And then Jack came... Armored Cruisers Skills and Modules

In the last issue, we talked about the latest representatives of armored cruisers, which for 20 years were one of the most important and revered ships in the fleets of all major naval powers. A class that seemed to develop quite naturally and successfully, but which completely and forever disappeared from the plans of shipbuilders within just two or three years.

However, at the same time, the same fate befell a more important class of ships, which formed the basis of the combat power of the then fleets - battleships. And the “gravedigger” in both cases refers to the same person, the most famous naval figure in England and the then First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir John Fisher (friends and acquaintances often called him simply Jack).

Why is it “called” and not? The fact is that Fisher’s authorship of both great projects, the Dreadnought and the first battlecruiser, is, in any case, not entirely reliable. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the idea of a large battleship armed with a large number of large-caliber guns of the same caliber has been wandering in different minds of specialists from different countries - just remember the most famous of them, the Italian V. Cuniberti. Even more curious is Fischer’s role in the emergence of the “killer of armored cruisers.” Initially, after Sir John became First Lord of the Admiralty at the end of 1904, he was an ardent admirer of medium calibers. 234 mm guns with new breech blocks seemed especially preferable to him and his comrades. All loading operations could be carried out manually (although the 172-kg projectile seemed heavy even when “rolling” from tray to tray), and during exercises it was possible to achieve a fantastic rate of fire: five to six or more rounds per minute. It turned out that such a weapon could “deliver” to the enemy the same weight of metal as the main weapon of the battleships - the 12-inch gun. If not even a weapon of an even larger caliber. But then it seemed that twelve-inch guns were not suitable for cruisers, while rapid-fire guns, which were smaller in weight and caliber, were quite suitable as their main weapons.

It was from these considerations that the project for the proposed development of “defenses” was drawn up; Initially, the main task, in fact, was the most convenient location of the maximum number of 234-mm papers. To develop the concept of a dreadnought battleship and a new armored cruiser, a special committee of the most capable naval officers and designers was created, naturally, under the leadership of the “chief” himself, Jack Fisher. Various options and combinations of two-gun turrets were studied. It cannot be said that they looked elegant, but the difficulties in placing five, six or even seven towers were quite objective. It is clear that not all guns could participate in the broadside salvo.

Meanwhile with Far East reports began to arrive about the battles of the Russo-Japanese War and its important features, such as a sharp increase in battle distances (so, in any case, it seemed to observers), and the participation of Japanese armored cruisers in general battles. And, perhaps, most importantly: o vital role namely the large, 12-inch caliber, which caused the greatest damage to armored combat vessels.

And then one (or several, historians have different opinions) of the members of the Fisher Committee came up with the idea to try to cut the Gordian knot tied by the pile-up of 234-mm turrets, and try to introduce 12-inch guns as the main caliber for the “armored cruiser.” " Fischer himself initially perceived such proposals as a “betrayal” of his ideas about rapid-fire guns crushing everything with a shower of fire. It took some time for Sir Jack to warm up possible benefits armored caliber on a cruiser. But, having been inspired, he became the most ardent supporter of the “cruiser-dreadnought”. To the point that he declared: “There is no task for a battleship that a squadron cruiser could not perform” (that’s how what became battlecruisers were originally called). And so much so that in the eyes of outside observers he became his “only father.”

It must be said that in any case, D. Fisher’s role in the emergence of a new class of cruisers became very significant. The fact is that the idea of a battlecruiser was not only about installing 12-inch monsters in the old hull. Perhaps more important was the next leap in speed, associated, in turn, with the introduction of turbines, the transfer of boilers to oil heating and an increase in the size of the hull (primarily its length) and seaworthiness. And here Sir John’s positions were “correct” from the very beginning.

How important the combination of all factors was for the emergence of a battle cruiser can be clearly seen from the history of the further development of Japanese armored cruisers. The Russo-Japanese War was still in full swing when in June 1904 it was decided that it was necessary to make up for the loss of the battleships Hatsuse and Yashima on Russian mines near Port Arthur with a couple of new units. It was decided in advance that they would be fast armored cruisers. However, the command of the United Fleet and the Naval Staff were so impressed by the accuracy with which the Russian battleships covered their ships with 12-inch guns from a distance of 8 miles that they insisted on arming the new cruisers with 305 mm guns. By that time, Japanese shipbuilders did not yet have enough experience to develop their own project from scratch. Moreover, the situation was critical: there was a war going on, and ships were needed as soon as possible. Therefore, the designers went for the most the simple way: they used as a basis very good (for their time) hulls designed by F. Watts “asam”, increasing them in size so that they could accommodate two 12-inch towers instead of 8-inch ones. This is how the Tsukuba and Ikoma were born, with which the Land of the Rising Sun claims to be the first creator of battlecruisers.

However, these claims are not very justified. Indeed, although for the first time large-caliber guns appeared on the cruiser as the main caliber (such exotics as E. Bertin’s Matsushima can be ignored), otherwise the Tsukuba remained a traditional armored cruiser. Firstly, in addition to 12-inch guns, it also had guns of two calibers, and in very, very significant quantities: twelve 152-mm and 120-mm barrels. Secondly, these guns were traditionally located in side casemates and deck installations, with eight 6-inch guns in the lower ones, located too close to the surface of the water. Thirdly, they no longer had advanced steam engines, which allowed them to reach speeds of only slightly more than 20 knots. (Recall that the “Dreadnought” could give 21 knots, and it is unnecessary to say how a meeting with such a “cruiser” could end with it.) Fourthly, the “newbies” had armor that exactly repeated the protection of the “Asama” and its relatives, although It is worth noting here that this protection remained at an acceptable level for its time - such a significant “reserve” was made on its predecessors.

One can continue to observe and list signs indicating that the Japanese were never able to cross the threshold on the path leading to the revolutionary “Fisher ships.” This is especially noticeable on the next pair of “semi-linear semi-cruisers”, “Kurama” and “Ibuki”. "Kurama" was laid down just after the end of the Russo-Japanese War, but changes in the project came down to replacing the casemate six-inch guns with eight 203-mm guns, located in four turrets in the same way as on the Russian "Rurik-2". At the same time, the 120mm guns from the middle of the hull had to make room, and they were scattered in casemates all over the side. The speed remained the same - 20.5 knots. Remembering a well-known joke from Soviet times about how a worker from a sewing machine factory tried in vain to assemble it at home from stolen parts - for some reason he always ended up with a machine gun, we can say that no matter how hard the Japanese tried to build a real armored cruiser, they succeeded the same second class battleship. Relatively fast and relatively powerful, but still second-class and still precisely an armadillo.

The belated attempt to introduce a turbine unit on its “hybrid” did not help either. Although the second unit, Ibuki, received a pair of direct drive turbines, this allowed an increase in speed only to 21.5 knots - too low for the time it entered service. It should be noted that the Japanese tried to build the Ibuki as quickly as possible: they managed to launch it just six months after the official laying and put it into operation at the end of 1909, a year earlier than their less progressive “sister ship”. But “Kurama” received an external, but “dreadnought” difference: tripod masts English sample, on the mars of which fire control posts were located. It is curious that during testing it was only slightly inferior in speed to its turbine-powered brother, but its 21 knots in 1911 looked, to put it mildly, not a cruising performance.

As a result, all four, immediately upon entering service, found themselves among the ship's outsiders, which affected their rather short and inactive service. "Tsukuba" died from the explosion of cellars in its own port in January 1917, and the rest were scrapped in 1924, and the most striking episode of their activity was the participation of "Ibuki" in the hunt for Admiral Spee's squadron in 1914.

