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Yamato Japanese Navy
The History of the Imperial Japanese Navy Ship: The Yamato
The Yamato and its sister ship the Muashi were the pride and joy of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Miltary [IJN]. They were and are the largest battleships to ever “Sail the Seven Seas”. (Hackett, IJN YAMATO) The Yamato was, in my opinion, the greatest battleship ever. In this paper I will tell you some more about this oceanic superpower.
Construction
The blueprints for the Yamato Class of battleships were designed in 1934, while the Washington Naval Treaty was in place. (Heikkila, Construction History) The Washington Naval Treaty placed a temporary ban on any large ships, battleships over 35,000 tons and aircraft carries over 27,000 tons. [Articles V and VII] The Washington Naval Treaty was signed by the United States of America, Great Britain, France, The Empire of Japan, and Italy in 1922 right after World War One and was to last till 1967. (Washington)
The Washington Naval Treaty placed a temporary ban on any large ships, battleships over 35,000 tons and aircraft carries over 27,000 tons. (Articles V and VII) Another restriction was in Article VI, it stated “No capital ship (ship of war, except aircraft carries) of any of the Contracting Powers shall carry a gun with a caliber in excess of 16 inches (406 millimeters).” (Washington Naval Treaty, ibiblio.org)
The Empire of Japan withdrew from the Washington treaty in 1966, a year before it was to end. I believe that they wanted to stat to build the Yamato Class Battleships. If that had stated to build the Yamato, before they exited out of the Washington naval Treaty, it would have been considered an act of war for two reasons.
First it would have broken Article V; the Yamato was expected to weight 68,000 tons. That is way over the 35,000 ton limit. Secondly it would violate Article VI, you could only have a ship with 16 caliber guns. The Yamato had 18 caliber guns, two inches bigger. (Washington Naval Treaty, ibiblio.org)
The sight that was picked for the building of the great new Yamato Battleship was Kure Naval Base, in Hiroshima, Japan. Special construction, or dry, docks were built at the very end of the base. They needed the new docks just to accommodate for the vas size of the Yamato Class Battleships. Construction began on the fourth of November, 1937 and was not finished until the eighth of August, 1940. It was not commissioned until a year later. (Heikkila, Construction History)
You can get expert help with your essays right now. Find out more...There were to be five ships commissioned in the Yamato Class of Battleships. But, the third ship in the class, the Shinano, was converted into an aircraft carrier after the loss by Japan in the battle of Midway. (Heikkila, Construction History)
The Yamato Class was built to be bigger and better than any ship in the United States Navy arsenal. They were not built for speed, they were 14 knots slower than a Iowa Class battleship. Yet they were much, much larger and the guns were two inches larger than the Iowa Class.
The Iowa Class has 16 caliber and the IJN Yamato’s were much much bigger.(Hackett, IJN YAMATO) History fanatics, NOT HISTORIEANS, say that the Yamato did not have radar for submarines, planes, and other ships. This is not true, the Yamato was fitted with radar for a three just before it was launched, and the technology was better or just a good as what was on all of the Iowa Class battleships. (Hackett, Tabular Record of Movement)
Facts
Here are a few general facts about the IJN Yamato that are thing that you should know. It took a crew of 2,700 men and officers to keep the gigantic Yamato afloat, which is a lot of people and a lot off food for two to three meals a day! The Yamato was propelled threw the water by twelve Kanpon boilers that drove four turbines to create a total of 614 hp.
These turbines turned four, three prop propellers that were SIX METERS in diameter. It consumed 70 tons of fuel in one hour at maximum speed, which is about 27 knots (31 miles per hour). (Heikkila, General Characteristics)
Weapons
The main guns of the IJN were the 18 caliber guns. To trick the opposition into thinking that the guns were not that big by nicknaming them “16 inch Special”. They were fired about twice.
The secondary guns were six inch guns that could fire up to 17 miles. Not as large as its’ main guns but not bad. These were barley ever fired.
There were three different types of antiaircraft guns. The first was twenty four 12.7 cm guns. Secondly, there were a hundred and sixty two 25 mm guns. Finally, there were four 13 mm guns. These were the guns that were fired the most because the U.S and its allies were constantly trying to sink the Yamato.
The final weapon for the Yamato was planes. The Yamato had seven pontoon float planes in it arsenal. They may not have been zeros, but they would have gotten the recon job done. (Heikkila, Weapons)
Chronicles of the IJN Yamato
Here are a chronological reclamation of the IJN Yamato. From her the fist trip to sea to her final voyage.
- Midway Operation: June 1942
The Yamato had no impact on the Midway operation. The Yamato and the other two ships sent for the battle did not even fire there guns during this operation. I would like to see what would have happen if they would because Midway was supposed to be the turning point in the War in the Pacific.
- May 8, 1943: Sail to Kure
She arrived six days after she left for Kure. The Yamato did not stay there very long. Her stay there was only for a few minor repairs. While she was there, she was assigned the Battleship Force. She left for Truk on the 15 of August.
