Kongo-class
Amagi-class
Of the Amagi-class battle
cruisers consisting of the Akagi, Amagi, Takao and Atago, preceded by the
Kongo-class. Original two planned under the so-called eight battleships-four
battle cruisers plan approved in 1917, but the same year the building of another
2 Amagi-class battle cruisers was approved. As a result of the Washington Naval
Treaty of 1922 was the building and possession of capital ships limited ending
in scrapping 3 of this class and converting the Akagi into an aircraft carrier.
Laid down at the Mitsubishi shipyard, Nagasaki, Japan on 19 December 1921, to
be completed in December 1924 but as a result of the limitations of the
Washington Naval Treaty was the building officially stopped on 31 July 1924 and
broken up still on the slipway.
Displacement 41.217
(standard)-47.000 (full load) tons and as dimensions 251,8 x 30,8 x 9,5 metres
or 826 x 101 x 31 feet. The machinery consisted of 4 shaft Gibon turbines and
11 oil fired and 8- coal-oil fired Kampon boilers supplying 131.200 shp allowing
a speed of 30 knots. With a speed of 14 knots was the range 8.000 nautical
miles. Their crew numbered 1.600 men. The armament consisted of 5x2-41cm
L/45guns, 16-14cm L/50 guns, 4/6-12cm L/45anti aircraft guns and 8-61cm/24”
torpedo tubes. The armour consisted of a 25cm/9.8” thick belt, a 9,5cm/3.7”
deck, 7,3cm/2.9” thick torpedo bulkheads and with the conning tower and main
gun barbettes protected by respectively 7,5cm/3.0”-36cm/14.2” and
23cm/9.1”-28cm/11.0”.