Let us return, however, to the real “revolution” that was taking place in the meantime in the British Admiralty. The decision to install 305-mm guns on future cruisers was finally made, and their number was decided - eight barrels in two-gun turrets. Now all that remained was to put it into practice. The views of that time did not allow us to apply the obvious solution with towers located in pairs one above the other at the ends. It was believed that gases from the firing of elevated guns would have a detrimental effect on the personnel of the lower installations. (The simplest experiment, which proved that there was no danger, was carried out after the “invincibles” had been laid down.) In the end, they settled on a rhombic arrangement: two towers at the ends, two more on the sides in the middle. But what worked well for smaller installations created almost insurmountable difficulties in the case of large 12-inch towers with their voluminous barbettes and cellars. The solution was to move the middle installations in different directions, getting an echelon arrangement instead of a “diamond”. But it was not possible to spread them far apart because most of the length was occupied by powerful turbines, the steam for which was provided by 31 boilers located in three stokers. As a result, the middle towers could fire at the “alien” side only in a very narrow sector - about 30 degrees. But even here, in practice, it turned out that just with this arrangement, the gases from the “rear” tower really blind and deafen the front personnel. And this turned out, as luck would have it, in the very combat situation of the Falklands Battle.

121.Battle cruiser "Invincible" (England, 1908)

Built by Armstrong in Elswick. Displacement 17,200 tons, maximum length 172.8 m, beam 22.1 m, draft 8.0 m. Four-shaft steam turbine power 41,000 hp, speed 25.5 knots. Armament: eight 305/45 mm, sixteen 102/45 mm rapid-fire guns, five 457 mm torpedo tubes. Reservations: belt 152 - 102 mm, deck 19 - 64 mm (on bevels 19 mm), towers 178 - 76 mm, barbettes 178 - 51 mm, conning tower 254 - 152 mm. In 1908 - 1909, 3 units were built: “Invincible”, “Inflexible” and “Indomitable”. "Invincible" was killed in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916, the other two were excluded from the lists and scrapped in 1922.

122.Battle cruiser "Von der Tann" (Germany, 1911)

Built by Blom und Voss in Hamburg. Displacement 19,060 tons, maximum length 171.7 m, beam 26.6 m, draft 8.12 m. Four-shaft steam turbine power 43,600 hp, speed 24.75 knots. Armament: eight 280/45 mm, ten 150/45 mm and sixteen 88/45 mm rapid-fire guns, four 450 mm torpedo tubes. Reservations: belt 250 - 80 mm, deck 25 - 80 mm (on bevels 50 mm), towers 230 - 60 mm, barbettes 230 - 30 mm, battery 150 mm, conning tower 250 mm. Sunk in Scapa Flow June 1919

123.Armored cruiser "Ibuki" (Japan, 1909)

Built at the shipyard in Kura. Displacement 15,590 tons, maximum length 147.83 m, beam 22.98 m, draft 7.97 m. Power of the twin-shaft steam turbine engine unit 24,000 hp, speed 22.5 knots. Armament: four 305/45 mm, eight 203/45 mm, fourteen 120/50 mm, four 76/40 mm guns, three 457 mm torpedo tubes. Reservations: belt 178 - 102 mm, deck - 51 mm and 76 mm on the side bevels, main caliber turrets and barbettes 178 - 127 mm, medium caliber turrets 152 mm, battery deck 127 mm, deckhouses: front - 203 mm, aft - 152 mm. Two units were built: "Ibuki" and "Kurama". At the beginning of the First World War, they participated in the search for the Spee squadron and the protection of convoys traveling from Australia to Suez. Both ships were disarmed after the Washington Conference and scrapped in 1924-1925.

The location of the artillery was not the only “hole” in the project. Much more significant was the complete preservation of protection at the level of its predecessors - “warriors” and “defenses”. The 152-mm side armor and the thin bevels of the deck behind it remained the only cover for the mechanisms and magazines from enemy shells. Meanwhile, it would be naive to expect that potential opponents, primarily Germany, which was intensely pursuing England, would not, in turn, begin to build ships with a single large-caliber artillery. And against 11- or 12-inch guns, the new cruisers would be just as defenseless as the old ones. When meeting with dreadnoughts, they found themselves in the role of soldiers in tunics going to machine guns.

Fischer and his associates understood this quite well, which is why they accompanied the birth of their pets with various reservations. Unlike the Japanese “semi-battleships”, the new ships, which soon received the designation “battlecruisers”, were mainly supposed to be engaged in reconnaissance and destruction of enemy advanced forces of a similar purpose. True, it was stipulated that they could engage in battle with enemy battleships, but only “for a short time and at a long distance.” It was believed that speed would provide them with additional protection. Indeed, the 25-knot speed seemed to guarantee a good margin in order to quickly get out of the danger zone. But life does not always confirm theoretical constructions. Moreover, the potential enemy was by no means dozing.

True, the Germans missed with their first response to the British battlecruisers. Thoroughly disoriented by Fischer and his team’s penchant for 234-mm rapid-firing guns, they laid down the “Blücher” during the construction of the “invincibles” - almost as fast, protected even better than the “British” ones, but armed “in the old way”, 210 mm guns. It is clear that in the event of a personal meeting, the 12-inch Englishmen would have a decisive advantage over him. Germany was saved somewhat by a lack of funds and construction capacity, as well as a certain caution. By answering the British three with one Blucher, they saved money and time for another, more correct answer.

Laid down in 1908, Von der Tann became the first true German battlecruiser. It differed from Fisher's ships in being much more balanced. At the same speed, the artillery was slightly inferior in caliber (280 mm instead of 305), but the towers themselves, in principle located according to the same rhombic-echelon pattern, were placed much wider, as a result of which 8 barrels could actually fire on board. In addition, in contrast to the “British”, which completely sacrificed medium caliber for the sake of 12-inch guns, leaving unprotected 102-mm guns to repel destroyers, chaotically distributed between superstructures, “Von der Tann” had a full-fledged battery of ten 150 -graph paper, not counting one and a half dozen 88-mm anti-mine guns. At the same time, the battery had a solid cover 150 mm thick - the same as the vital parts of the Invincible! In general, in accordance with the German traditions already established by that time, the protection looked very solid - for a cruiser. The main armor belt had a thickness of 250 mm in the middle, although only in a very narrow strip. But its remaining parts were noticeably thicker than the armor plates of its future opponents.

The British rushed to make a response move, and, in turn, made a mistake, and a fundamental one. Construction began the following year, 1909, “Indefetigable”, in fact, was not much different from the first three “Ibls”. It was only possible to eliminate the defect with the installation of the middle turrets being too close: as on the Von der Tann, 8 guns could now fire on board. But in all other respects, changes were kept to a minimum. The most fraught thing for the fate of the ship was the repetition of the clearly insufficient reservation of the first-born.

And the good thing would be limited to only a single failure. In the end, time did not wait, and it was preferable for the “mistress of the seas” to receive, if not the best unit of the new type, but quickly. But, attracted by the advertising of supercruisers, the British dominions, Australia and New Zealand, were inflamed with a desire to get the latest “toys”. And they even raised money for this from their own, then rather meager, resources. The Admiralty should have waited a little: there was a new project a much more powerful ship, but impatience took over. And after 3 years, the empire received a couple more battlecruisers - replicas of the Indefetigable, which by that time had already become obsolete once and for all.

The reason lay partly in the British themselves. Trying to disorient the most likely enemy, Germany, they overestimated the characteristics of their battlecruisers. Thus, the “invincibles” could allegedly run at a speed of 27 knots, and their trio of “step-sisters” were even a knot faster, and, moreover, had about an inch thicker armor. “Deza” was a complete success, so much so that the final real data became public only 50 years later, when all six battle cruisers of the first generation had been lying on the bottom for three decades or more or had turned into steel and rolled products.

But the effect of such deception turned out to be negative. The next response from the Germans turned out to be devastating - both for specific “Ibls” and for Fisher’s concept as a whole. “Moltke” and “Goeben”, then “Seydlitz” and already armed with 12-inch guns “Derflinger” and “Lutzow” remained cruisers only in name. They were typical fast battleships, slightly weaker protected than the linear “Germans,” but in terms of armor they were not inferior to the main ships of the Grand Fleet. Of course, in combination with the high speed, reaching 27-28 knots, this required sacrifices: We managed to find a little by weakening the artillery, but the main compensation was... an increase in size. The new generation of battle cruisers have simply become larger than their battle contemporaries. The British followed the same path, building in response the famous “cats” (which it would be more loyal to call the “royal family”, because for a couple of feline representatives - “Lion” and “Tiger” - there were also “Queen Mary” and “ Princess Royal"). Their size has already approached 30 thousand tons. And it didn’t become the limit. Russia picked up the baton, planning to build four huge Izmails armed with twelve 356 mm guns. They were already frankly superior to many battleships in terms of armament, and had a design speed of 27 knots with protection that was even somewhat enhanced compared to the dreadnought Sevastopol.

