Aoba
Part of the Aoba-class consisting of the Aoba and Kinugasa, which originally were to be part of the Furutaka-class heavy cruisers, but both ships were of a modified design although with stability problems. Built under the 1923 Fiscal Year, laid down by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kobe, Japan on 24 October 1924, launched on 24 October 1926, commissioned on 30 September 1927, added to the reserve in September 1937, modernized at the Sasebo navy Yard, decommissioned end 1940 and sunk off Rendova Island by US navy aircraft during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942.
Displacement 8.300 (standard)-9.000 (at last) tons and as dimensions 185,17 x 15.83 (original)-17,56 (at last) x 5,71 (original)-5,66 (at last) metres or 607.6 x 51.11-57.7 x 18.9 x 18.7 feet. The machinery consisted of 4-shaft Brown Curtis geared turbines and 12 Kampong boilers supplying 102.000 shp allowing a speed of 33,43 knots and a range with a speed of 14 knots of 7.000 (original)-8.223 (at last) nautical miles. Crew numbered 643-657 men. The armour consisted of 7,6cm/3” thick belt, 3,5cm/1.4“ thick decks, 4,8cm/1.9“ thick upper decks, magazine protected by 5,1cm/2“ thick armour and the gun turrets by 2,54cm/1“ thick armour. The conning tower was not protected! The original armament consisted of 3x2-20cm/7.9” 50 cal guns, 4x1-12cm/4.7” 45 cal guns, 6x2-61cm/24” torpedo tubes. Final armament consisted after 1940 3x2-20,3cm/8” 50 cal guns, 4x1-12cm/4.7” 45 cal guns, 2x4-61cm/24” torpedo tubes and 50-2,5cm/1” anti aircraft guns. Could carry 1 (original)-2 (after 1940t) floatplanes with her and was in a later stadium fitted out with a catapult.
