Aoba heavy cruiser. Aoba-class cruisers. Campaign off the Solomon Islands

13.03.2020

Flak 1928 4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10,
2 × 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns;
1932 4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10,
2 × 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns;
2 × 4 13.2 mm Type 93 machine guns
1940 4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10,
4 × 2 25 mm guns
2 × 2 13.2 mm machine guns
1943 4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10,
1 x 3, 6 x 2 25 mm guns
1944 4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10,
3 x 3, 6 x 2, 15 x 1 25 mm guns
1945 4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10,
3 x 3, 10 x 2, 15 x 1 25mm guns

Armament

Artillery armament

The main caliber consisted of six 200-mm guns with a barrel length of 50 caliber Type 3 guns, mounted in three twin-gun turrets of the "C" model. Gun mounts, adopted in 1926, had an elevation angle of 40 °, which ensured a firing range of 26 kilometers. The installation of massive two-gun turrets instead of the single-gun "half-turrets" of the "A" model made it possible to increase the firing range, increase the rate of fire, reduce the fatigue of the servants, especially those working on the supply of ammunition, and make the supply more reliable and protected. However, this resulted in a significant weight increase of almost 126 tons. In addition, the two-gun turrets turned out to be too large for these cruisers - after test firing, the hull and deck around the aft turret had to be strengthened.

The replacement of the artillery of the main caliber was one of the main tasks of modernization in 1938-40. On the Aoba new 203.2 mm guns type 2 No. 1 were installed with a maximum elevation angle of 40 degrees and a firing range of almost 29 kilometers. Now the cruiser could use heavier and more effective "diving" type 91 shells. In October 1942, one of the towers was completely destroyed in the battle at Cape Esperance, and since there was nothing to replace it, it was temporarily dismantled and the hole in the deck was closed 25 -mm steel plate. As a result, by February 1943, the number of main battery guns was reduced to four. The turret was repaired and returned to its place during the cruiser's next repair in the autumn of 1943.<

Anti-aircraft weapons

The medium caliber, the main task of which was the air defense of the ship, consisted of four 120-mm Type 10 artillery guns with a barrel length of 45 calibers, which appeared in the fleet only in 1926. They were installed in model "B" single-gun mounts without shields with manual operation. In 1930, the Model B rigs were replaced by Model B electro-hydraulic shield rigs, for which small sponsons had to be made. During the modernization of 1938-40. it was not possible to install more advanced twin 127-mm installations due to their excessively large weight and dimensions. Therefore, on Aoba 120-mm guns were left and the artillery fire control system was replaced.

For close defense against aircraft, the bridge had two 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns, which were imported from England and were put into service in 1925. These machine guns were too heavy and unreliable. In general, the anti-aircraft armament of the ship was clearly insufficient, which was generally typical for all warships built in the 1920s. in 1932, sponsons were installed on the sides of the bow superstructure for two quadruple mounts of 13.2 mm Hotchkiss type machine guns on manually operated pedestals, which in Japan were called 13 mm type 93 machine guns.

Built installation of 25-mm anti-aircraft guns type 96

During the modernization of 1938-40. around the second chimney, four twin 25-mm type 96 automatic guns were installed, and instead of quadruple mounts of 13-mm machine guns, twin ones were left. During the repair of the ship in late 1942-early 1943. two built-in 25-mm installations were installed (one instead of the GK turret No. 3, the second instead of 13-mm machine guns. As a result, the total number of 25-mm guns reached 14 units.

When Aoba was damaged once again, during the repair in Kura the main gun turret was returned to its place and the built-in installation of 25-mm guns had to be dismantled. To compensate for the weakening of anti-aircraft artillery in the area of \u200b\u200bthe main mast, two twin installations of the same caliber were installed. But the most radical strengthening of anti-aircraft armament was made in June 1944, when, during repairs in Singapore, the ship received two built-in 25-mm installations: in the bow superstructure and in the stern. By this time, the Japanese command was actively saturating all the ships with these machine guns, so another 15 single installations were placed throughout the ship. They did not receive any fire control systems, so their combat value was low, but nominally in the middle of 1944 the number of these guns reached 36 units. While in Kura at the end of the war, the ship was actually used as an air defense floating battery, so four more twin 25-mm guns were additionally installed on it.

Torpedo armament

Although initially the installation of dangerous torpedo weapons on the A-type cruisers was not envisaged, they were nevertheless installed. The Naval General Staff planned that night battles with the massive use of torpedo weapons would become one of the main types of combat. Therefore, arming cruisers with torpedoes became a prerequisite. On the Aoba six double-tube fixed torpedo tubes of type 12 were installed at once. The total number of torpedoes reached 24 units of type 8 year No. 2 with a caliber of 610 mm.

During the modernization of 1938-40. Type 12 torpedo tubes were replaced by two four-pipe rotary tubes with shields on the upper deck on the sides of the catapult. Since 1940, these cruisers carried 16 Type 93 torpedoes each: 8 were in the TA, and the rest, 4 from the side, were in closed racks in front of the vehicles on rollers, which made it possible to quickly reload.

Aviation armament

Seaplane Kawanishi E7K

Seaplane Nakadjima E8N

Since Type A cruisers were intended primarily for reconnaissance purposes, the requirement of the Naval General Staff to install an aviation catapult was quite logical. Initially, the ship entered service without a catapult, but already in 1929 it received a Kure-type catapult No. 1, powered by compressed air. In 1929, both cruisers were fitted with Yokosuka K1Y seaplanes, which they carried until the end of 1931. A year later, the cruisers received Nakajima E2N seaplanes. During the modernization, a new powder catapult of the Kure type No. 2 model 5 was installed. The aircraft of the cruiser was represented by two Kawanishi E7K and Nakajima E8N reconnaissance seaplanes: one on a catapult, the other on a platform behind a tripod mainmast, equipped with a more powerful crane. From November 1940 to September of the next, the ships temporarily carried one of these types of fuel and lubricants.

Seaplane Aichi E13A

Seaplane Mitsubishi F1M

During the summer and autumn of 1942, Kawanishi E7K seaplanes on Aoba were replaced by Aichi E13A1 scouts. After repairs in February 1943, instead of one of the two E13A, the cruiser received one Mitsubishi F1M2 spotter. He carried these aircraft until April 1943, when he was again damaged. After repairs, from November 1943 to December 1944, when it was disarmed in Kura, it carried 1-2 F1M spotters. Since December, the cruiser has not been equipped with aircraft.

Service History

pre-war period

Cruiser Aoba for testing during the modernization period. December 1938

After commissioning Aoba was assigned to the Yokosuka maritime district, but already in 1932 he was transferred to the Kure district, to which they were assigned until they were excluded from the lists of the fleet. Cruiser, along with the same type Kinugasa operated as part of the 5th cruiser division. During 1932 the ship was in reserve. In May 1933, the cruiser was transferred to the 6th cruiser division, becoming its flagship (in 1936 it was temporarily listed as part of the 7th cruiser division). From December 1, 1936 Aoba was again withdrawn to the reserve, in which it was supposed to be until the start of modernization in the summer of 1937. However, the growing conflict with China made it necessary to postpone the start of modernization and the cruiser was used to transport troops to the combat area. On September 1, 1937, the ship was put back into reserve. Initially modernization of heavy cruiser types Furutaka and Aoba, was not envisaged, since, according to the new 10-year shipbuilding program for 1937-45. it was envisaged that they be withdrawn from the fleet due to reaching the age limit of 20 years and the construction of six new ships instead of them. However, due to the workload of the shipyards in 1936, it was nevertheless decided to modernize them. .

The modernization included, first of all, the standardization and improvement of weapons (main, anti-aircraft, torpedo and aircraft), the installation of a more advanced control system. They were replaced by oil boilers with mixed heating, which allowed to increase the cruising range (8000 km at a speed of 12 knots). During the modernization, the displacement of the ship increased, but thanks to the installation of new larger boules, the stability of the ship improved.

At the end of the modernization on November 15, 1940, the cruiser Aoba became part of the 6th division as a flagship. Along with the cruiser Kako they formed the 1st detachment of the division. Until the end of October 1941, the cruiser took part in training in the waters of the mother country. On November 30, 1941, the 6th Division headed for the Bonin Islands. Aoba was the flagship of Rear Admiral Goto Arimoto.