Cruiser-battleships were already quite clearly intended for linear combat as part of large squadrons, albeit in the role of advanced detachments or “fast wing of the fleet,” but clearly not for traditional cruising actions - raiding and reconnaissance. And thus they became very valuable combat units, taken into account when calculating the comparative power of the main forces. Initial considerations that it would be better for the “invincibles” not to get involved in a linear battle turned out to be forgotten. And retribution followed - at Jutland. "Von der Tann" with a successful salvo sent to the bottom its full peer, by the way, almost identical in size, "Indefetigable". Other German battlecruisers dealt with Invincible and even the more protected and larger Queen Mary. Although all the “English” were killed as a result of the explosion of ammunition, the very fact that German shells managed to reach it serves as evidence of the inadequacy of protection, especially armor. On the contrary, their opponents held out throughout the battle against vastly superior forces. Even the weakest Von der Tann could withstand the monstrous 381-mm shells, which weighed nearly a ton.

After Jutland, the development of battlecruisers followed a completely logical path. Now the English admirals did not want to risk their lives and those of their sailors on “cardboard” ships. Designers feverishly tried to strengthen the armor of the typical Fisher giants “Repulse” and “Rinaun”, which, with a displacement of about 30 thousand tons, were initially covered with a “fig leaf” of 152 mm plates. The project of the new generation battlecruiser Hood underwent an even more serious revision, which as a result entered service only in 1920 and for a long time became the largest artillery warship in the world. After the First World War, new ships of this class were no longer built, although this was largely facilitated by the Washington Agreement on the Limitation of Naval Arms, according to which the Japanese, British and American high-speed giants went under the knife. And ten years later, all the newest battleships already had a speed close to the maximum speed of their “cruising” predecessors, completely merging with them into one class.

– one of the most powerful ships of its class at the moment.

In terms of the totality of characteristics, it is not inferior, and in some parameters even surpasses competitors at the 10th level. Having amazing speed for such a massive ship, combined with incredibly accurate 203 mm guns that perform well even when firing up to 19 km, we can confidently repel absolutely any enemy flagship.

Let's start with the formalities

The development of projects for heavy cruisers of the Ibuki type began at the end of 1937 and, in general, represented a qualitatively new modernization of the Mogami project. Most of the drawings, in fact, were borrowed from the latter. The end of the design phase fell in November 1941. Construction began in mid-spring 1942. Construction works They advanced very quickly and, by the time Ibuki was converted into an aircraft carrier, the hull was almost ready for launching. The riveting system was very reliable and increased the overall strength and reliability of the armor. In November, the hull was towed for complete refitting into an aircraft carrier. Power plant almost completely repeated, both in terms of layout and in terms of Mogami’s power. That is, it was also 152,000 horsepower.

As stated earlier, strong point The cruiser had armor protection. 101 mm of armor covered the entire engine room. In addition, the armor was at a slight angle, which greatly increased the actual thickness. The art cellars were covered with 140 mm of armor. Then the protection gradually decreased down to the bottom of the hull. However, the main battery turrets did not have reliable protection, which was typical for Japanese cruisers.

The guns were supposed to be standard - 203 mm, type 3, number 2. Anti-aircraft weapons consisted of long-range universal 128 mm guns. For close fire, 25 mm machine guns and 13.2 mm machine guns were used. The torpedo armament used was Type 93 oxygen torpedoes for 4 torpedo tubes (2 per side). The total ammunition load of torpedoes could range from 16 to 24 units.

In the game, we are at level 9 in the development branch and, as a result, we are actively joining dozens who are not particularly dangerous enemies for us. But let's start with artillery. Here we have 5 turrets of two 203 mm guns with the following arrangement: three at the bow and 2 at the stern.

It has already become traditional for Japanese cruisers that, being directly facing the enemy, we cannot fire from three turrets at once, since the second is at the same height as the first, and therefore blocks our access to salvo fire. In this case, we need to tighten the hull by 20-30 degrees, and only in this case can all bow weapons fire freely.

The rear ones also cannot boast of convenience, although they are located floor by floor. As a result, to conduct an effective firefight with all 10 guns, we need to turn the side very much, which is fraught with you know what. Disadvantages also include the not very fast reload time – 14 seconds, and the basic gun rotation speed – 36 seconds. The latter indicator is accelerated by the Expert Guidance perk.

The disadvantages listed above are not so critical in practice. With proper skill and developed tactics, their effect is practically not felt.

Let's move on to the choice of shells

After the recent patch 0.3.1, we received excellent high-explosive shells that will allow us to compete equally with similar-level ones and destroy weaker battleships without any problems. With a maximum firing range of 19.5 km and excellent ballistics, it won’t be possible to hold the same Yamato special labor. Even at the maximum distance, the shells fall in a heap and have a flat trajectory. This allows you to play as a real sniper, burning out battleships and cruisers.

If we don’t let the same Des Moines come closer than 13-15 km and use our high speed complete with guns, then they become meat for us. Armor-piercing shells bounce off us very well. And you can dodge slowly flying land mines quite well.

Armor-piercing ones, by the way, have become more difficult to use, since we need to monitor the angle at which the enemy cruiser or destroyer is moving towards us. If the side with the engine room is turned perpendicular to us, feel free to shoot the AP and knock out multiple citadels. Armor-piercing ones are extremely effective against Tier 7 cruisers or simply enemies at close ranges who do not or cannot defend themselves against you.

In general, Ibuki’s tools are extremely comfortable to use.

Booking

After recent changes, our beauty, with a good twist, almost completely ignores armor-piercing fire from cruisers or destroyers, which, of course, cannot be said about battleships. But the situation with them is different.

Naturally, land mines are extremely unpleasant for us because of their ability to cause fires and, what is sometimes more critical, to knock out torpedo tubes and turrets. And so Ibuki tanks well and takes the blow.

Torpedoes

Our torpedoes are standard 610 mm. However, it is no longer Type 90, but Type 90 Long Lands. Range – 20 km. Compared to the stock ones, our damage is 3,500 more, and the speed has increased by 5 knots. This is good news.

Reload without perks and modules – 2 minutes. It’s hard to complain about this, since we have 2 devices with 4 torpedoes on each side. This is approximately 80,000 damage. With close contact, we turn into an adequate version of Kitakami. And yes, a little advice: if a close skirmish is inevitable, think ahead about the use of all torpedoes and first of all shoot from the side that is blind to your artillery.

Air defense

Air defense protection in comparison with the Baltic, to put it mildly, will leave much to be desired. To put it mildly.

There are not many universal weapons and their damage is low. The bulk of the anti-aircraft power begins to work from 3.1 km, where there are a huge number of single and triple 25 mm machine guns and everything else that fires in sync with them.

Our main trump card, as always, remains barrage fire. We, as when playing battleships, must react in advance to the high activity of aviation in our sector.

Skills and Modules

At level 9 we have wide choose skills learned and modules installed. Let's start with the first one. Here is the standard selection from the cruising set:

Basic fire training.
Fundamentals of the fight for survivability.
Increased readiness.
Expert guidance.
Barrage.
Enhanced fire training.
Due to the fact that top cruisers are receiving repairs, the perk to enhance this ability begins to work even better.

