Nachi (ship, 1928)
 Heavy cruiser Nachi 1928
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
The Nachi ( Japanese 那 智 ) was a heavy cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy and was laid down as the second ship of the four-unit Myōkō-class , but was the first ship to be completed. The Nachi was the first cruiser in the Japanese Navy to be completed as a 10,000-ton cruiser under the terms of the Washington Fleet Treaty. The cruiser was named after Mount Nachi in Wakayama Prefecture in the south of Honshū . The cruiser was used in the Pacific War and sunk by American planes on November 5, 1944.
Modifications and conversions
Almost four years after commissioning, the first changes were made to the ship, with the ten 20 cm guns of the main artillery (model 3 Nendo shiki 1 Gō 20 cm) being exchanged for ten more modern 20.3 cm guns (model 3 Nendo) from 1932 shiki 2 Gō 8 inches). In addition, the front chimney was raised by around two meters, as smoke problems on the navigation bridge had become apparent during the test drives.
Between February 1935 and June 1936 and again between June and December 1937, the Nachi was subjected to extensive renovation work. The torpedo tubes, which were rigidly built into the side of the fuselage, the aircraft hangar and the six older 12 cm guns of the middle artillery were taken from board. Instead, the ship received eight 12.7 cm multi-purpose guns in four double mounts, two pivoting quad tube sets for 609 mm torpedoes of the type 93 and two catapults, and four sea observation aircraft of the type Nakajima E8N ; however, there were rarely more than two machines on board. Furthermore, the longitudinal and transverse struts of the fuselage have been reinforced. Since the modifications influenced the stability and increased the weight, the side bulges of the ship were also expanded as part of the construction work.
Between 1939 and 1941 the armament of the Nachi was further strengthened, in addition to two 13.2 mm twin machine guns, eight 2.5 cm anti-aircraft guns were installed in twin mounts, and the cruiser received two further sets of quadruple tubes for 609 mm torpedoes of the Type 93. In addition, more powerful catapults and three modern reconnaissance aircraft came on board. The light flak was continuously strengthened in the course of the Second World War. In 1943, the 13.2 mm machine guns were replaced by two 25 mm twin cannons, and two additional twin mounts were added to the aft superstructure (total number: 16 tubes). In January 1944 eight 25 mm single mounts were added. In autumn 1944, the number of 2.5 cm flak had grown to 48, divided into ten twin mounts (two additional ones on the Schanz) and 28 single mounts.
In 1943, the Nachi received a Type 21 radar on the foremast, at times as a test installation with the A7 antenna (4 × 4 dipoles), which was later to be used specifically on anti-aircraft ships ( Maya , Isuzu ), then permanently with the one customary for cruisers A6 antenna (4 × 3 dipoles). In January 1944, two Type 22 sea search systems followed on both sides of the bridge, in autumn 1944 a Type 13 air search radar, which, in contrast to the three sister ships (there on the main mast), was installed at the rear of the foremast at Nachi .
To compensate for the weight of the anti-aircraft and radar reinforcements, two quadruple torpedo tube sets including a reloading system (remaining: two quadruple sets) and two searchlights were released in 1944.
Calls
Half a year after commissioning and after completion of the test phase, the Nachi initially served together with her three sister ships in the 4th cruiser squadron. The ship was used in May 1929 by the Japanese Emperor Hirohito to carry out an inspection trip along the coast of the Kansai district. The Tenno got an idea of the economic development in the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nagoya.
After numerous stays in the shipyard, due to constant renovations, the Nachi formed the 5th cruiser squadron together with her three sister ships from December 1937, which stayed almost exclusively in Chinese waters for the following two years after the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war.
Second World War
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Nachi was part of the 3rd Fleet of Vice Admiral Ibo Takahashi and operated together with her sister ship Myōkō against the southern Philippines. The cruiser covered the landings at Legazpi in southern Luzon on December 11, 1941 and on 19/20. December 1941 also the invasion of Davao in Mindanao. On Christmas Day 1941, the ship also assisted the landing on Jolo Island.
