922 it has been laid down four ships, and three more were planned to begin in the following year, however after signing of terms of the Washington conference a class as limited to three ships. Building of already laid down Kako and three unnamed ships have refused.

Differences of a series of last 5500t cruisers from previous Nagara class concerned basically structure of machinery: instead of two boilers with mixed firing Sendai class cruisers had four boilers in No1 and No2 boiler rooms, that has caused increase in number of funnels from three to four. On completed last Naka the stem form has been changed from usual spoon-shaped to S-shaped, thus the hull length practically has not changed.

Naka was destroyed by earthquake on the stocks 1.9.1923 and laid down at second time 24.5.1924. After collision in 1927 of cruiser Jintsu with destroyer Warabi her stem was repaired, having given to it S-shaped form, as on Naka.

After incident with torpedo boat Tomozuru on Sendai class in 1934-1935 a number of works on reduction of upper weight is conducted for stability raise, besides, they received nearby 200t of solid ballast (more 160-200t of a liquid ballast were carried in double bottom space). After the accepted measures stability parameters have improved, however total displacement has reached 8000t, and speed has fallen to 32kts.

Ship protection: Main belt (7.32m high) protected only machinery, its upper part (76.9x3.00m) was 51mm thick and lower part (72.0x4.32m) 63mm. 29mm flat deck connected with upper edge of belt. CT had 51mm sides and 25mm roof.

Modernizations: 1932, Jintsu: + 1 catapult (over guns No 1 & 2)

1933 - 1935, Naka, Sendai: - 2 x 1 - 76/40, 2 x 1 - 6.5/115; + 1 x 4 - 13.2/76, 2 x 1 - 13.2/76, 2 x 1 - 7.7/80, 1 catapult (between No 6 & 7 guns), boilers were converted to oil burning, fuel stowage was 1600t of oil

1934, Jintsu: catapult was moved to position between No 6 & 7 guns; - 2 x 1 - 76/40, 2 x 1 - 6.5/115; + 1 x 4 - 13.2/76, 2 x 1 - 13.2/76, 2 x 1 - 7.7/80, boilers were converted to oil burning, fuel stowage was 1600t of oil

1934 - 1939, all: solid and liquid ballasts were added, full displacement increased to 8000t and speed fell to 32kts.

1937 - 1938, all: - 2 x 1 - 13.2/76; + 2 x 2 - 25/60 96-shiki

1941, Naka, Jintsu: - 4 x 2 - 610 TT; + 2 x 4 - 610 TT

1941 - 1942, all: - 2 x 1 - 7.7/80

1/1943, Jintsu: - 1 x 4 - 13.2/76; + 2 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 1 x 2 - 13.2/76

4/1943, Naka: - 1 x 1 - 140/50 (No 5), 1 x 4 - 13.2/76; + 1 x 2 - 127/40 89-shiki, 2 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 1 x 2 - 13.2/76, 2 DCR (36), 1-shiki 2-go radar

6/1943, Sendai: - 1 x 1 - 140/50 (No 5); + 2 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 2 DCR (36), 1-shiki 2-go radar

Naval service: Jintsu 13.7.1943 was sunk in battle at Kolombangara by gunfire of US cruisers Honolulu, St. Louis, British cruiser Leander and 10 destroyers.

Sendai 2.11.1943 was destroyed in battle in Empress Augusta Bay by gunfire of US cruisers Montpelier, Cleveland, Columbia and Denver, later she was torpedoed by destroyers Charles Ausburn, Converse and Dyson.

Naka 1.4.1942 was damaged by a torpedo from US submarine Seawolf and was under repair till April, 1943. 17.2.1944 she was sunk by US carrier aircraft (Bunker Hill and Cowpens air groups) in 35nm W off Truk.

 

Naka 1934

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14