Let's move on to the modules:

Main caliber towers.
Fire control system.
And the third slot is the most interesting for us, because here we can choose to strengthen one of our combat capabilities. Air defense and secondary guns move through the forest at once. Accelerating the rollback of torpedoes follows them, similarly. What remains is the range and reload time. Reloading, in turn, greatly reduces the turning speed of already slow turrets, providing a 2-something second head start. Questionable module.
We choose to increase the range and get de facto and de jure a cruiser with the highest range. And coupled with excellent ballistics and fire density... You can continue my train of thought yourself.
The fourth slot is allocated for survivability systems.
The fifth is under the steering wheels.
The final one is for the detection system, which fits perfectly with the third module.

Eventually

What can I say here? Ibuki is one of the most powerful cruisers in the game. The firing range, coupled with powerful guns and an extremely high speed (base - 35 knots), which can be increased with the help of a flag to 37, gives us a simply explosive mixture.

The Ibuki type was originally ordered during the Russo-Japanese War on January 31, 1905, based on the Tsukuba type. But before construction began, they were redesigned to carry 8-inch (203 mm) guns in four twin turrets instead of twelve 6-inch (152 mm) guns. This required a larger hull to accommodate the turrets and increased power to achieve slightly greater speed than the Tsukuba type.

They were intended to fight in line with ironclads, as the two Kasuga-class armored cruisers did in the battles of the Yellow Sea and Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War. The introduction of the Dreadnought, armed with ten 12-inch (305 mm) guns and a speed of 22 knots, rendered these ships obsolete before they entered service. In 1912 they were reclassified as battlecruisers.

The ships had an overall length of 147.8 m, a length between perpendiculars of 137.2 m, a beam of 23.0 m and a draft with a normal displacement of 8.0 m. They had a normal displacement of 14,636 long tons (14,871 t), gross - 15,595 long tons (15,845 t), about 900 long tons (910 t) more than Tsukuba. The crew consisted of 845 officers and sailors.

Armament

The ships had four 305 mm/45 guns in two-gun turrets at the bow and stern. The guns had an elevation angle of 23° and a declination angle of −3°. This made it possible to fire an armor-piercing projectile at 22,000 m. The guns fired several types of projectiles of the same weight, each weighing 386 kg.

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Story

In the mid-1930s, when the specter of the Sino-Japanese War and the associated confrontation with the United States was already hovering on the horizon, a group of Japanese military officers proposed revising the traditional approach to the construction of Japanese cruisers. They pointed out that cruisers with 203-mm guns, no matter how good they were, were still no more than parity with similar enemy cruisers. The gap between the tactical niches of battleships and heavy cruisers was so great that both of these classes of ships could not interact truly effectively.

To solve this problem, engineers proposed creating a special class of “leaders” of heavy cruisers armed with heavier artillery with a caliber of 250-280 millimeters. Such “super-heavy” cruisers could effectively disable the enemy’s “Washington” cruisers and cover the actions of the cruising vanguard in the event of a collision with battleships.

On December 29, 1934, Japan announced the denunciation of all previously concluded naval arms limitation agreements. Formally, nothing else restrained the Japanese fleet from building those ships that seemed optimal to it. However, the Empire of Japan continued to build Washington-type cruisers, only slightly increasing their displacement.

There were several reasons for this. Firstly, the Japanese type of heavy cruisers was quite balanced and effective, and (according to the Japanese) optimally fit into the concept. Secondly, the Japanese economy could not afford the construction of a large number of too large ships. Finally, thirdly, Japanese admirals preferred not to “provoke” the situation, fearing that the construction of cruisers with heavier artillery could provoke a withdrawal from the Washington Agreement between Great Britain and the United States.

The situation changed in the late 1930s, with the entry into service of the German fleet of three “pocket battleships” of the Deutschland class. Armed with 280 mm cannons, these ships represented a significant advance over heavy cruisers. The innovative concept of these new ships has attracted the attention of sailors around the world - and Japan is no exception.

In 1936, the Japanese naval command proposed the development of a special class of “heavy armored cruisers” capable of acting as leaders for squadrons of standard-type heavy cruisers. The military motivated this by the fact that the “balance” of cruising forces had already been upset by German ships, and Japan’s actions would no longer have a decisive influence on the situation. In addition, the admirals considered it possible to misinform the United States by convincing them that the Japanese had followed the German path of building small battleships, and thus hide the construction of the giant super-battleships Yamato.

The arguments turned out to be convincing, however, an unexpected problem was the lack in the Japanese arsenal of guns of a suitable “intermediate” caliber for installation on “super-heavy” cruisers. The fleet managed to get out of this situation in the following way: as the main artillery for the new class of cruisers, it was planned to use old 305-mm turrets removed from the dreadnoughts Kawachi and Settu when they were decommissioned. In addition, the development of the project was supposed to focus on a modified type of heavy cruiser “Mogami”, redesigned for 305-mm artillery.

Armament

The basis of the armament of the heavy armored cruisers were six 305-mm 45-caliber guns of the 41st Meiji year. Two three-gun towers were located at the ends. These guns were originally intended to arm the side turrets of the dreadnoughts Kawachi and Settu: after the ships were scrapped in 1922, the guns were retained and later converted for use on Tsukuba-class cruisers.

These heavy naval guns fired 386 kg shells with a muzzle velocity of up to 870 meters per second. The elevation angle of the guns was increased to 32 degrees, which made it possible to fire at a range of up to 28,000 meters. By reworking the bolt design, the rate of fire was increased to 2.5 rounds per minute. Ammunition was about 100 shells per gun: unlike other Japanese heavy ships, the cruisers' guns were equipped with a large supply of high-explosive shells (mainly because a significant number of high-explosive shells were already in the arsenal).

The auxiliary armament of the cruisers consisted of two three-gun turrets with 155 mm 60-caliber guns of the 3rd year of the Showa era. Removed from Mogami-class cruisers during their modernization, the turrets were installed linearly and elevated, and fired on top of the 305 mm/50 mount turrets. The main task of the 155-mm guns was defense against enemy destroyers: also, according to the admirals, these installations could provide “massive” fire in the event of close combat with enemy heavy cruisers.

The ships' anti-aircraft armament consisted of twelve 127-mm 40-caliber universal guns, located on the sides on sponsons in twin mounts. Close-in air defense was initially provided by four triple 25-mm anti-aircraft guns and four 13.2-mm machine guns: subsequently, the number of anti-aircraft guns was constantly increasing.

The additional armament of the Tsukuba-class cruisers was identical to the Mogami class, and consisted of four three-tube 61-centimeter torpedo tubes installed in the hull niches. The devices were equipped with a rapid reloading system and were equipped with an ammunition supply of 24 torpedoes. In addition, two K-guns were installed on the stern of the ships for firing depth charges.

Protection

The defense of heavy armored cruisers was focused on countering the fire of the 8-inch guns of American and British heavy cruisers. Basically, it developed solutions previously implemented on Mogami-class cruisers. The basis of the vertical protection was a continuous, inclined armor belt, which in the lower part turned into an anti-torpedo bulkhead. The length of the belt (total) was about 82 meters, height – 6.5 meters. The upper edge of the belt was made of NVNC armor plates, with a thickness of 145 to 170 millimeters. The lower edge (which served as a torpedo bulkhead) was assembled from slabs 30-65 millimeters thick. Such a system was believed to provide protection for the engine room from armor-piercing shells of a 203-mm 55-caliber American gun at distances of up to 11,500 meters.

At the extremities, the belt turned into V-shaped traverses connecting to the barbettes of the main caliber towers. The thickness of the traverses was 140 millimeters. At the bottom, they were connected to the lower deck of the cruisers.

The horizontal protection consisted of 35 millimeter thick CNC steel armor plates located at middeck level above the engine room. The sides had bevels, the thickness of which reached 65 millimeters. Above the cellars, the armor was located at the level of the lower deck and had a thickness of 55 millimeters.

The main caliber turrets, unlike other Japanese heavy cruisers, had quite adequate protection. The front plates of the towers were 190 millimeters thick: the thickness of the side plates was reduced to 138 in NVNC steel. Under the bases of the towers there were barbettes 125 millimeters thick, extending to the armored deck.