Beginning of the Pacific War

The 6th division, based on the Bonin Islands, was supposed to cover operations against the American base on the island of Guam. The connection went to sea on December 4, but the weakly fortified Guam was captured on December 10 without the intervention of heavy ships. On December 12, the cruisers arrived at the base on Truk Atoll. However, the capture of another American base in the Pacific, Wake Island, failed on the first attempt. Due to the threat of retaliatory measures from the American command, significant forces of the Japanese fleet were attracted to re-attack the island. The 6th cruiser division went to sea on December 13, 1941, covering the operation and returned to the base only on January 10, 1942, after the capture of the island.

After that, the epicenter of hostilities moved to the southwest, where almost all Japanese heavy cruisers were involved. However, the weakest cruisers of the 6th squadron were left in Truk. In January 1942 Aoba, along with other cruisers of the division, covered the landing of Japanese troops in Rabaul and Kavieng. On January 21, during the operation, the cruiser picked up from the water the crew of an Australian flying boat, shot down four days earlier by Japanese carrier-based aircraft from an aircraft carrier Shokaku. Then, in March 1942, the 6th division again arrived in Rabaul. Based on it, the Japanese cruisers (6th and 18th divisions) covered the landings on east coast New Guinea (in Lae and Salamua), the islands of Bougainville, Shortland and Manus.

The next stage of the Japanese offensive in the area was the operation to capture Port Moresby. Cruisers of the 6th division, along with a light aircraft carrier Shoho, were part of the Cover group of the operational Connection "MO". In early May, the formation advanced in the direction of the Coral Sea. They were opposed by two operational formations (Task Force) of the American fleet (11th and 17th). The meeting of opponents led to the Battle of the Coral Sea. In the morning, the Cover formation was attacked by American aircraft from aircraft carriers. Lexington and Yorktown. The ships of the 6th division with their weak anti-aircraft weapons were unable to provide serious opposition and prevent the sinking of the aircraft carrier Shoho(only 3 out of 93 aircraft were shot down). The cruisers themselves were not damaged just because all the aircraft were focused on attacking aircraft carriers. The result of the battle was the refusal to capture Port Moresby. May 16 cruiser Aoba returned to Truk, and then moved to the metropolis for scheduled repairs. Repair and docking took place from May 22 to June 16.

Campaign off the Solomon Islands

After renovation in Japan Aoba the southwestern region returned, based on Rabaul. The 6th Division became part of the formed 8th Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Mikawa. After receiving reports of the landing of Americans on the island of Guadalcanal, the main forces of the 8th Fleet (5 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and a destroyer) went to sea. On the night of August 9, Mikawa's formation attacked the allied fleet located north of Gudalcanal. Cruiser Aoba played a large role in the battle off Savo Island. The seaplanes of the cruiser twice (in the morning and in the afternoon of August 8) successfully reconnoitred the 62nd enemy task force (6 heavy and 2 light cruisers and 15 destroyers), timely detecting the separation of enemy forces. At night, the Japanese cruisers, lining up in a wake column, successively attacked two groups of allied ships. Aoba, being the flagship of the 6th division, moved second after the heavy cruiser Chokai.

Battle off Savo Island. Cruiser Quincy under fire from Japanese ships

The southern group of allied ships was attacked first. Heavy cruisers were heavily damaged in 6 minutes Chicago and Canberra. At this point in the fight Aoba didn't get hit. Following this, the northern group was attacked. This time the battle was more intense, as the American cruisers ( Astoria, Vincennes, Quincy) were able to return fire. A shell of unknown caliber hit the torpedo tube on the port side of the cruiser, causing a fire. But, since 13 of the 16 torpedoes had already been fired, serious damage was avoided. During the fight Aoba fired 182 shells at the enemy, as well as 13 torpedoes. It is impossible to determine exactly which ships were hit by his guns and apparatuses, but judging by the nature of the battle, all enemy ships were hit. The Japanese cruiser suffered no losses, with the exception of the crew of the reconnaissance aircraft, which did not return from the next mission.

Despite the success in the naval battle, the Americans successfully entrenched themselves on Guadalcanal and the struggle for it took on a protracted character. Cruisers of the 6th division (without the previously sunk cruiser Kako) were part of the South Seas Force Cover Group. At the end of August 1942, they took part in the battle near the Eastern Solomon Islands, but did not enter into combat contact with the enemy. Only seaplanes from cruisers (including Aoba) raided Henderson airfield.

Throughout September, the cruiser was in the area of Shortland Island, covering supply operations for the Guadalcanal garrison. Most of the reinforcements were delivered on destroyers (the so-called Tokyo Express), which did not allow heavy weapons to be transferred to the island. In early October, the Japanese command planned an operation to deliver heavy weapons by transport ships. The neutralization of American aviation was going to be carried out by daytime air attacks and night bombardment by cruisers of the 6th division. The operation carried out on the night of October 11 led to a battle at Cape Esperance, during which the strike group of Japanese cruisers was unexpectedly attacked by 64 operational formations of the American fleet (2 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and 5 destroyers).

Rear Admiral A. Goto

Japanese connection led by Aoba under the overall command of Rear Admiral Goto, unaware of the presence of American ships, it immediately found itself under concentrated enemy fire. In addition, after the first salvos, the admiral, mistakenly believing that he was under fire from his own ships, ordered to turn around on the opposite course, moving along the enemy formation. Cruiser Aoba received many hits from 155 mm and 203 mm shells. One of the first shells exploded on the bridge of the flagship and mortally wounded Rear Admiral Goto (he died the next day). The command was taken by the chief of staff, captain 1st rank Kikunori Kijima. In total, in 25 minutes of the battle, the cruiser received, according to various sources, up to 40 hits. 8 officers and 71 sailors were killed. Towers of the main caliber No. 2 and No. 3 were put out of action, and the third tower burned out completely. Almost all artillery fire control systems, several anti-aircraft guns and searchlights, and a catapult were destroyed. Other superstructures of the ship were damaged. However, on the morning of October 12, the cruiser, accompanied by Kinugasa managed to get to the island of Shortland and in the evening of the next day left for Truk. On October 15, the commander of the Japanese fleet, Isoroku Yamamoto, arrived on the ship to inspect the damage. October 18 Aoba left at Kure, where he arrived for repairs and modifications on October 22. Repair of the ship continued until February 15, 1943. The 3rd turret of the main caliber was temporarily dismantled on the cruiser, anti-aircraft weapons were strengthened, a new mast was installed. The ship received new seaplanes.

1943 campaign

On February 15, the cruiser, which completed repairs, was assigned to the Eighth Fleet and sailed for Truk, then for Rabaul. March 4 Aoba arrived in Kavieng. A month later, on April 3, the cruiser, which was moored at about 14.30, was attacked by B-25 aircraft from the 43rd bomber group of the 5th Air Force. During the attack, the pilots used new method top-mast bombing, achieving several close gaps and one hit with a 227-kg bomb on the starboard side behind the mainmast Aoba. Two Type 93 torpedo warheads exploded in No. 1 torpedo tube, causing a fire in No. 2 engine room. A 3-meter hole was formed in the stern. Managed to cope with the fire by 15.20 with the help of a destroyer Hatsuzuki. An order was given to tow the cruiser to Truk, but despite the pumping out of the water, the flooding of the stern continued so rapidly that Aoba at 19.35 I had to urgently run aground with a list of 6 degrees. Next day repair shop Yamabiko Maru began pumping water and sealing the hole. 20 April Aoba surfaced, the next day was taken in tow by a cruiser Sendai and April 25 brought to Truk. There with a repair ship Akashi it was temporarily repaired, ending on July 25, after which the cruiser left on its own in Kure for a thorough repair.

There were several options for the further fate of the damaged cruiser. The first of these involved redesigning Aoba into an "aircraft carrier cruiser" with the preservation of towers No. 1 and No. 2 and with the placement of 6 seaplanes in place aft. There was a plan to convert it into a squadron tanker with the replacement of half of the boiler rooms and engine rooms with fuel tanks and a reduction in speed to 25 knots. But in the end, a simpler and faster option turned out to be the usual repair of the ship while maintaining its original purpose. The cruiser arrived in Kure on August 1 and until November 24, 1943, it carried out repair work. During this time, the GK tower, destroyed during the battle at Cape Esperance, was repaired and returned to its place. In addition to repairs, the ship received a Type 21 radar installation and more powerful searchlights. Since repairs were incomplete, the cruiser's speed was reduced to 28 knots.