At the beginning of 1942, the Nachi took part in the Japanese attacks on the Dutch-East Indian islands together with her three sister ships and as part of the 5th cruiser squadron of Rear Admiral Tanaka Raizo . The cruiser secured the landings at Kendari and Menado on Celebes and the invasion of Timor. As part of the Japanese advance towards Java, the Nachi , used to secure the Japanese troop transports, was involved in the battle in the Java Sea . During the nine-hour battle, the Nachi sank the Dutch light cruiser Hr. Ms. Java by at least one torpedo hit and damaged numerous other Allied ships. On March 1, 1942, the ship together with the sister ships Ashigara , Myōkō and Haguro and four destroyers in front of the Sunda Strait, the British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, fleeing south, and two destroyers. The British cruiser and the destroyer HMS Encounter sank after numerous artillery and torpedo hits by the Japanese squadron.
After the campaign against the Dutch-East Indian island world, the cruiser moved back to Japan, underwent a two-month overhaul in Sasebo and then placed under the armed forces in the North Pacific. The Nachi became the flagship of Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya's 5th Fleet and took part in the conquest of the Aleutians in June 1942 as part of the operations against Midway, with the cruiser covering the landings on Kiska and Attu .
Between July 1942 and March 1943, the cruiser was mainly used for supply trips and for security tasks between Japan and the Aleutians. During one of these voyages on March 26, 1943 , the Nachi came across the Komandorski Islands - about 100 nautical miles east of Kamchatka - together with the heavy cruiser Maya , the light cruisers Abukuma and Tama and five destroyers on an American combat group under Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris , which consisted of the heavy cruiser Salt Lake City , the light cruiser Richmond and four destroyers. The Americans had previously been informed of their radio monitoring of the Japanese convoy, but had underestimated the true strength of the Japanese and therefore sent a numerically weaker unit to sea. In the developing so-called naval battle near the Komandorski Islands (one of the last classic artillery battles in naval war history), in which the fighting took place in line formation and almost to the point of exhaustion of the ammunition, neither of the two squadrons prevailed. Since the battle was fought at a great distance, both sides scored only a few hits. In the course of the battle, the Nachi received one 20.3 cm and four 15.2 cm hits, which caused some damage to the superstructure, caused the electrical system to collapse temporarily and killed 14 crew members. The radio system was also destroyed. Salt Lake City was badly damaged by the Americans and one destroyer was badly damaged. The Japanese finally broke off the battle after three and a half hours. Although the duel ended in a draw, the Americans were able to record a strategic victory as the Japanese broke off their supply trip to the Aleutians. The Japanese bases in the Aleutian Islands were then only supplied by submarines.
.jpg)
After the damage had been repaired, the Nachi took part in the evacuation of the Japanese garrison on the island of Kiska at the end of May 1943. This was ordered after the Americans had conquered the neighboring island of Attu on May 11 ( Operation Landcrab ).
Between June 1943 and September 1944, the cruiser was mainly in Japanese waters and carried out training missions in addition to guard duties. The Nachi survived a torpedo attack by the American submarine USS Halibut ( Commander Ignatius J. Galantin) on September 6, 1943 off Ominato - one of the torpedoes hit but did not explode.
In October 1944, as part of the Japanese counter-offensive near the Philippines, the cruiser was assigned to the 2nd Assault Unit by Vice Admiral Shima Kiyohide and took part in the sea and air battle in the Gulf of Leyte . Together with the heavy cruiser Ashigara and eight destroyers, the ship collided on the night of 25/26. October 1944 in the Strait of Surigao before. Since the main Japanese power in the street had already been almost completely destroyed, Shima turned back after shooting off some torpedoes. On the way back, the Nachi collided with the severely damaged cruiser Mogami , one of the few remaining ships of the Japanese vanguard in Surigao Street, which was also marching back in the dark , and suffered considerable damage on the starboard side.
After the retreat, the Nachi docked in the port of Manila on October 28, but was already the target of an American air strike on October 29. The cruiser was hit by a 227-kilogram bomb, which killed 53 crew members. In addition, there were many injured by gunfire.
