Ise class battleship

Originally intended as sister ships of the preceding Fuso class, the Ise-class battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy were considered sufficiently different to warrant classification as a separate class in their own right. Among the differences were a shorter foredeck, a more closely-grouped secondary armament (with the majority of the forward guns set further astern than in the Fusos), a different arrangement of the primary turrets (though the cumbersome six-twin arrangement was retained) and more closely-spaced funnels and uptakes. Like most if not all battleships of their era, they retained the soon-to-be outmoded casemated secondary armament, the forward guns of which often proved useless in any kind of seaway, and like all Japanese warships of the period, these vessels still relied on mixed (i.e. coal and oil) firing for their boilers.

During World War I, like their cousins of the Fuso class, the Ises took part in no significant action, being largely surplus to the Imperial Japanese Navy's duties. They were also reconstructed in the 1930s, receiving improved powerplants, armour, fire control and internal protection.

During World War II, to partially compensate for the loss of carrier strength at the Battle of Midway, both battleships were converted to hybrid battleship/aircraft carrier in 1943. Their aft turrets were replaced with a hangar surmounted by a flight deck, and anti-aircraft guns were added. Hyuga, for example, mounted a complement of 14 Yokosuka D4Y dive-bombers and 8 Aichi E16A seaplanes. However, the lack of planes and pilots meant that neither ship was involved in combat in her carrier role.

Ships

There were two ships of the class:

• Ise, launched on 1916–11–12.
• Hyuga, launched on 1917–01–27.

Both ships were heavily damaged in the Battle off Cape Engaño on 1944–10–25. They returned to Kure naval dockyard in Japan and took no further part in operations. They were attacked by American planes in a series of raids and were sunk at their moorings in shallow water.

General characteristics (after reconstruction, 1934–37)

• Displacement: 35,800 tons (standard); 40,169 tons (laden)
• Length: 215.8m
• Beam (at widest point): 31.75m
• Draught: 9.15m
• Crew: 1,370

Armament

• Main armament: Twelve 14 in rifled guns (6x2)
• Secondary armament: sixteen 5.5in rifled guns (16x1) (casemated); eight 5in DP (dual purpose) (4x2)
• Anti-aircraft: Twenty 25mm cannon

Protection

• Main belt: 12in maxinum thickness
• Decks: 3.75in maximum thickness
• Main turrets: 12in face, 10in sides
• Barbettes: 8in maxmimum thickness
• Casemates: 6in maximum thickness
• Connong tower: 13.75in maximum thickness

Propulsion

• Speed: 25.3 knots
• Powerplant: Eight oil-fired Kampon boilers
• Output: 80,000 SHP (Shaft horsepower)
• Bunkerage: 5,113 tons fuel oil

Miscellaneous

• Aircraft: 3, with one catapult.

References

• M. J. Whiteley, Battleships of World War Two: an International Encyclopaedia, Orion, 2001.