The Yamato-class battleship was a class of two battleships commissioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. They were the largest battleships ever built. They were also armed with the largest guns to ever be carried on a ship. Their armor was also very heavy.
History[]
The Imperial Japanese Navy had intended to operate a third Yamato-class battleship named HIJMS Shinano . However, following the loss of most of Japan's aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway in June 1942, it was decided to convert the almost complete hull into an aircraft carrier, with the date for final completion brought forward from January 1945 to November 1944.[1] The Musashi was sunk in October 1944 at the Batle of Leyte Gulf, it recieved 23 bomb hits and up to 18 torpedo hits before finally succumbing with 1023 men lost. The Yamato was sunk in what was essentially a suicide mission to Okinawa with 11 bomb hits and as many as 13 torpedo hits all to the port side of the ship, (the Americans had learnt their lesson from the Musashi) from carrier based aircraft numbering about 400, 3063 men were lost.
Ships in class[]
- HIJMS Yamato
- HIJMS Musashi
References[]
- ↑ Ruscoe, Ian. Tamiya Model Magazine. February/March 2000 Issue,. Page 12