1944 campaign

At the end of the repair Aoba On November 25, he was attached to the First Southern Expeditionary Fleet (aka the Fleet of the South-Western Region). On December 24, he arrived in Singapore, where he was stationed in Singapore until February 27, 1944, occasionally conducting exercises on the Linga Roads raid. From 3 to 9 January it flew a troop transport voyage to Penang, and from 23 to 27 January it flew to the Andaman Islands. 25 February Aoba introduced into the 16th division of cruisers, instead of a heavy cruiser Ashigara.

In March 1944, the cruiser took part in the next raid of the Japanese fleet in the Indian Ocean. Connection under the command of Rear Admiral N. Sakondzhu (heavy cruisers Tone, Chikuma and Aoba. On March 9, a British steamship was sunk south of the Cocos Islands. Behar. But since he managed to give a warning signal, the operation was canceled. On March 25, the unit returned to Singapore. In April-May 1944, the cruiser mainly carried out transport operations. On April 23, he took part in the rescue of the crew of the destroyer Amagiri who died in a magnetic mine on April 23. At the end of April, he moved to the Philippines.

In June 1944, the cruiser twice took part in an unsuccessful attempt to deliver reinforcements to the island of Biak, which was attacked by the American fleet. Compound of Rear Admiral N. Sakonju ( Aoba, light cruiser Kinu, 2 minelayers and 3 destroyers) were supposed to deliver 2,500 reinforcements from the Philippines. The operation was covered by a formation consisting of a battleship Fuso and 2 heavy cruisers. However, due to too early detection, the operation was canceled by the Fleet command and the ships returned to base. The second attempt was carried out only by destroyers, and Aoba carried out long-range cover of the operation, which also ended in failure. During the operation, the cruiser was attacked on June 6 by 11 American B-24 bombers. The battle lasted almost an hour, during which the main caliber artillery was used to repel the attacks. The ship was not damaged, but it failed to shoot down at least one enemy aircraft. The Japanese command did not leave the idea of assisting Biak, intending to use even battleships Yamato and Musashi, but in mid-June, attacks began on the Mariana Islands and the fleet began to prepare for a general battle.

Aoba was not involved in this operation and did not take part in the battle of the Marianas. Instead, he was sent to Singapore, where in July the cruiser was docked and modernized. Once again, anti-aircraft weapons were strengthened, a new Type 22 radar was installed. After that, the ship went to Linga Roads, where it stood in readiness and exercises until October 21. October 11 Aoba received light damage (side armor plates were bent) in a collision with a cruiser Kinu

By this time, the American invasion of the Philippines began and all combat-ready ships were thrown into battle during the grandiose naval battle for the Philippines. 16 cruiser divisions led by Aoba a secondary role was assigned to the transport of troops to Manila as a transport connection. On October 21, the formation left Ling for Manila. October 23 at 04.30 Aoba was torpedoed by a submarine SS-243 Brim. Of the six torpedoes fired, one hit the cruiser. The hit fell on the starboard side opposite the "long-suffering" bow engine room No. 2, which was flooded. The cruiser received a list of 13 degrees, was taken in tow Kinu and given Manila Bay. During emergency repairs, on October 24 and 29, it was attacked by carrier-based aircraft of the 38th task force. After pumping out water from the flooded compartments and repairing one turbine unit, the cruiser was able to make a 5-knot move and on November 5 left Manila as part of a convoy. The ship was a good target for submarines, but the security of the convoy thwarted all attempts to attack the ship from the side of the American boat. SS-310 Batfish

There were no opportunities to carry out a quick repair of a large ship in Japanese shipyards. Aoba On February 28, 1945, she was reclassified as a reserve ship. Its light anti-aircraft armament was once again reinforced after air raids on the Kura on 19 March. June 20 Aoba again reclassified as a special patrol ship, but moored at the shipyard of the fleet in Kura, she was used as an anti-aircraft floating battery. During raids by aircraft of the 38th task force on July 24, the cruiser received one direct hit and several close gaps. A bomb weighing 227 kg hit the bow from the port side and, having exploded, destroyed the middle deck and plating, after which the water flooded four compartments. A heavy bomb exploded near engine room No. 3, destroying the hull plating along a length of about 10 meters. At about 10 p.m., the ship landed on the ground near the shore at a military shipyard at a depth of about 7 meters, having received a list of 9 degrees to starboard due to the bottom topography.

On the morning of the 28th, during an attack by 10 aircraft of the same formation, sitting on the ground Aoba received another direct hit from a 227 kg bomb that pierced the upper and middle decks at the base of the forward superstructure on the starboard side. As a result, the boiler room No. 1 and the computing post under the armored deck were flooded. During the day, about the same number of aircraft scored three direct hits to the right of the mainmast.

At 16.00 during the attack of high-altitude bombers B-24 of the 7th Air Force Aoba bombs struck again. At least three 227-kg hit the stern, behind the GK turret No. 3, across the hull, splitting it so that the stern separated. The ship's commander ordered to leave the cruiser. In the following days, they began to dismantle easily accessible and not flooded weapons and equipment.

Report of the captain of the ship of the American commission. Damage caused to the cruiser "Aoba" as a result of hitting bombs
1. Hits.
July 24: 1 direct hit, 1 close break
July 28: 8 direct hits, many close breaks
2. The current state of the ship.
Due to heavy damage caused to the ship's hull by numerous direct hits and close bomb explosions, the ship took a lot of water and sat on the ground. The stern of the ship's hull broke off.
3. Rescue measures.
All easily accessible and not flooded weapons and equipment were removed from the ship and the ship was abandoned.
4. Flight details.
a) Raid on July 24
From 0615 to 1600, carrier-based aircraft continuously raided the cruiser Aoba. During the day, raids were carried out by about 30 Grumman aircraft. They achieved one direct hit on the bow of the ship, in addition, one bomb fell very close to the stern of the port side in the area of \u200b\u200bthe second tube. A bomb that fell close to the ship caused the following destruction: all engine and boiler compartments Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 were completely flooded. At 1000 hours the ship lost its buoyancy and landed on the ground.
b) Raid on July 28
About 10 Grumman aircraft raided the cruiser in the morning, and then again in the afternoon. The ship received four direct hits and caught fire. At 1600 hours the B-24s made another raid and scored four or more direct hits on the stern, causing it to break off. The ship was abandoned due to all these damages.

August 15 Aoba the last time she was reclassified as a reserve ship, and on November 20 she was excluded from the lists of the fleet. The hull of the former cruiser sank even further during a typhoon on September 18, 1945. skeleton Aoba was raised and dismantled for metal at the nearby shipyard of the Harima Shipbuilding Company (the former shipyard of the fleet in Kure) in 1946-47.

ship commanders

Otani Shiro 04/01/1927-11/15/1927
Inoue Choji 11/15/1927-12/10/1928
Higurashi Toshiu 12/10/1928-11/30/1929
Katagiri Eikichi 3011.1929-01.12.1930
Koga Mineichi 12/01/1930-12/01/1931
Hoshino Kurayoshi 12/01/1931-11/15/1932
Koike Shiro 11/15/1932-11/15/1932
Sugiyama Rokuzo 11/15/1932-20/02/1934
Mikawa Gunichi 02/20/1934-11/15/1934
Goga Keijiro 11/15/1934-11/15/1935
Hiraoka Kumeichi 11/15/1935-11/15/1937
Hirose Sueto 11/15/1937-11/15/1939
Akiyama Katsuzo 11/15/1939-11/01/1940
Mori Tomoichi 01.11.1940-25.07.1941
Hisamune Sojiro 07/25/1941-11/10/1942
Araki Tsutau 11/10/1942-12/31/1942
Tawara Yoshioki 12/31/1942-24/02/1943
Yamamori Kamenosuke 02/21/1943-06/01/1944
Yamazumi Chusaburo 04/01/1944-01/01/1945
Murayama Seiroku 01/01/1945-11/20/1945

Type heavy cruisers Aoba

Construction and service

common data

Booking

Armament

Built ships

History of creation

Prerequisites for creation

On July 3, 1922, by order of the Minister of the Navy, Tomosaburo Kato, the start of a program to build additional ships for the Japanese Navy was announced. In total, it was planned to order 59 ships of different classes, including two 7100 t standard displacement cruisers. The new cruisers were supposed to complement the new heavy cruisers of the type Furutaka, to form a homogeneous squadron of four ships. They were supposed to be heavy cruisers of the type Aoba.

Since the cruisers belonged to the 1st class, they were named after the names of the mountains. Cruiser #3 is named after Mount Kinugasan in Kyoto Prefecture, and Cruiser #4 is named after Mount Aobasan in Miyagi Prefecture. Both names were used in the Japanese Navy for the first time.

