IJN Kirishima
| Type | Battlecruiser, rebuilt as Battleship |
|---|---|
| Class | Kongō |
| War | Second World War |
| Main guns | 8 × 14″ guns in 4 twin turrets |
Refits
| 1927–1930 | Rebuilt as a battleship Thicker deck armour and torpedo bulges, new boilers and a pagoda mast. Reclassed as a battleship. |
| 1934–1936 | Lengthened at the stern and given new turbines, raising her speed to 30 knots: a fast battleship that could keep up with the carriers. |
Kongō-class battlecruiser, rebuilt twice between the wars as a fast battleship. Escorted the carriers to Pearl Harbor. Fought on 13 November 1942, and two nights later Washington hit her with at least nine 16-inch shells; she was scuttled early on 15 November.
Armament and specifications
Armament
- 4 × twin 356 mm (14 in) guns
- 16 × single 152 mm (6 in) guns
- 4 × single 76.2 mm (3 in) AA guns
- 8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
Armour
- Waterline belt: 76–203 mm (3–8 in)
- Deck: 19–25 mm (0.75–0.98 in)
- Barbettes: 76–254 mm (3–10 in)
- Gun turrets: 229–254 mm (9–10 in)
| Builder | Mitsubishi, Nagasaki |
|---|---|
| Laid down | 17 March 1912 |
| Launched | 1 December 1913 |
| Commissioned | 19 April 1915 |
| Displacement | 26,739 t (26,317 long tons) (normal) |
| Length | 214.6 m (704 ft 1 in) |
| Speed | 27.8 knots (51.5 km/h; 32.0 mph) |
| Complement | 1,221 |
As built, from the ship's Wikipedia article. Figures there may cover later refits too.
Career
Launched
1 December 1913
Rebuilt as a battleship
1927–1930
Thicker deck armour and torpedo bulges, new boilers and a pagoda mast. Reclassed as a battleship.
Refit
1934–1936
Lengthened at the stern and given new turbines, raising her speed to 30 knots: a fast battleship that could keep up with the carriers.
7 December 1941
Escort
5 April 1942
4–7 June 1942
24–25 August 1942
Vanguard force
25–27 October 1942
13 November 1942
14–15 November 1942