Yamashiro was a Fusō-class dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched on 3 November 1915, she was completed on 31 March 1917.
Due to her age, Yamashiro played supporting roles in the early part of World War Two. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Yamashiro was part of Vice-Admiral Shōji Nishimura’s Southern Force. On the morning of 24 October1944, she was attacked by carrier aircraft and ship listed by almost 15 degrees after a bomb’s near miss damaged the hull and flooded the starboard bilge, until counter-flooding in the port bilge righted the ship.
Early the next morning, Yamashiro, accompanied by Fuso was attacked by a force of US destroyers. Fuso was hit and fell out of formation, sinking between 03:38 and 03:50. Yamashiro was also hit by one or two torpedoes but after counter flooding to counter a list was able to continue.
During the subsequent night action of the Battle of Surigao Strait, Yamashiro was intercepted by a force of ten cruisers and six battleships. The action started at 03:52 and concluded at 04:19 when she sank. An estimated 1,626 officers and crew were killed in her sinking.
Japanese battleship Yamashiro under constructionJapanese battleship Yamashiro undergoing sea trialsJapanese battleship Yamashiro deploying her torpedo netsA Gloster Sparrowhawk launched from the Japanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship Yamashiro in YokosukaJapanese battleship YamashiroThe main armament of Japanese battleship Yamashiro in 1921Japanese battleship Yamashiro undergoing reconstructionJapanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship Yamashiro undergoing trials following her reconstructionJapanese battleship Yamashiro following her reconstructionJapanese battleship Yamashiro and aircraft carrier KagaVice-Admiral Sankichi Takahashi (1882-1966) in front of the Rear 14-inch gun turrets of the Battleship Yamashiro.Japanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship YamashiroJapanese battleship Yamashiro under air attack during the Battle of Surigao Strait
Settsu was a Kawachi-class battleship built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched on 30 March 1911, she was completed on 1 July 1912. During the First World War, Settsu and her sister Kawachi bombarded German positions at Qingdao during the siege of Qingdao in 1914, but saw no other combat.
After World War One, Saeetsu was placed in reserve in 1919 and disarmed in 1922 in compliance with the Washington Naval Treaty. In 1924 she was converted to a target ship, a role she undertook until 1945.
At the start of the Second World War, Settsu was deployed to the Philippines, where she simulated the radio traffic of the six main fleet carriers, as well as two light carriers in order to deceive Allied intelligence as to their whereabouts.
Settsu was badly damaged by S Navy aircraft in July 1945. Subsequently refloated she was scrapped in 1946-47.
Japanese Battleship SettsuJapanese Battleship SettsuJapanese Battleship SettsuJapanese Battleship SettsuJapanese Battleship SettsuJapanese Battleship Settsu in 1917-18Japanese Battleship Settsu after conversion to a target shipJapanese Battleship Settsu as a target shipJapanese Battleship Settsu Brasseys 1923
Launched in 1914 and commissioned in 1915, Fuso was the lead ship of her class of dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Fuso played no part in World War One, instead patrolling the coast off China. She underwent extensive rebuilds from 1930–1935 and 1937–1941 with improvements to her armor and propulsion machinery and a rebuilt superstructure in the pagoda mast style.
Due to her age, Fuso was used primarily in auxiliary roles early in the Second World War. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Fusō was part of Vice-Admiral Shōji Nishimura’s Southern Force. On the morning of 24 October1944, Fuso was attacked by aircraft from the USS Enterprise and hit by two bombs. The first destroyed her aircraft catapult and floatplanes, while a second hit near Turret No. 2 and penetrated the decks, killing everyone in No. 1 secondary battery; the ship began to list 2 degrees to starboard.
During the subsequent night action of the Battle of Surigao Strait, Fuso was hit by one or two torpedoes and sank with 1,620 casualties.
Japanese battleship Fusō being launchedJapanese battleship Fusō in 1928.Fusō undergoing renovation and reconstruction in drydock in Kure 1928Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Fusō in 1929Japanese battleship Fusō in 1931Japanese Battleship Fusō during maneuvers with Nagato in 1934.Japanese Battleship Fusō sometime between 1934 and 1935 after modernizationFusō during maneuvers off Abaraiyawan, Japan, early-mid 1935Japanese battleship Fusō after 1930s modernisationImperial Japanese Navy battleship Fusō undergoing post-reconstruction trialsImperial Japanese Navy battleship Fusō undergoing post-reconstruction trials.Japanese Battleship Fusō sometime between 1935 and 1939Yamashiro in Tokyo Bay, Japan, after 1935. Behind her are the battleships Fuso and Haruna (most distant)Japanese battleship Fusō port side of midships section before her 1930-1935 refit.Fusō conducting flooding and drainage tests at Kure, Japan, April 1941.Pagoda tower of the Japanese battleship FusōMain armament of the Japanese battleship FusōImperial Japanese Navy battleship FusōJapanese battleship FusōFusō with Mutsu and Nagato in the backgroundFusō from YamashiroFusō Mogami under attack during the Battle of Leyte Gulf October 1944