Construction and testing

4. Catapult. Although the cruisers were commissioned without catapults installed, the possibility of its installation was provided in 1925 when the project was changed. It is a ship of the type Aoba, became the first warship of the Japanese Navy with a catapult installed.

5. Shooting control. The location of modules and fire control systems has been changed.

6. Power plant. Due to the increased displacement fell maximum speed course despite the increased power of the power plant. In addition, more powerful auxiliary installations have been installed.

7. Steering gear. Instead of steam drives on the type Furutaka on type Aoba used electro-hydraulic. The supply of oil under pressure was provided by pumps with an electric drive of the W. Jenny type on IJN Aoba and type Hele-Sho on IJN Kinugasa. The transfer of rotation from the steering wheel mounted on the bridge was carried out using a telemotor.

8. Crew. Increased the number of personnel.

Design description

Hull and Reservations

Since cruisers of this type are inherently an "improved type Furutaka”, then the hull design and armor remained identical. The main armor belt consisted of non-hardened chromium steel with a length of 79.88 m, a width of 4.12 m and a thickness of 76 mm, which protected the boiler rooms. It was attached directly to the frames at an inclination of 9 ° and was part of the power set of the hull. The belt protruded from the water by 3.28 m. According to the project, it was supposed to protect against 152-mm shells fired from a distance of 12-15 km, there was no question of any protection from 203-mm shells.

Weight characteristics of the type Aoba

Power plant and driving performance

For heavy cruisers Aoba various types of turbo-gear units were installed. On the IJN Aoba installed TZA type Mitsubishi-Parsons (as on IJN Furutaka), and on IJN Kinugasa- TZA type Kawasaki-Curtis (as on IJN Kako). On sea trials, the ships were able to reach a speed of 34.5 knots with a maximum power plant of 106,000 hp. and displacement, a little less than 9000.

The capacity of coal and oil was 400 tons of coal and 1400 tons of oil. According to the project, this was enough to overcome 7000 miles at 14 knots.

Compared to the previous project, more powerful auxiliary mechanisms were installed on the new cruisers, in which the power of electric generators was increased to 450 kW.

Crew and Habitability

According to the project, the crew was to consist of 45 officers and 577 non-commissioned officers and privates, a total of 622 people. In reality, until 1938, the average crew size was 643 people, varying depending on the conditions (flagship or not).

Armament

Main caliber

As the main battery guns, 200-mm / 50-klb Type 3 guns were chosen, installed in the two-gun turrets of the "C" model. The new gun turrets made it possible to reach an elevation angle of 40°, which ensured a firing range of 26,700 m. Furutaka), allowed to increase the rate of fire to 5 rds / min. This was achieved by reducing the fatigue of the servants working on the supply of ammunition, by installing new mechanisms, making the supply more reliable and secure. However, such alterations led to an increase in weight by almost 126 tons, which entailed the need to strengthen the structure.

Characteristics of the guns of the main caliber Type 3 200 mm / 50 caliber

Auxiliary/anti-aircraft artillery

As auxiliary artillery, 120-mm / 45-klb Type 10 anti-aircraft guns, which appeared in the fleet in 1926, were used. The guns were installed in single installations of the model "B" without shields. The horizontal firing range was 15600 m, and vertically - 10065 m. The rate of fire was 10-11 rounds / min. The horizontal guidance speed was 10 deg / s, vertical - 6.5 deg / s. As the main projectile, new Type 3 projectiles were used, which also entered service in 1926.

Mine and torpedo armament

Torpedo armament consisted of six twin 610 mm Type 12 torpedo tubes, located on the middle deck. Type 8 No. 2 steam-gas torpedoes launched from them, with a launch weight of 2,362 tons, carried 346 kg of trinitrophenol and could travel 20,000 m at 27 knots, 15,000 at 32, and 10,000 at 38. To control their firing, it was installed on the roof of the third tier of the superstructure two Type 14 torpedo directors.

Initially, when developing the 7500-ton project, Hiraga intended not to install TAs, considering them too vulnerable for a large ship. However, the MGSH had already relied on night battles by that time, and as a result, all heavy cruisers built in Japan were equipped with powerful torpedo weapons.

Aviation armament

Initially, in September 1927, the cruisers were completed without catapults, but the possibility of its installation was provided for when the project was changed in 1925.

In May 1928, tests of the Kure-type catapult were successfully completed, from which the Type 15 seaplane was launched. At the end of the month, the Kure-type catapult No. 1 was installed on IJN Kinugasa. She became the first ship in the Japanese Navy with a catapult. Exactly one year later in Yokosuka, the catapult received the same type IJN Aoba. In 1929, the seaplane was replaced with Type 15 E2 No. 1, which were in operation on ships until the end of 1931. A year later, the cruisers received Type 90 E4 No. 2 seaplanes.

Communications, detection, auxiliary equipment

Type cruiser fire control system Aoba consisted of an auxiliary fire control post of the main caliber and aft 3.5-meter Type 14 rangefinders located behind the mainmast; two 90-cm "SU" floodlights installed in different places, to reduce the influence on each other, one was located between the pipes, the other - in front of the mainmast itself. In towers No. 2 and No. 3, due to the increased firing range, 6-meter Type 14 rangefinders with a range of 35,000 m were installed: at a distance of 25,000 m, the error was 235 m, at 20,000 m - 191 m, and at 10,000 m - 48 m.

Modernizations and conversions

Over the entire service life, the cruisers have been repeatedly upgraded:

In 1930, the pneumatic catapult was replaced with a gunpowder - Type Kure Mod.1. 120-mm anti-aircraft guns were replaced by a new one with a shield and an electro-hydraulic drive model "B";
In 1932, sponsons were installed on the sides of the bow superstructure for two quadruple mounts of 13.2 mm machine guns;
In 1936, push-type charging hoists were replaced with bucket ones. The new type of lifts was much more fireproof, although slower than the pusher;
In 1938-1940, the width of the hull was increased due to side boules to improve stability. Part of the volume of the boules was used for the counter-flooding system, part for fuel tanks and part filled with watertight steel pipes. In addition to changes in the hull, they affected the power plant and weapons. All mixed heating boilers were dismantled and replaced with oil ones. Replaced 200mm guns

Aoba-class heavy cruisers
青葉型巡洋艦


Project
Country	Japan 22x20px Japan
Manufacturers	Shipyards Mitsubishi (Nagasaki) and Kawasaki (Kobe)
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Previous type	Furutaka
Follow type	"Myoko"
Years of construction	-1927 years
Years in service	-1945 years
Built	2
Losses	2
Main characteristics
Displacement	Initial: 8300 (standard), 10,583 (full) After modernization: 8738 t (standard), 11 660 (full)
Length	183.48 m (at the waterline); 185.17 m (largest)
Width	16.5 m (original), 17.56 m (after modernization)
Draft	5.66 m (after modernization)
Booking	Source: Armor belt - 76 mm; deck - 32-35 mm; towers - 25-19 mm; After modernization: added 35 mm bridge armor and 57 mm barbettes
Engines	4 TZA Mitsubishi-Parsons ("Aoba") or Brown-Curtiss ("Kinugasa"), 12 Kampon Ro Go boilers (10 after modernization)
Power	102,000 (original); 110,000 (after modernization) l. With. in 1939.
mover	4 propellers.
travel speed	34.5 knots (according to the project); 34.0 knots (after modernization)
cruising range	7000 (design) / 8000 (after modernization) nautical miles at 14 knots
Crew	622 people for the project; 632-647 actually in 1927-1938; 657 after modernization
Armament (Original)
Artillery	3 × 2 - 200mm/50 Type 3
Flak	4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10, 2 × 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns;
Mine and torpedo armament	12 (6 × 2) - 610 mm TA Type 12 (12 Type 8 torpedoes);
Aviation group	1 catapult (since 1928-1929), 1 Type 14 seaplane;
Armament (After modernization)
Artillery	3 × 2 - 203mm/50 Type 3 No. 2
Flak	4 × 1 120mm/45 Type 10, 4 × 2 - 25mm/60 Type 96, 2 × 2 13.2 mm Type 93 machine guns
Mine and torpedo armament	8 (2×4) - 610 mm Type 92 torpedoes (16 Type 90 torpedoes, since 1940 Type 93)
Aviation group	1 catapult, up to 2 seaplanes Type 90 or Type 94
15px []

Aoba-class heavy cruisers (jap. 青葉型巡洋艦 Aobagata jujunkan) - a series of two Japanese cruisers of the 1920s.