Medium-caliber turrets, borrowed from the base model of Mogami-class cruisers, retained their traditionally weak protection. Their walls consisted of 25 mm CNC steel plates, the barbettes were protected by 30 mm anti-fragmentation plates. The armored cabin received adequate protection - 100 mm of wall armor and 50 mm of roof armor. The chimneys and steering gears were protected with 100mm reinforced NVNC plates.

Power point

The power plant of heavy armored cruisers differed significantly from previous Japanese projects (as well as from subsequent ones). Tsukuba-class cruisers were the first and last large Japanese ships with a combined diesel-steam turbine power plant. The decision, made under German influence (or rather, under the impression of the Deutschland type’s cruising range) was supposed - according to calculations - to provide the new ships with very high autonomy, while maintaining high speed progress.

The power plant consisted of four forced Kanpon-type turbo units, each developing 38,000 hp. Unlike previous projects, the ships did not carry cruising turbines. Their niche was occupied by four large diesel-electric units, each developing 14,000 hp. Maximum speed The ships' speed ultimately did not exceed 33 knots, but the cruising range of 14 knots with a fuel supply of 2,200 tons reached 12,000 miles, i.e. was one third more than that of the Mogami cruisers.

The disadvantages of the combined power plant included its significant size and low reliability: during the service of the Tsukuba, the diesel engines on it were replaced four times (!), but only once due to damage. In addition, the cruisers' MO was almost 28% greater than that of the Mogami-class cruisers.

Aviation weapons

Heavy armored cruisers of the Tsukuba type carried advanced aviation weapons, more advanced than conventional heavy cruisers. In the aft part of the ships, under the upper deck, there was an aircraft hangar: for launching aircraft, two Kure N.2 Type 9 powder catapults, installed sideways on sponsons, were used.

Normally, Tsukuba-class cruisers could carry up to eight seaplanes with folding wings: four were located in the hangar, two on catapults, and two more on platforms next to the aft mast. In practice, the number of aircraft carried usually did not exceed seven: four of them were two-seat Watanabe E9B reconnaissance aircraft, two were three-seat Aichi E10A reconnaissance aircraft, and one was a Kawanishi E7K.

In 1942, the composition of the aviation group was changed, and now it consisted of three Mitsubishi F1Ms, one Aichi E10A and three Nakajima A6M2-N float fighters. The latter were intended to intercept enemy patrol aircraft (which were expected to pose a particular danger to the raiders). In 1944, the reconnaissance seaplanes were replaced by three Aichi E13Ns.

Equipment

The ships were equipped with a rangefinder system identical to the Mogami type, with one exception - the guidance of the main caliber installations was carried out using a Type 14 rangefinder, with an 8-meter base. For aiming the main gun, type 94 and type 95 directors were used. The auxiliary and universal calibers were aimed, respectively, using rangefinders Type 92 and Type 91, mounted on the side. The ships had a large number of observation posts equipped with stationary binoculars and 110-cm searchlights.

During the war, the ships received radar equipment. “Ibuki” was equipped with a prototype of the Type 21 search radar in the fall of 1942. In 1943, during a scheduled repair, “Tsukuba” received a Type 21 radar for detecting surface and air targets, and an E-27 device for detecting the operation of enemy radars. In 1944, during extensive repairs and modernization, Tsukuba was equipped with a new Type 13 search radar, a modified Type 22 radar suitable for main fire control, and an experimental Type 23 radar designed for anti-aircraft artillery guidance.

Modernization

Throughout their career, the ships underwent several upgrades, mainly aimed at strengthening anti-aircraft artillery and anti-submarine defense. The number of built 25-mm anti-aircraft guns, initially four, was increased to eight by the fall of 1942. In the summer of 1943, “Ibuki” was already equipped with twelve, and “Tsukuba” with ten 25-mm machine guns. By the end of 1944, the number of anti-aircraft guns on the Tsukuba was increased to 42 barrels. Since the fall of 1943, both ships were also equipped with anti-aircraft NURS launchers (the effectiveness of which, however, was near zero).

Among other changes, in the summer of 1944, two of Ibuki's four torpedo tubes were removed, and the free space was used to install four additional K-guns.

In the spring of 1944, a project was considered to rebuild the Tsukuba and Ibuki into light aircraft carriers. The main and auxiliary artillery were to be removed from the ships, and a hangar for 15 A7M “Reppu” fighters and 15 B7A “Ryusei” torpedo bombers was built above the main deck. Anti-aircraft weapons and power plant remained the same. The project was ultimately not implemented, since calculations showed that the increased upper weight would require the installation of additional boules, which would cause the ship's speed to drop to 25 knots.

In the summer of 1944, the Japanese fleet considered another, more radical project to rebuild the Tsukuba into an “anti-submarine battleship” - a specialized escort ship. According to the design, the main and auxiliary artillery were to be removed from the ship, and six four-barreled 300 mm Type 101 anti-submarine bomb launchers were installed in their place. Anti-aircraft weapons were strengthened by the installation of four twin 127-mm guns and fifty 23-mm machine guns. Finally, it was planned to install 48 (!!!) K-guns on the sides of the ship. The project was also not implemented.

In the spring of 1945, Tsukuba was equipped with guides for Okha Model 23 kamikaze projectiles. These projectiles, equipped with pulsating engines, were planned to be used to destroy enemy ships in battle, but in practice kamikazes were never based on them.

Construction

“ Tsukuba ” - was ordered under the financial reserve program of 1934 and laid down on January 1, 1938 at the Mitsubishi slipway in Nagasaki, vacated after the launch of the heavy cruiser Tone. After a 28-month slipway period, the battleship was launched on March 14, 1940 and commissioned on August 8, 1941.

“ Ibuki ” – ordered according to the main program of 1937, laid down on April 14, 1938 at the Navy shipyard in Kure. Launched on October 28, 1940: during launching, the ship's hull was deformed, as a result of which completion was delayed. Officially, Ibuki entered service on November 2, 1941, but was actually declared combat ready only in January 1942.

Service history

On October 11, “Tsukuba” was assigned to the 23rd cruiser division (at that time it consisted of one). As part of it, he took part in the Malayan Campaign, acting as part of the 2nd fleet of Admiral Kondo. On December 2, 1941, the ship participated in a firefight with the British formation “Z” (battleship Prince of Wales, battle cruisers Hood and Repulse, aircraft carrier Ark Royal) in the South China Sea. The cruiser fired 120 shells, but apparently made no hits.

In February, the 23rd Cruiser Division, replenished by this time with Ibuki, supported the fighting in the Philippines. On February 27, during the Battle of the Java Sea, both ships were sent to the battle area, as the Japanese feared that the Australian battle cruiser– HMAS “Australia” – can take part in the battle. However, the Japanese “pocket” battleships did not have the chance to take part in naval battles that time. Their actions in the Philippines were limited to occasional fire support for troops (for which their old-style 305 mm guns, backed by a significant supply of high-explosive shells, proved extremely effective).

On April 14, the 23rd Division relocated to Jakarta, from where it subsequently conducted combat operations. On the twenty-eighth of April, Tsukuba and Ibuki were attached to Admiral Izawari's task force formed for a raid against the west coast of Australia. During this operation, which ran from 4 to 18 May, the heavy armored cruisers bombarded Geraldton (10 May) and covered the Japanese Marine raid on Kalbari (12 May). At the same time, “Ibuki” was attacked by a light Australian reconnaissance aircraft “Fairchild 24”, whose pilot, having no weapons at all, tried to ram the Japanese ship. Both ships then returned to Jakarta.

From July 1942, both heavy armored cruisers made periodic deployments to provide artillery support for the Japanese forces besieging Singapore. On the night of July 22, the Ibuki, which was firing at British troops near Jurong, was unexpectedly hit by salvoes from a 381-mm battery, which the Japanese considered completely disabled. Although the conditions for shooting were unfavorable, the Japanese ship, considering itself safe, moved at a very slow speed and as a result, after a dozen salvoes, the British battery scored a hit.