- Trip to Eniwetok: 17 October 1943
She is assigned as the flagship of the Combined Fleet. This is a great honor. The men aboard the ship were very happy, but know they will have to work harder to show a good example for the other ships in the fleet.
- 12 December 1943: trip to Yokosuka
Used as a giant troop transport. That was a great waist of the world’s largest battleship. I have nothing more to say on the whole subject.
After dropping of troops she is hit by as torpedo from the Submarine the U.S.S. Skate. The damage is very bad, it has created a gash on her aft starboard, or back right (if you were facing the front of the ship), side. She stakes in more than 30,000 tons of water. Three sevenths of her own weight was taken on, she could hardly move!
- 10 January 1944: To Kure II
Makeshift repairs are made to the Yamato. Just enough to get her to the docks at Kure Naval Base. They dock her in the number four dry docks to fully repair her wounds.
- Preparing for Battle of the Philippine Sea
- 10 June 1944: near collision between the super ships Yamato and Musashi
The Yamato and her sister “Super ship” almost collide. If they hit it would have spelled disaster.
A periscope of a U.S. submarine, “perhaps the USS Herder”. All the ships perform a hard left turn. The Musashi turns to late and is heading straight on into the Yamato. Captain Morishita takes the weal and performs a risky yet effective evasive turn and saves both ships.
- The Yamato opens fire of a group of friendly fighters. Most of the plans are hit badly and a few are destroyed.
- Operation A-Go: the Battle of the Philippine Sea 18-22 June 44
It was called “The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”. The attack force had been spotted a day early by U.S. submarines. The Navy arrange a preemptive attack with it fearsome Hellcat fighter planes. The Zeros did not even get of the ships. It was like a Turkey shoot, for a lack of better words. The Operation was a total frailer and the Imperial Japanese Navy slipped away like a dog with it tail between it legs.
- Opearation Sho-Go: Leyte Gulf Battle, 22-26 October 1944
- Battle of the Sibuyan Sea: 24th October 1944
- Battle Off Samar: 25th October 1944
- Retiring to Kure: November 1944, and Inland Sea January 1945
- Operation Ten-Go (HEVEN ONE): April 1945 - The Final Voyage
Yamato sinks in little over two and a half hours! The U.S. Air Corp. dropped bombs and hit it with torpedoes until it blew itself up. It spit into two pieces and with a gigantic explosion sank 430 feet to the bottom of the ocean. (Heikkila, Battles)
You can get expert help with your essays right now. Find out more...Sinking
The Yamato sunk in a little over two and a half hours. It was bombarded by bombs and littered by torpedoes. No body knows what or who delta the final blow to this supper ship. All we know is where it sunk and that the gigantic ship spit in two.
It rests in-between Nagasaki and Okinawa. The big guns fell off and it is smashed to pieces. It probably will never be resurrected from its watery grave. 430 feet under, a lot further than the normal six. (Heikkila, Final Voyage)
Historian suspect that the large caliber shells fell back on each other, this reaction causes the massive explosion just before the Yamato sank. There were six shells to ever barrel and there were three barrels. That is fifteen shells going off almost simultaneously. By the size of the plume from the explosion, the say that it was the largest explosion ever made at sea. (Heikkila, Final Voyage)
Super-Yamato Class
There were plans for a Super-Yamato Class of battleships. They were kind of turned into dust you might say, ha-ha. The plans were made in Hiroshima, and it is common knowledge about the huge boom we made there. So the Super-Yamato was never made.
References
Hackett, Bob. “IJN YAMATO.” SENKAN!. 11/08/2006. Combinedfleet.com. 31 Jan 2008 < http://www.combinedfleet.com/yamato_c.htm >.
Heikkila, Michele. “Construction History.” Battleship Yamato-Construction. 04/21/2006. Battleship Yamato. 31 Jan 2008 <http://www.battleshipyamato.info/construction>.
“Washington Naval Treaty.” CONFRENCE ON THE LIMITATION OF ARMAMENT. FEEBUARY 6, 1922. ibiblio.org 15 Feb 2008 <http://www.ibilio.org/pha/pre-war/1922/nav_lim.html>
Hackett, Bob. “Tabular Record of Movement.” SENKAN!. 11/08/2006. Combinedfleet.com. 31 Jan 2008 < http://www.combinedfleet.com/yamato_c.htm >.
Heikkila, Michele. "Weapons." Battleship Yamato-Wepons.04/21/2006. Battleship Yamato. 4 Feb. 2008 <http://www.battleshipyamato.info/weapons>.
Heikkila, Michele. “Battles." Battleship Yamato-Battles.04/21/2006. Battleship Yamato. 4 Feb. 2008 <http://www.battleshipyamato.info/ >.
Heikkila, Michele. “Final Voyage." Battleship Yamato-Final Voyage.04/21/2006. Battleship Yamato. 4 Feb. 2008 <http://www.battleshipyamato.info/ >.
Heikkila, Michele. “Final Voyage." Battleship Yamato-Final Voyage.04/21/2006. Battleship Yamato. 4 Feb. 2008 <http://www.battleshipyamato.info/ >.
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