An improved version of the Furutaka-class cruisers, devoid of some of their shortcomings. In 1924-1927, two units were built at the shipyards of Nagasaki and Kobe: Aoba and Kinugasa. They were built in parallel with more advanced ships of the Myoko type.

Both cruisers served throughout the interwar period, in the second half of the 1930s they underwent a radical modernization. They took an active part in the fighting in the Pacific theater of World War II. Both were killed by American air raids: "Kinugasa" during the Guadalcanal campaign in November 1942, "Aoba" during the bombing of Japan in July 1945.

History of creation

Design

Armor protection

Identical to that of the Furutaka type. The main armor belt made of non-hardened chromium steel with a length of 79.88 m, a width of 4.12 m and a thickness of 76 mm protected the boiler rooms and engine rooms. As on the Yubari, it was attached directly to the frames with a slope of 9 ° and was part of the power set of the hull, while being, however, external, not internal. With a design standard displacement, the belt protruded from the water by 3.28 m, with a load of 2/3 of the full one, by 2.21 m. According to the project, it had to withstand hits of 152-mm shells fired from a distance of 12,000-15,000 m, protection from the 203-mm main caliber of the Washington cruisers was out of the question.

The middle deck was joined to the upper edge of the belt, which was made up of 35 mm thick non-cemented chromium steel plates in this area (closer to the middle part - 32 mm) and played the role of horizontal protection of the power plant. It had a carapace shape, arching from the sides to the center by 15 cm, and was also included in the power set of the hull, attached directly to the beams.

The chimney channels were covered with 38 mm non-cemented chromium armor 1.27 m from the level of the middle deck. Additionally, at the level of the upper deck, they were protected by high-tension steel plates with a total thickness of 48 (28.6 + 19) mm.

The bow and stern ammunition cellars were covered with plates of non-cemented chromium steel 51 mm thick from the sides and 35 mm from above. The steering compartment was covered on all sides with 12.7-mm and 25-mm armor, while the tower-like superstructure initially had no protection at all.

The protection of the underwater part of the hull was limited to a double bottom and tanks for liquid fuel, playing the role of boules. It was decided not to install an armored anti-torpedo bulkhead due to weight restrictions, as well as the insufficient effectiveness of this kind of protection shown during shelling of the hull of the unfinished battleship Tosa.

The total weight of the cruiser armor was less than 1200 tons or 12% of the displacement of 2/3 of the total, nevertheless significantly surpassing its predecessors in this: for 5500-ton cruisers this share was 3-4%, for Yubari -8.6% .

Power point

In both cases, the units included a low-pressure (13,000 hp at 2,000 rpm) and high-pressure (12,500 hp at 3,000 rpm) turbines. With the help of two small and one large reduction gear, they rotated the propeller shaft, with a maximum speed of only 360 rpm.

For forward movement, separate reverse turbines were provided. They were powered by steam from a low-pressure turbine and had a capacity of 7000 liters. With. each (28,000 hp in total) by turning the screws in the opposite direction.

For economical running, a combination of appropriate turbines and cruising stages of high-pressure turbines connected by a gear was used. With a total power of 4879 hp. they provided a 14-knot speed. With a standard maximum fuel supply (400 tons of coal and 1400 tons of fuel oil), this gave a cruising range of 7000 nautical miles. With the actual ones in the first years of service (570 tons of coal and 1010 tons of fuel oil), it decreased to 6000 miles.

The turbo-geared units fed steam to twelve boilers of the Kampon Ro Go type, located in seven boiler rooms. In the first there were two medium oil boilers, from the second to the fifth - two large oil boilers, in the sixth and seventh - one small mixed one each. Working steam pressure - 18.3 kgf / cm² at a temperature 156°C. For the removal of combustion products, two chimneys were used: the front double (1-5 boiler compartments) and the rear single (6-7 compartments).

Four diesel generators (two 90 kW each and two 135 kW each) with a total capacity of 450 kW, located in the engine room, were used to power the ship's electrical network (voltage-225 V). The cruiser's steering gear also had an electro-hydraulic drive, in contrast to the Furutaka type, where it was steam.

Armament

Two towers were placed in a linearly elevated pattern in the bow and one in the stern. The type C installation used, contrary to its designation, was based on the earlier type D (intended for cruisers of the Myoko class). With a mass of 126 tons and a shoulder strap diameter of 5.03 m, it had circular armor made of high-tension steel with a thickness of 25 mm. Horizontal guidance was carried out by an electro-hydraulic drive with a capacity of 50 liters. With. , vertically-seventy-five strong electric motor. The maximum firing range of a 110-kg Type 5 armor-piercing projectile at an elevation angle of 40 ° reached 26.7 km.

The supply of ammunition (110 kg of shells and 32.6 kg of charges in caps) was carried out by two chain bucket elevators in the central channel of the turret section of each turret.

Their fire control system included two Type 14 directors - on top of the bow superstructure (main) and above the seaplane hangar (reserve), two 6-meter and 3.5-meter rangefinders, a Type 13 course and target speed computer and a Type 90 searchlight.

To combat aircraft, 4 120-mm / 45 Type 10 guns in single mounts were installed in the central part of the hull. They were an anti-aircraft variant of the earlier Type 3 gun, developed under the direction of Chiyokiti Hata at Kure in 1921-1926. With a maximum elevation angle of 75 °, their reach in height reached 8450 meters. In addition to these guns, two 7.7 mm Lewis-design machine guns were also placed on the bridge.

Torpedo armament consisted of six twin 610 mm Type 12 torpedo tubes located on the middle deck. Steam-gas torpedoes launched from them Type 8 No. 2 with a launch weight of 2,362 tons carried 346 kg of trinitrophenol and could travel 20,000 m at 27 knots, 15,000 at 32 and 10,000 at 38. To control their firing, two Type 14 torpedo directors were installed on the roof of the third tier of the superstructure. Initially, when developing the 7500-ton project, Hiraga intended not to install TAs, considering them too vulnerable for a large ship. However, the MGSH had already relied on night battles by that time, and as a result, all heavy cruisers built in Japan were equipped with powerful torpedo weapons.

According to the project, the ships were supposed to carry a Type No. 1 catapult between the aft superstructure and the third main main turret, but in fact they did not have it when they entered service. In reality, it was installed on Kinugasu in March 1928, while Aoba received a more advanced Type No. 2 in 1929. Two-seat Type 15 reconnaissance seaplanes were launched from it. The hangar for them was located in the aft superstructure.

Crew and living conditions

According to the project, the crew of the cruisers included 622 people: 45 officers and 577 lower ranks.

The cabins of the officers were located in the forecastle, the cockpits of the privates were on the middle and lower decks in the bow and on the middle in the stern. One person accounted for 1.5-1.6 square meters of living space, which corresponded to the level of 5500-ton cruisers and was considered clearly insufficient for a ship of this size. For cramped ships of the "Aoba" type and the previous type "Furutaka" among the sailors received the nickname "suizokukan".

As on the Yubari and Furutaka, the cockpit windows on the lower deck were located too low from the waterline, and they had to be battened down on the move to avoid flooding with sea water. In addition, when swimming in the tropics, the possibilities of natural and artificial ventilation turned out to be insufficient.

Construction

Name	Place of construction	ordered	Laid down	Launched into the water	Commissioned	Fate
Aoba(jap. 青葉)	Mitsubishi Shipyard, Nagasaki	June	February 4	September 25	September 20	Sunk by American aircraft 28 July 1945 at Kure
Kinugasa(jap. 衣笠)	Shipyard "Kawasaki", Kobe	June	January 23	October 24	September 30th	Sunk by American aircraft during the naval battle for Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942

Project evaluation

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Used literature and sources

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Literature

in English

Eric Lacroix, Linton Wells II. Japanese cruisers of the Pacific war. - Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997. - 882 p. - ISBN 1-86176-058-2.

in Russian

S. V. Suliga. Japanese heavy cruisers (in two volumes). - M:: Galea Print, 1997. - 96 + 120 p. - ISBN 5-7559-0020-5.
Yu. I. Alexandrov. Heavy cruisers of Japan. Part I. - St. Petersburg: Eastflot, 2007. - 84 p. - ISBN 978-5-98830-021-2.