The explosion, caused by an 879-kg semi-armor-piercing shell that pierced the belt, disabled four Ibuki boilers and caused severe flooding. The damaged cruiser was forced to run aground: British aircraft from Openhouse Air Base conducted several night raids trying to finish off the stuck ship, but were unsuccessful. Having somehow patched up the holes, on August 2 the Japanese refloated the Ibuki and took it to Jakarta. From there it was sent to the metropolis for repairs.

Left temporarily without a sistership, Tsukuba in the fall of 1942 was temporarily transferred to the 30th (composite) cruiser division, which included Kumano, Mogami and Suzuya. In November 1942, the ship took part in an unsuccessful attempt to disrupt the passage of the British-American convoy CS-2, the second major convoy sent to supply besieged Singapore. On the night of November 15-16, south of Pulau Bunta, the 30th Composite Division entered into battle with British “external security” ships covering the entrance to the Strait of Malacca for a formation of destroyers and high-speed transports. The long-range firefight led to heavy damage to the British heavy cruisers Devonshire and Hawkins: however, the Japanese were unable to build on their success and, due to the appearance of the Australian battlecruiser Australia on the battlefield, were forced to retreat. While leaving, the Tsukuba was attacked and damaged by a British submarine off the coast of Sumatra, but managed to be repaired in Jakarta.

In February 1943, the repaired cruiser Ibuki returned from the metropolis. Having reunited, the ships again formed the 23rd cruiser division, which, however, was already “promoted” to the 1st battlecruiser division on March 22. In the spring of 1943, both ships carried out training missions.

In May 1943, both heavy armored cruisers launched a raid against allied shipping in the Indian Ocean (the so-called 2nd Indian Ocean Raid). Operating in conjunction with the 5th Cruiser Squadron and the 1st Operational Submarine Squadron, Japanese raiders advanced beyond the Maldives, and even sank several transports in the Arabian Sea, but were then forced to urgently retreat as information appeared that a large British formation was threatening to cut off them from the base.

Having refueled near Sumatra, the Japanese formation made another exit, but at the entrance to the Bay of Bengal it was intercepted by the allied “Bengal fleet”. On May 28, a clash occurred between the squadrons, during which Ibuki and Tsukuba were heavily damaged by fire from the Australian battlecruiser HMAS Australia and the accompanying heavy cruisers HMAS Darvin, HMS Norfolk and the French Foch.

Having barely made it to Jakarta, the heavy armored cruisers were again put in for repairs, after which they were supposed to be transferred to the Solomon Islands to support Japanese forces in the Bismarck Sea. However, on July 20, 1943, the cruiser Ibuki was torpedoed by a Dutch submarine in the Java Sea and was forced to return for repairs. The transfer of Tsukuba to Rabaul was also eventually cancelled.

In August 1943, Tsukuba launched a second large-scale raid off the coast of Australia. During this operation, which lasted from August 11 to September 2, the Japanese force, led by a heavy armored cruiser, reached the Great Australian Bight, but due to the significantly strengthened Allied defense, the Japanese actions were much less effective than in 1942. The Empire of Japan could no longer afford to risk ships solely for the sake of support and demonstration operations, so all operations were limited to the sinking of a few small coastal steamers in Australian waters and occasional seaplane bombing of the coast. Plans to reach Tasmania were not realized due to an acute shortage of fuel.

Returning to Jakarta on September 4th, Tsukuba was reunited with Ibuki, which had returned from repairs. But soon after this, the 1st Battlecruiser Division again found itself under fire: a night raid by Australian flying boats on Jakarta on October 18, 1943 ended with new damage for the Tsukuba. Because of this, the third major raid into the Indian Ocean, planned for the fall of 1943, had to be cancelled. In addition, the gun barrels of cruisers, which had not been replaced since 1941, began to show obvious signs increased wear.

At the beginning of 1944, the 1st Division was in a slightly better position than the rest of the Japanese battlefleet. Based in Jakarta, it at least did not experience an acute shortage of fuel supplied from Indonesian fields. On February 8, Tsukuba was recalled to the mother country for repairs and modernization.

The cruiser Ibuki, left alone, conducted several raids in the Indian Ocean, but due to a shortage of funds and poor organization of the operation, the actions of this ship were almost ineffective: there are strong doubts even that the Allies even noticed them. Since the Imperial Japanese Navy could no longer provide light aircraft carriers to support raid operations, heavy armored cruisers only ventured beyond the range of coastal aircraft at night, which severely limited their autonomy. Returning from one of these semi-senseless raids, the Ibuki was attacked by the Belgian submarine Narcissus off the coast of Java, and only by pure chance escaped death.

In May 1944, the Tsukuba returning from the mother country was used to provide fire support for Operation Ichi-Go in mainland China. With its guns, the cruiser supported the advance of Japanese troops on Fuzhou: at the same time, it was attacked by the Chinese small submarine Hu Long, but managed to avoid damage.

The Chinese initially announced damage to the Furutaka-class heavy cruiser: only after the war it became known that the attacked ship was the Tsukuba. Modern Chinese historical materials claim that the cruiser was seriously damaged and was out of action for a long time, but this version is not confirmed by other sources.

S. Welberry, Military History of the Chinese Republic, London, 1958.

In the spring and summer of 1944, both heavy armored cruisers operated in Indonesia, guarding convoys, transporting troops (due to a severe shortage of transport) and occasionally being involved in covering existing light forces. “Ibuki” occasionally served as a floating mooring mast for Japanese anti-submarine airships in July 1944. The Navy considered several options for their further operation, including conversion into light aircraft carriers, but ultimately abandoned the conversion of the ships. The project to rebuild the Tsukuba into an “anti-submarine battleship” - a specialized convoy escort ship equipped with powerful anti-aircraft artillery and a battery of 305-mm bomb launchers for launching depth charges - also did not receive support.

In July 1944, the 1st Battlecruiser Division was again sent to Malacca in an attempt to prevent a British convoy from sailing to Singapore. On the night of July 28, heavy armored cruisers covered an unsuccessful raid attempt by eight Japanese destroyers up the Straits of Malacca. The operation was unsuccessful: the British light cruisers Mauritis and Nigeria discovered the enemy and clearly demonstrated the advantages of British radar in a night battle. After fifteen minutes of ineffective firefight, Ibuki and Tsukuba retreated. Passing back through the strait, the Japanese cruisers were attacked torpedo boats, left Singapore, but managed to repel the attack.

This was the last time the heavy armored cruisers operated together. Shortly thereafter, an order followed to redeploy the 1st Battlecruiser Division to Brunei to reinforce Kurita's fleet. During the transition, both ships were discovered and then torpedoed by the American submarine Sailfish: the less damaged Ibuki was repaired in Brunei, while Tsukuba was sent to Japan for repairs. Before he could return, american fleet struck at the very heart of the Japanese Empire - the Philippines.

The Allied landings in Leyte Gulf led to the largest sea battle in history. Among the hundreds of ships involved were both heavy armored cruisers - although this time they were forced to act separately from each other.

For the final and decisive battle, Toyoda assembled a truly impressive force. Under the command of Vice Admiral Ozawa was the entire mighty 1st Division squadron aircraft carriers, which included “Taiho”, “Juikaku”, “AmagiII” and the huge aircraft carrier “Shinano”, and four more light aircraft carriers made up the 2nd division. All remaining flying forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy were concentrated on their decks, including Ozawa’s last trump card: one hundred and fifteen of the latest carrier-based fighters A7M “Reppu”. The fleet saved these new machines for the last battle, however, their effectiveness was limited by a lack of experienced pilots.

Toyoda placed his main bet on the guns of his battleships. Under the command of Vice Admiral Kurita was the most powerful formation, which included the huge super-battleships Yamato, Musashi and the high-speed battleships Nagato and Mutsu, as well as the “pocket” battleship Ibuki. Four old slow-moving battleships (Fuso, Yamashiro, Ise and Hiuga), under the command of Vice Admiral Nishimura, were assigned to act as bait...

Voenizdat. “The War in the Pacific Ocean and the defeat of imperialist Japan”, Moscow, 1988.