On November 3, 1944, the halfway repaired Nachi was undocked again and immediately assigned to a troop transport mission towards Ormoc.
loss
On November 5, 1944 at around 12:50 p.m. Nachi , marching to Ormoc south of the fortress island Corregidor, was discovered and attacked by around 60 aircraft from the two US carriers USS Lexington and USS Ticonderoga . At least five bombs and two torpedoes hit the cruiser and made him unable to maneuver. Another wave of attacks fell on the drifting ship at around 2:45 p.m. and hit an estimated eight torpedo, 20 bomb and around a dozen missile hits within five minutes. The Nachi was torn in three parts by this bombardment and sank in just three minutes. The commander, Kaigun-Taisa Enpei Kanooka, and 807 crew members went down with the ship. Furthermore, 74 members of the staff of the 5th Fleet died. About 220 survivors were later rescued or reached the coast about twelve nautical miles away.
American Navy records show that helpless survivors of the cruiser floating in the water were deliberately attacked by low-flying US fighter jets, with an estimated 15-20 casualties.
particularities
On board the Nachi there were secret records of the Japanese defenses on Luzon as well as various radar devices. In July 1945, US divers explored the wreck at a depth of around 35 meters for the first time and recovered some of the secret data. In addition, the Nachi is said to have had a treasure of around two million yen on board. To date, almost 300 diving expeditions have been made to the ship.
Detailed technical data
- Displacement (standard): 10,000 ts
- Displacement (maximum): 13,300 ts
- Length (over all): 203.76 m
- Length (between perpendiculars): 192.38 m
- Width: 19.00 m
- Draft: 5.89 m (maximum)
- Armament (1941):
- ten 20.3 cm SK L / 50 in five twin towers
- eight 12.7 cm multi-purpose SK L / 40 in four double mounts
- eight 2.5 cm anti-aircraft guns in four double mounts
- four 13.2 mm anti-aircraft machine guns in two double mounts
- 16 torpedo tubes 609 mm (four rotating quad tube sets)
- Armor protection:
- Armored deck: 35 mm
- Upper deck: 13-25 mm
- Sides: 102 mm
- Towers: 25 mm (splinter protection)
- Barbettes : 76 mm
- Machinery:
- 12 Kampon oil boilers (in eight boiler rooms)
- four geared turbines and four shafts each
- 130,000 WPS (on four screws)
- Top speed: 35.5 knots
- Range: 8,000 nautical miles at 14 knots
- Fuel supply: 2,470 ts of heating oil
- Crew: 773 (more than 900 later in the war)
Evidence and references
Remarks
- ↑ for 1940 after Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. P. 273 - Construction dates before modernization are described in the class article.
- ↑ The Japanese rank Taisa literally means great assistance and corresponds to the German rank of captain at sea . The prefix Kaigun indicates that it is a naval officer.
literature
- Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels Vol. 32, Nachi / Haguro. Kaijinsha Publ., Tokyo 1979.
- Maruzen, The Imperial Japanese Navy Vol. 5, Heavy Cruisers Myoko Class. Kaijinsha Publ., Tokyo 1995.
- Fukui Shizuo: Japanese Naval Vessels Illustrated, 1869-1945, Vol. II, Cruisers, Corvettes and Sloops. Bestsellers Publ., Tokyo 1980.
- Kizu Tohru: Japanese Cruisers. (Ships of the World Vol. 441), Kaijinsha Publ., Tokyo 1991.
- Todaka Kazushige: Japanese Naval Warship Vol. 4: Cruisers. Kure Maritime Museum, Diamond Co., Kure 2005.
- Steve Wiper: Myoko Class Cruisers. (Warship Pictorial Vol.17), Classic Warships Publ., Tucson 2002.
- Eric Lacroix, Linton Wells II: Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Chatham Publ., London 1997.
- Steve Backer: Japanese Heavy Cruisers Myoko and Takao Classes. Chatham Publ., London 2006.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Lacroix, Wells: Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Chatham, London 1997, p. 356.