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"Girl, are you all right?" I heard someone's worried voice. Someone bothered me, trying to “return” me to a normal state, since I apparently again “entered” too deeply into that other world, far away for the rest, and frightened some kind person with my “frozen-abnormal” calmness. The evening was just as wonderful and warm, and everything around remained exactly the same as it was just an hour ago ... only I didn’t want to walk anymore. Someone’s fragile, good lives had just been cut off so easily, flew off into another world like a white cloud, and I suddenly felt very sad, as if a drop of my lonely soul had flown away with them ... I really wanted to believe that the dear girl Katya would find at least some kind of happiness in anticipation of their return "home" ... And it was sincerely sorry for all those who did not have coming "aunts" to at least slightly alleviate their fear, and who rushed about in horror, leaving in that arc, unfamiliar and frightening world , not even imagining what awaits them there, and not believing that this is still going on their “precious and only” LIFE ... The days flew by unnoticed. Weeks passed. Gradually, I began to get used to my unusual everyday visitors ... After all, everything, even the most extraordinary events that we perceive at the beginning almost as a miracle, become commonplace if they are repeated regularly. This is how my wonderful “guests”, who at the beginning amazed me so much, became almost a common occurrence for me, in which I honestly invested a part of my heart and was ready to give much more, if only it could help someone . But it was impossible to absorb all that endless human pain without choking on it and without destroying itself. Therefore, I became much more careful and tried to help without opening all the “gateways” of my raging emotions, but tried to remain as calm as possible and, to my greatest surprise, very soon noticed that in this way I can help much more and more effectively. , while not getting tired at all and spending much less of their vitality on all this. It would seem that my heart should have “closed” long ago, having plunged into such a “waterfall” of human sadness and longing, but apparently the joy for finally finding the much-desired peace of those who managed to help far exceeded any sadness, and I wanted to do it is endless, as far as my, unfortunately, still childish, strength was enough then. So I continued to talk with someone continuously, to look for someone somewhere, to prove something to someone, to convince someone of something, and if I succeeded, even to reassure someone ... All "cases" were somewhat similar to each other, and they all consisted of the same desires to "fix" something that in the "past" life did not have time to live or do right. But sometimes something not quite ordinary and bright happened, which was firmly imprinted in my memory, forcing me to return to it again and again ... At the time of "their" appearance, I was sitting quietly by the window and drawing roses for my school homework. Suddenly, I very clearly heard a thin, but very persistent children's voice, which for some reason said in a whisper: - Mommy, mommy, please! We'll just try... I promise you... Let's try?.. The air in the middle of the room thickened, and two very similar entities appeared, as it turned out later - a mother and her little daughter. I waited in silence, watching them in surprise, because until now they had always come to me exclusively one at a time. Therefore, at first I thought that one of them most likely should be the same as me - alive. But I could not determine in any way - which one, since, in my perception, there were no survivors among these two ... The woman remained silent, and the girl, apparently unable to stand it any longer, touching her a little, whispered softly: - Mother!.. But there was no reaction. Mother seemed absolutely indifferent to everything, and only a thin childish voice that sounded nearby was sometimes able to pull her out of this terrible stupor for some time and light a small spark in her green eyes, which seemed to have gone out forever ... The girl, on the contrary, was cheerful and very mobile and seemed to feel completely happy in the world in which she was in this moment lived. I could not understand what was wrong here and tried to stay as calm as possible so as not to frighten off my strange guests. - Mom, mom, speak up! - the girl could not stand it again. In appearance, she was no more than five or six years old, but she was apparently the leader in this strange company. The woman was silent all the time. I decided to try to “melt the ice” and asked as affectionately as possible: “Tell me, can I help you with something?” The woman looked at me sadly and finally said: – Can I be helped? I killed my daughter! I got goosebumps at this confession. But this, apparently, did not bother the girl at all, and she calmly said: “That's not true, Mom. – But how was it really? I asked carefully. We were run over by a terribly large car, and my mother was driving. She thinks it's her fault that she couldn't save me. - The girl patiently explained in the tone of a little professor. “And now my mother doesn’t even want to live here, and I can’t prove to her how much I need her. "And what would you like me to do?" I asked her. “Please, could you ask my dad to stop blaming my mom for everything?” – the girl suddenly asked very sadly. - I am very happy here with her, and when we go to see dad, then she becomes for a long time the way she is now ... And then I realized that the father apparently loved this little girl very much and, having no other opportunity to pour out his pain somewhere, he blamed her mother for everything that had happened. - Do you want it too? I asked the woman softly. She just nodded sadly and again closed herself tightly in her mournful world, not letting anyone in, including her little daughter, who was already so worried about her. – Dad is good, he just doesn’t know that we are still alive. - The girl said softly. - Please tell him... Probably, there is nothing worse in the world than to feel the guilt that she felt ... Her name was Christina. During her life she was cheerful and very happy woman who, at the time of her death, was only twenty-six years old. Her husband adored her... Her little daughter was called Vesta, and she was the first child in this happy family, who was adored by everyone, and her father simply doted on her ... The very same head of the family was called Arthur, and he was the same cheerful, cheerful person as his wife was before her death. And now no one and nothing could help him find at least some peace in his pain-torn soul. And he grew in himself hatred for his beloved, his wife, trying to protect his heart from complete collapse. - Please, if you go to your dad, don't be afraid of him ... He is sometimes strange, but this is when he is "not real." - The girl whispered. And it was felt that it was unpleasant for her to talk about it. I didn't want to ask and upset her even more, so I figured I'd figure it out myself. I asked Vesta which of them wants to show me where they lived before their death, and does her father still live there? The place they named made me a little sad because it was quite far from my house and it took a long time to get there. Therefore, I couldn’t think of anything right away and asked my new acquaintances if they could appear again at least in a few days? And having received an affirmative answer, she “hard-wired” promised them that I would definitely meet their husband and father during this time. Vesta looked at me slyly and said: - If dad does not want to listen to you right away, you tell him that his “fox cub” misses him very much. So dad called me only when we were alone with him, and no one else knows this except him ... Her sly face suddenly became very sad, apparently remembering something very dear to her, and she really became something like a little fox ... Well, if he doesn't believe me, I'll tell him that. - I promised. The figures, shimmering softly, disappeared. And I was still sitting on my chair, trying hard to figure out how I could win at least two or three free hours from my family in order to be able to keep my word and visit my father disappointed with life ... At that time, “two or three hours” away from home was a rather long period of time for me, for which I would absolutely have to report to my grandmother or mother. And, since I never succeeded in lying, I had to urgently come up with some real reason for leaving home for such a long time. I couldn't let my new guests down in any way... The next day was Friday, and my grandmother, as usual, was going to the market, which she did almost every week, although, to be honest, there was no great need for this, since so many fruits and vegetables grew in our garden, and the rest of the products the nearest grocery stores were usually packed to capacity. Therefore, such a weekly "trip" to the market was probably simply symbolic - sometimes grandmother liked to just "ventilate", meeting with her friends and acquaintances, and also to bring something "especially tasty" to all of us from the market for the weekend. I spun around her for a long time, unable to think of anything, when my grandmother suddenly asked calmly: - Well, why don’t you sit, or is it impatient for something? .. - I have to leave! – delighted at the unexpected help, I blurted out. - For a long time. For others or for yourself? Grandma asked with a frown. - For others, and I really need it, I gave my word! Grandmother, as always, looked at me studying (few people liked her look - it seemed that she was looking right into your soul) and finally said: - To be at home by dinner, not later. It's enough? I just nodded, almost jumping for joy. I didn't think it would be so easy. Grandmother often really surprised me - it seemed that she always knew when it was serious, and when it was just a whim, and usually, if possible, she always helped me. I was very grateful to her for her faith in me and my strange actions. Sometimes I was even almost sure that she knew exactly what I was doing and where I was going ... Although, maybe she really knew, but I never asked her about it? .. We left the house together, as if I was also going to go to the market with her, and at the very first turn we parted amicably, and each had already gone her own way and on her own business ... The house in which the father of little Vesta still lived was in our first “new district” under construction (as the first high-rise buildings were called) and was about forty minutes away from us. I have always loved to walk, and it did not cause me any inconvenience. Only I really didn’t like this new area itself, because the houses in it were built like matchboxes - all the same and faceless. And since this place was just beginning to be built up, there was not a single tree or any kind of “greenery” in it, and it looked like a stone-asphalt model of some ugly, fake town. Everything was cold and soulless, and I always felt very bad there - it seemed that there was simply nothing for me to breathe... And yet, to find the numbers of houses, even with the greatest desire, it was almost impossible there. Like, for example, at that moment I was standing between houses No. 2 and No. 26, and could not understand how this could be ?!. And I wondered, where is my “missing” house number 12?.. There was no logic in this, and I could not understand how people could live in such chaos? Finally, with someone else's help, I somehow managed to find the right house, and I was already standing at the closed door, wondering how this complete stranger would meet me? .. I met many strangers, unknown to me in the same way, and this always required great nervous tension at the beginning. I never felt comfortable breaking into someone's private life, so every such "hike" always seemed a little crazy to me. And I also perfectly understood how wild it must have sounded for those who had literally just lost a loved one, and some little girl suddenly invaded their lives, and declared that she could help them talk to their dead wife, sister, son, mother, father... Agree - it must have sounded absolutely and completely abnormal for them! And to be honest, I still can't understand why these people listened to me at all?!. So now I stood at an unfamiliar door, not daring to call and not imagining what was waiting for me behind it. But immediately remembering Christina and Vesta and mentally scolding myself for my cowardice, I force myself to raise my slightly trembling hand and press the call button... No one answered the door for a very long time. I was about to leave, when the door suddenly burst open, and on the threshold appeared, apparently once handsome, a young man. Now, unfortunately, the impression from him was rather unpleasant, because he was simply very drunk ... I was scared, and my first thought was to get out of there as soon as possible. But next to me, I felt the raging emotions of two very agitated creatures who were ready to sacrifice God knows what, if only this drunk and unhappy, but such a dear and only person to them, would finally hear them for at least a minute ....