On October 23, Ibuki, traveling with Kurita's force from Brunei, was torpedoed by the American submarine USS Darter in the Palawan Passage. The explosion led to the flooding of the cruiser's engine room and aft ammunition magazines. There was no point in leading the crippled ship further, and Kurita ordered the Ibuki to be returned to Brunei.

The cruiser Tsukuba, which covered the deployment of Ozawa's carrier forces, suffered less damage. Maneuvering together with the battlecruisers Haruna and Kongo, he repelled with anti-aircraft fire attacks by American aircraft on the aircraft carriers Taiho, Shinano and Amagi, which made up the 1st aircraft carrier formation. During the battle, the ship received two hits from 250-kg aerial bombs, as a result of which its speed dropped to 22 knots, but nevertheless maintained its speed and managed to return to base. On the way home, the Tsukuba received the crew from the sinking Shinano, which had been turned into flaming ruins by Halsey's aircraft.

The damaged Ibuki was somehow repaired in Brunei, after which it returned to its former base in Jakarta. After the liberation of the Philippines by the Americans, the Japanese ships remaining in Southeast Asia no longer had a single chance to return to the mother country. On November 2, all Japanese naval forces in the south were consolidated into the 1st Southeast Fleet: Ibuki became the flagship of this pathetic fragment of Japan's former power. In December, it was used to evacuate troops from island garrisons, which were no longer possible to defend. Then, the increasing risk of air raids forced the cruiser to move to the safer Banjarmasin.

When the British fleet launched Operation Unicorn in January 1945, marching in all its might to secure the freedom of Singapore, the 1st South East Fleet left Jakarta for the last time in an attempt to strike British forces landing on the Malacca Peninsula. On January 5, during a night passage through the Karimata Strait, the Ibuki, escorted by the destroyer Kamikaze, was discovered and then attacked off Keppulaan Ling by a detachment of British destroyers supported by the battlecruiser Tiger. Caught by surprise and lacking effective fire control radars, the Japanese heavy armored cruiser found itself in a completely hopeless situation: although the team managed to remove the wrecked ship from under fire, the Ibuki soon lost speed and was finished off the next morning by aircraft from aircraft carriers.

The cruiser Tsukuba, which retreated to the metropolis, was assigned to the 1st division of battleships of the 2nd fleet on January 1st. On April 4, 1945, during the almost meaningless exit of the remnants of the Japanese fleet to support the besieged Okinawa, the cruiser was damaged by an American ASM-N-2 “Bat” glide bomb. While returning to Japan, he was attacked by an American submarine, but managed to escape damage. In May, the ship made a successful transition to Aomori to strengthen the defense of Honshu: at the same time, the Tsukuba was blown up by two mines, and its speed subsequently did not exceed 23 knots. American aircraft bombed the ship several times, but thanks to skillful camouflage, the cruiser avoided heavy damage.

By early August 1945, the heavy armored cruiser Tsukuba was one of the last three serviceable Japanese heavy ships, along with the battleship Nagato and the battlecruiser Haruna. August 14, after entry Soviet Union During the war, the ship moved (towed by a coal-heated minesweeper to save fuel) to Hakodate. The Japanese command planned to use the ship to support a kamikaze attack on soviet ships near the Kuril Islands, but due to the news of Japan’s surrender, going to sea never took place.

After the war, Tsukuba was among other Japanese ships requisitioned by the Americans. From November 1945 to December 1946, she stood in the “peace storage facility” in Alaska, along with the rest of the ships of the Japanese fleet. In 1947, the Japanese “pocket” battleship was transferred as reparations to Holland: under the name “Commander de Ruyter” she served in the fleet until 1959, and as a training ship until 1971.

Whale. “Dragon Flower” is one of eight small M-class railway transportable boats (“Malyutka”) sold to China by the Soviet government in 1937-1939.

Light anti-submarine airships of the “Y” series, with a volume of about 11,000 cubic meters. About three dozen such devices were built in 1942-1943 for anti-submarine patrols and protection of convoys to the metropolis.

The fleet, in addition to Ibuki, included heavy cruisers"Haguro", "Mioko", light cruiser“Kitakami” and several destroyers.

HMS "Tiger", a battlecruiser of the First World War. According to the London Agreement of 1931, she was transferred to the category of training ships. With the outbreak of the Second World War, it was restored to its previous quality in 1939-1941. Decommissioned in 1947.

The attack was launched on August 18th on the personal initiative of General Fusaki. Since by this time the acceptance of the terms of surrender was already known, the general was able to use only about 28 aircraft instead of the planned 120. Fighters from Soviet aircraft carriers managed to intercept most of the attackers, but the Soviet fleet nevertheless suffered losses: one destroyer and one transport ship were sunk by kamikaze strikes, and another patrol ship, two landing craft, a cargo ship and an armed transport vessel were damaged.

Peace Vault is a slang name for warehouses of captured weapons and military equipment created after the demilitarization of Japan and Germany in 1945.

Armored cruisers

Ibuki-class armored cruisers - 2 units.

“Ibuki” Kure 5.1906/21.11.1907/1.11.1909-excl. 1923

“Kurama” Yoko 8/23/1905/10/21/1907/2/28/1911 - excl. 1923

14,636/15,595 t, 137.2x23x8 m. PT - 2, 18 pcs, 24,000 hp = 21.5 knots. 2000 t of coal + 218 t of oil (“Kurama” PM - 2, 28 PK, 22,500 hp = 20.5 kt. 1868 tug + 200 t of oil). Armor: belt 178 - 102 mm, main gun turrets and barbettes 178 - 127 mm, SK turrets 152 mm, deck 76 mm, wheelhouse 203 mm. Ek. 844 people 4 -305 mm/45, 8 - 203 mm/45, 14-120 mm/ 40, 4-76 mm/40, 3 TA 457 mm.

Cruisers with very powerful weapons, but relatively low speed. They are often classified as lightly armored battleships - in some ways they can be considered “relatives” of the Russian Peresvet-class battleships.

The ship design was developed on the basis of the armored cruiser Tsukuba. Initially, “Ibuki” and “Kurama” were supposed to be of the same type, but for the first in the spring of 1906, Curtiss steam turbines were ordered, and the project had to be thoroughly reworked. Officially, Ibuki was laid down on May 22, 1907, but its construction began earlier. Ibuki became the first Japanese turbine ship, but this did not make it faster: during testing, Kurama developed a speed of 21.5 knots. with a power of 23,081 hp, and “Ibuki” - 21.16 knots. at 28,977 hp Externally, both ships differed in their masts: on the Kurama they were three-legged, and on the Ibuki they were ordinary.

At the beginning of the First World War, Ibuki participated in the search for the Spee squadron, and then accompanied troop transports traveling from Australia to Suez. Both ships were disarmed after the Washington Conference and scrapped in 1924-1925.

Tsukuba-class armored cruisers - 2 units.

"Tsukuba" Kure 14.1.1905/26.12.1905/14.1.1907 - died 14.1.1917

“Ikoma” Kure 15.3.1905/9.4.1906/24.3.1908 - excl. 1922

13,750/15,400 t, 137.1x23x8 m. PM - 2, 20 pcs, 20,500 hp = 20.5 knots. 2000 t ug. (“Ikoma” 191 1 t of coal + 160 t of oil). Armor: belt 178-102 mm, upper belt and casemates 127 mm, towers and barbettes 178 mm, deck 76 mm, wheelhouse 203 mm. Ek. 879 people 4 - 305 mm/45, 12 - 152 mm/45, 12 -120 mm/40, 4-76 mm/40, 2 - 40 mm auto, 3 TA 457 mm.