Heavy cruisers of Japan. Part I. Alexandrov Yuri Iosifovich

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Aoba-class cruisers

The Aoba cruiser and its Kinugasa sister ship were a development of the Furutaka project with the same hull length and slightly increased width along the midship frame. While Hiraga was out of Japan, these cruisers, the Aoba, were designed by Fujimoto. Fujimoto worked closely with representatives of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the design process, which is why Fuhimoto's cruisers turned out to be much less stable compared to projects owned by the pencil of the great Hiraga. On the other hand, the installation of three two-gun turrets of the main caliber instead of six single-gun turrets made it possible to free up space on the cruisers for the installation of a large catapult capable of launching hydroplanes of a larger flight weight, and for the installation of rotary torpedo tubes. Hiraga strongly disagreed with Fujimoto's ideas, but despite the protests of a recognized authority in the field of shipbuilding, his own Furutaka and Kako cruisers were upgraded to the level of Aoba-class cruisers.

Aoba and Kinugasa became the second medium (later reclassified as heavy) cruisers built by the Japanese in the spirit of the Washington Treaty. The laying of cruisers was approved in 1923 as compensation for the construction of new battleships and battlecruisers, which Japan was forbidden to build in the 1920s under the terms of the Washington Treaty. "Aoba" and "Kinug asa" became the first Japanese cruisers, the design of which initially provided for the presence of a catapult for seaplanes on board. During the repair of 1938-1940. both ships were brought up to the standards of a heavy cruiser, an "A" class cruiser. The boules attached to the hulls during the repair made the ships more stable, the width along the midship frame after the installation of the boules increased to 17.6 m, but the full speed fell to 33.4 knots. Buli, unexpectedly for the designers, reduced the draft of the ships.

In wartime, the length of the Aoba-class cruisers was 185.2 m, the width along the midship frame was 17.6 m, and the draft was 5.6 m. "Aoba" was equal to 10,850 tons. At the end of the war, the total displacement of "Aoba" was at the level of 11,660 tons. The cruisers of the "Aoba" type had 12 Kanpon boilers and four turbo-gear units with a total capacity of 108,456 hp. The cruiser's full speed is 33.4 knots. When using the cruiser "Aoba" as the flagship of the connection, his team consisted of 680 sailors. The crew of the Kinugasa cruiser consisted of 657 Japanese men.

The armored belt 79.9 m long had a thickness of 76.2 mm, a height of 4.12 m and was installed with an inclination of 9 degrees to the vertical. During the repair, a small amount of armor protection was installed on the superstructure.

The main caliber of the Aoba-class cruiser during the war consisted of six 203-mm Tin 3 guns in three two-gun turrets, two bow and one stern. Only cruisers of the Furutaka type (after modernization) and the Aoba type received such placement of the main caliber in the Japanese fleet. The maximum range of the Japanese 203 mm guns was 29 km. A projectile weighing 126 kg flew out of the barrel at a speed of 835 m/s. Medium-caliber artillery consisted of four 120 mm universal guns (barrel length 45 calibers) type 10. Other artillery - 15 automatic 25-mm type 96 guns in built-in and twin mounts. The cruisers had 16 6120-mm torpedo tubes each. During repairs, rails were mounted on the Aoba cruiser to drop deep bombs - why this was done was known only at the headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The flight of thought of the military is often mysterious to civilian minds, unable to imagine a heavy cruiser chasing a submarine! This statement applies not only to Japanese admirals. Once in one country, designers began designing an aircraft carrier, and, taking into account enlightened military opinion, they created a heavy aircraft cruiser, whose aircraft, at best, could frighten a potential enemy with the roar of their engines. However, back to Japan. The Aoba-class cruisers were capable of carrying two three-seat reconnaissance seaplanes of the E7K2 or E13AI type.

The Aoba cruiser was laid down on February 4, 1924, launched at the Fima Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki on September 25, 1926. The Kinugasa sistership was laid down at the Kawasaki plant in Kobe on January 23, 1924 and launched on October 24 1926 Upon commissioning, both cruisers were assigned to the Sasebo naval base, but in 1932 they were transferred to Kure, where they remained registered until the very end of World War II.

At the start of World War II, the Furutaka and Kako cruisers were part of the 6th squadron, commanded by Admiral Goto Aritomo. The squadron operated in the waters of Guam, and on December 23, 1941, it operated against Wake Island. Then the squadron was based on Truk, from where it took part in the battles near the islands of the Dutch Indies. The 6th Squadron left Truk to take part in the attack on Rabaul, New Britain, and Cavisng. New Ireland. January 23, 1942

While the cruisers were in Rabaul, Truk was attacked by American carrier-based aircraft from the Task Force 11 aircraft carriers. The cruisers searched for the Lexington aircraft carrier, which was unsuccessful. After replenishing supplies at Truk, the cruisers went south to Rabaul, where they acted together with the 18th division, supporting the landing of Japanese troops on the islands of Lae and Salamaua. Then the ships of the 6th division, together with the light cruiser Shoho, covered the landing on Tulagi with fire. The heavy cruisers were not damaged then, but Shoho was sunk during the battle in the Coral Sea on May 7, 1942. Then, on May 8, 1942, Furutaka and Kinugasa escorted the Shokaku aircraft carrier, while " Aoba" and "Kako" covered the departure of the convoy with the invasion forces in Port Moresby. After this campaign, the cruisers of the 6th division left for factory repairs in Kura, after repairs they returned to Truk, and then went on maneuvers in Rekata Bay.

After the Americans landed on Guadalcanal, all four cruisers of the 6th Division left the Move Strait, joining the heavy cruiser Chokay at Rabaul. The cruisers under the command of Admiral Mikawa in the waters of Savo Island on the night of August 8-9, 1942, entered into battle with American ships. On that fateful night for the US Navy, four American cruisers went to the bottom. Five Japanese cruisers used up 1,020 203-mm shells and 45 Type 93 torpedoes per battle. The battle distance was unexpectedly very short - less than 5,000 m, and the Japanese fleet trained long and hard in conducting battles at night, and at much greater distances. The Japanese officers perfectly saw the explosions of shells through the excellent Nikon and Canon binoculars, without a pile of correcting the artillery fire of their ships. The American ships were also well equipped with searchlights and illuminating shells, in addition, aircraft from Japanese cruisers illuminated the Yankee cruisers with illuminating bombs and rockets. Approximately 10% of the shells fired by the Japanese cruisers and five or six torpedoes hit the target. The Australian cruiser Canberra received at least twenty direct hits by 203- and 120-mm shells, two hits by torpedoes. The US Navy heavy cruiser Chicago was hit several times by large caliber shells, and a Type 93 torpedo tore off the bow of the ship. The Chicago remained afloat, it was repaired, but you can’t get away from fate: on December 30, 1943, the Chicago was torpedoed in the waters of the Solomon Islands by a Japanese torpedo bomber. The heavy cruiser Vincennes sank after being hit by two or three torpedoes fired by Japanese cruisers. The heavy cruisers Astoria and Quincy were sent to the bottom by the artillery of the Japanese ships. although American sources speak of torpedoes hitting these cruisers. The American cruisers did not have torpedo tubes, while the Japanese carried them. So the command of the Japanese fleet was convinced of the correctness of its decision, taken in defiance of the opinion of the designer Hiraga, regarding the preservation of torpedo armament on heavy cruisers. At least for the time being, the military was right.

The Chokai cruiser was damaged by return fire from the American cruisers Quincy and Astoria, after which it had to be taken to Rabaul for repairs. "Aoba" was hit by a projectile on the port side in the area of the torpedo tube, after which a fire broke out on the cruiser. The torpedo from the torpedo tube had already been fired, so the fire did not cause the “fish” to detonate, and the fire itself was eliminated. The cruiser was promptly repaired in Kavieng. The cruiser Kinugasa was hit by a 203-mm projectile fired from the cannon of the USS Vinceness, but the shell did not explode. and the normally fired 5-inch projectile of the Patterson destroyer (of the Auchan type) did not cause serious damage to the Japanese cruiser. If the Chokai went to Rabaul, then the cruisers of the 6th division returned to the Move Strait. On nougat to the strait, on August 10, 1942, the cruiser Kako was hit by three torpedoes fired American submarine S-44. "Kako" capsized and sank in just five minutes, becoming the second Japanese cruiser to die during the Second World War (the first was the cruiser "Mikuma"), the cruiser "Kako" was officially excluded from the lists of the Imperial Japanese Navy on September 15, 1942. Three surviving cruisers The 6th Division made the necessary repairs, replenished supplies, and then went to the anchorage in Shortleyends.

The Chokai cruiser and the ships of the 6th Division (already without the Kako) left the Shortlands to escort convoys to Guadalcanal, returning to the cruiser's anchorage on August 26 without receiving any damage. The next exit took place on October 10, 1942.

Then the higher command assigned the cruisers the task of bombarding the naval aviation base at Henderson Field with artillery fire in order to ensure the next convoy with reinforcements for the Guadalcanal garrison. The main caliber of the cruisers opened fire on the airfield with incendiary shells placed on the planes. It's terrible what happened there! The Japanese were not averse to repeating their August victory in the waters of Savo Island. But no - radars appeared on the cruisers and destroyers of the US Navy. The appearance of an American squadron under the command of Rear Admiral Norman Scott came as a surprise to the Japanese 6th Cruiser Division. Furutaka received several direct hits from 8 and 5 inch shells in a short time. from which torpedoes filled with oxygen type 93 caught fire. The cruiser flared up, turning into an excellent target for the gunners of American cruisers and destroyers. The fire disabled the ship's engine room. The cruiser went forever into the waters of Savo Island - the third Japanese cruiser to die in World War II. The Aoba cruiser was hit by 24 8 and 5-inch shells, Admiral Goto Aritomo, who commanded the 6th cruiser division from September 15, 1941, was killed. Two towers of the main caliber of the cruiser were out of order. The Aoba and Kinugasa disengaged to reload their guns with armor-piercing rounds. The undamaged Kinugasa opened fire with direct fire from a distance of 7000 km at the American light cruiser Boys, which unexpectedly fell into the searchlight beam. Eight 203-mm shells were pierced into the American cruiser, the cellar of 155-mm shells caught fire on the Boyz, but oddly enough, the Boyz survived - through a hole in the side, water poured into the ammunition cellar, extinguishing the fire. Two shells of the Kinugasa cannons hit the heavy cruiser Salt Lake City, however, without causing serious damage to the latter.

The two Japanese cruisers that survived the battle returned the next day to the anchorage off the Shortlands Islands. The flagship of the 6th division was the Kinugasa cruiser. "Aoba" went to Truk, where it was inspected by Admiral Yamamoto, who dismissed the need to put the ship in a factory repair. The cruiser left for Kure, where it was immediately put into dry dock on arrival.

On the night of October 14-15, 1942, the cruisers Chokai and Kinugasa bombarded Henderson Field, after which they returned safely to Shortlands. After another operation to cover the convoys, the 6th cruiser division was disbanded. The Kinugasa cruiser was given to the 8th Fleet to replace the forces of Admiral Mikawa, who went to Japan for repairs. Then, during the campaign to Guadalcanal, the Kinugasa cruiser was sunk. The cruisers "Chokai", "Kinugasa", "Maya" and "Suzuya" once again bombarded Henderson Field. The shelling was successful, but on the way back to Shortlands on the morning of November 14, Japanese ships were attacked south of the New Georgia Islands by aircraft from the aircraft carrier Enterprise. The Kinugasu was hit by a 223-kg bomb dropped by a Douglas SBD-3 dive bomber. The bomb pierced the bow superstructure and exploded on the armored deck below the waterline, causing significant losses in personnel. From the explosion of the bomb, a tank with aviation gasoline caught fire, and the steering was out of order. The cruiser sank two hours after the bombing. The Kinugasa cruiser was expelled from the combat strength of the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 15, 1942. Of the first four Japanese heavy cruisers, only the Aoba, which was being repaired in the course, remained “alive”. The repair of the Aoba was completed on February 15, 1943 - compared to the Americans, the Japanese repaired large ships much longer. During the repair on the Aoba cruiser, anti-aircraft weapons were strengthened, guides were installed for dropping depth charges.

Upon completion of the repair, the Aoba cruiser left Kure and went to Truk, where the worthy samurai Yamamori Kamenosuke took command of the ship. From Truk, the ship was recalled to Rabaul, and then sent to the anchorage (as it was then called) in the Move Strait, where the Aoba arrived on March 4, 1943. Almost a year has passed since the Aoba swayed peacefully in the Strait for anchored along with other cruisers of the 6th division. For a year, silence has left these blessed places. At the anchorage, the cruiser was attacked by B-17 bombers.

"Fortresses" spread over the water itself, so that the bombs, after being dropped, would recoil from the water surface into the side of the cruiser - top-mast bombing. One 225-kg hit the aircraft catapult area, causing an explosion of two Type 93 torpedoes in the torpedo tubes. The hull and engine room were severely damaged. Hiraga was right about the excess of torpedoes on heavy cruisers. The light cruiser Sendai tried to tow the cruiser Aoba to Truk, but in the end, due to the danger of sinking the ship, she was forced to run the Aoba aground. A few days later, the Yamabiko Maaru rescue ship approached the cruiser, which pumped water out of the hull compartments, after which patches were put on the holes and the Sendai was able to resume towing the Aoba to Truk. On Truk, high officials examined the cruisers, deciding to send the ship back for repairs in Kura. The cruiser Loba was put into dry dock on August 1, 1943.

On February 25, 1944, the Aoba cruiser left the dry dock at the Kure base. In Singapore, the cruiser was upgraded for use as the flagship of the 16th division, commanded by Admiral Sakonyu Naomasa. Aoba performed several transport flights between Singapore and the islands of the Dutch Indies and the southern part of the Philippines - by this time Japan had lost most of its transports, and the vehicles that survived could no longer break through the blockade imposed by the American fleet. A raider trip to the Indian Ocean was planned together with the cruisers Tone and Chikuma, but it was canceled. "Aoba" continued to deliver people and supplies to isolated Japanese garrisons until July 4, 1944, when it was put on Maintenance at Lingga Road, Singapore. After repairs, during a joint transition to Manila with the light cruiser Kino, the Aoba cruiser was hit by one of the six torpedoes fired by the Brim submarine. The torpedo exploded in the engine room of the Japanese ship. The Kino cruiser towed the Aoba to the Cavite naval base, near Manila. Here the cruiser was repeatedly attacked by American aircraft - bombs fell nearby, but not a single one hit the ship. "Aoba" was repaired again, but not completely. The cruiser went to Kure, where on September 12, 1944, it was put into dry dock. The Americans did not leave the Aoba even in Kurs: wave after wave rolled carrier-based aircraft from American aircraft carriers onto the damaged Japanese cruiser, which, moreover, was in dry dock. The cruiser's anti-aircraft artillery was included in the air defense of the Kure base, for which the ship was taken out of the dock and sunk in shallow water near the naval shipyard. On July 28, the cruiser, which became an anti-aircraft battery, was subjected to a powerful strike by aircraft from the Task Force 38 aircraft carrier formation. Aoba received a fatal hit from a 225-kg bomb that exploded in the interdeck space. On the same day, at least three more 225-kg bombs dropped from the Liberator hit the cruiser. The hull of the ship just collapsed. The Aoba cruiser was excluded from the lists of the Imperial Japanese Navy on November 20, 1945.