The first "capital" ships of Japanese construction and the world's first cruisers, armed with 12-inch main battery artillery in two-gun turrets. Ordered in June 1904 as a replacement for the lost battleships Hatsuse and Yashima, they were laid down before the end of the Russo-Japanese War. The construction of the ships was fraught with production problems, which is why the lead Tsukuba had numerous defects. The commissioning of the Ikoma was delayed by a lack of heavy artillery: the ship began sea trials in November 1907, but was fully armed and equipped only by February 1911. At the measured mile, the Tsukuba showed a speed of 20.5 knots. with a power of 20,736 hp, “Ikoma” - 21.9 knots. at 22,670 hp

"Tsukuba" was lost in Yokosuka as a result of the explosion of artillery magazines; Crew losses amounted to 305 people killed. "Ikoma" was re-equipped in 1918-1919 (4 - 305 mm/45, 10-152 mm/45, 8-120 mm/40, 6 -76 mm/40) and later served as an artillery training ship. Soon after the Washington Conference, she was disarmed and sold for scrap on November 13, 1924.

Armored cruisers of the Kasuga type - 2 units.

"Kasuga" Ane 10.3.1902/22.10.1902/7.1.1904 - died 18.7.1945

"Nissin" Ane 5.1902/9.2.1903/7.1.1904 - excl. 1935

7700/8500 t, 111.73x18.7x7.4m. PM - 2, 12 PK, 13,500 hp = 20 knots. 600/1190 t coal Armor: belt 150 - 75 mm, upper belt of the tower and casemates 150 mm, barbettes 150 - 100 mm, deck 37 - 25 mm, wheelhouse 150 mm. Ek. 595 - 610 people 1 -- 254 mm/45 (only on Kasuga), 2-203 mm/45 (on Nissin 4 - 203 mm/45), 14- 152 mm/40, 10 - 76 mm/40, 4 - 4/ mm, 2 bullets, 4 TA 457 mm.

The last of the series of Italian armored cruisers of the Garibaldi class. Laid down for the Argentine fleet under the names "Mitra" and "Roca", purchased by Japan on 12/29/1903. They actively participated in the Russo-Japanese War, and operated mainly in the same line with the battleships of Admiral Togo, since their actual speed did not exceed 18 knots. In 1914, both ships had their steam boilers replaced.

In 1917-1918, Nissin operated in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1927 she was reclassified as a training ship, in 1935 she became a floating target and was sunk the following year. “Kasuga” sat on rocks in the Bank Strait (Indonesia) on January 13, 1918 and was removed only six months later. Since 1925, the cruiser served as a training ship, and in July 1942 it was disarmed and turned into a blockade. Sunk by American aircraft, raised in 1948 and scrapped.

Armored cruiser "Yakumo" - 1 unit.

"Yakumo" Vulk 3.1898/18.7.1899/20.6.1900 - scrapped. 1946

9735/10 300 t, 132.3x19.6x7.25 m. PM - 2, 24PK, 15,500 hp. = 20kt. 600/1200 t coal Armor: belt 178 mm, upper belt 127 mm, turrets 150 mm, barbettes 150 - 100 mm, casemates 150 - 50 mm, deck 63 mm, wheelhouse 350 mm. Ek. 698 people 4 - 203 mm/40, 12-152 mm/40, 16-76 mm/40, 4-47 mm, 4 TA 457 mm.

Built in Germany under the 1896 program as a development of the Asama-class cruisers. He actively participated in the war with Russia in 1904 - 1905. In 1921, she was reclassified as a 1st class coastal defense ship, but later served as a training ship. Repeatedly modernized and rearmed. In July 1942, she was “restored to rank” and again became a 1st class cruiser, but did not participate in hostilities. Sold for scrap in June 1946.

Armored cruiser "Azuma" - 1 unit.

"Azuma" СНз 3.1898/24.6.1899/28.7.1900 - scrapped. 1946

9278/9953 t, 137.9x18x7.21 m. PM - 2, 24 pcs, 17,000 hp = 20 knots. 600/1200 t coal Armor: belt 178 mm, upper belt 127 mm, towers, barbettes and casemates 150 mm, deck 63 - 50 mm, wheelhouse 350 mm. Ek. 726 people 4-203 mm/40, 12-152 mm/40, 16-76 mm/40, 4-47 mm, 4 TA 457 mm.

Built in France according to the 1896 program. Similar to Asama-class cruisers, but had a shorter armor belt. Actively participated in the Russian-Japanese War. Since 1914 she was used as a training ship. In 1941, it was turned into a blockade and was seriously damaged by American aircraft on July 18, 1945. Scrapped in 1946.

Izumo-class armored cruisers - 2 units.

"Izumo" Arm 5.1898/19.9.1899/25.9.1900 - died 28.7.1945

“Iwate” Arm 5.1898/29.3.1900/18.3.1901 - died 24.7.1945

9750/10 300 t, 132.3x20.94x7.4 m. PM - 2, 24 pcs, 14,500 hp = 20.75 knots. 600/1400 t coal Armor: belt 178 mm, upper belt 127 mm, towers, barbettes and casemates 152 mm, deck 63 - 51 mm, wheelhouse 356 mm. Ek. 672 people 4-203 mm/40, 14-152 mm/40, 12-76 mm/40, 4 - 47 mm, 2 bullets, 4 TA 457 mm.

Built in England according to the 1896 program; were an improved version of the cruiser Asama. During testing, Izumo developed a speed of 22.04 knots. with a power of 15,739 hp, “Iwate” - 21.74 knots. at 16,078 hp Actively participated in the Russo-Japanese War. In 1921, they were reclassified as 1st class coastal defense ships. "Izumo" in 1932 - 1942 was the flagship of the Japanese so-called Chinese fleet; then briefly reclassified as a 1st class cruiser and in 1943 as a training ship. Iwate actually served as a training ship from 1923, although she was also formally classified as a 1st class cruiser in 1942. Both were sunk in July 1945 at Kure by American aircraft, raised and scrapped in 1947.

Asama-class armored cruisers - 2 units.

"Asama" Arm 11.1896/22.3.1898/18.3.1899 - scrapped. 1947

"Tokiwa" Arm 1.1898/6.7.1898/18.5.1899 - died 8.8.1945

9700/10,500 t, 134.7x20.45x7.43 m. PM -2, 16 pcs, 18,000 hp = 21.5 kts. 600/1400 t coal Armor: belt 178 mm, upper belt 127 mm, towers, barbettes and casemates 152 mm, deck 76 - 51 mm, wheelhouse 356 mm. Ek. 676 people 4-203 mm/40, 14-152 mm/40, 12-76 mm/40, 4-47 mm, 4 TA 457 mm.

At the time of their appearance, they were the best armored cruisers in the world, the founders of a whole series of similar ships of the Japanese program of 1896. Designed in England by F. Watts. They actively participated in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904 - 1905.

"Asama" until 1915 ("Tokiwa" until 1910) carried 12 cylindrical steam boilers, which were replaced during repairs with 16 Japanese Miyabara systems. During the First World War, the Asama was seriously damaged twice (12/3/1914 and 1/31/1915) due to navigation accidents; from June 1915 to March 1917 it was under repair. In 1921, both cruisers were reclassified as 1st class coastal defense ships; "Tokiva" was registered as of April 1, 1922 minelayer. Subsequently, they were repeatedly modernized and rearmed. They survived until the Second World War. Tokiwa was sunk by American aircraft in Maizuru, raised and scrapped in 1947.

Armored cruiser "Aso" - 1 unit.

"Aso" FSh 12.1898/30.5.1900/4.1903 - excl. 1930

7800 t, 137.03x17.5x6.7 m. PM - 2, 26 PCs, 16,500 hp = 21 knots. 750/1200 t coal Armor: belt 200 - 100 mm, upper belt and casemate 60 mm, deck 50 - 30 mm, deckhouse 160 mm. Ek. 791 people 2- 152 mm/50, 8- 152 mm/45, 16-76 mm/40, 2 bullets.

Former Russian "Bayan", captured 2.1.1905 in Port Arthur. Restored and put into operation in 1908. In 1913, it was re-equipped: the turrets with 203 mm guns were dismantled and replaced with deck-mounted 152 mm Armstrong gun mounts with a barrel length of 50 calibers. In 1920, it was converted into a minelayer capable of receiving 420 mines. Expelled from the fleet on April 1, 1930, turned into a floating target and sunk during exercises on August 8, 1932.

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