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Musashi leaving Brunei in October 1944 for the battle of Leyte Gulf | |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | June 1937 |
| Laid down: | 29 March 1938 |
| Launched: | 1 November 1940 |
| Commissioned: | 5 August 1942 |
| Decommissioned: | N/A |
| Fate: | sunk 24 October 1944 |
| Struck: | August 31 1945 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 68,200t |
| Length: | 263m x 38.9m x 11m |
| Propulsion: | 4 turbine screws = 27kts |
| Range: | 7,200nm |
| Complement: | 2,900 |
| Armament: | 9-18.1in (460mm) guns |
| Aircraft: | 6 |
| Motto: | |
Musashi (武蔵) was a battleship belonging to the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was the second and final ship of her class. With her sister ship YamatoYamato was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was the lead ship of her class. She and her sister ship Musashi were the largest battleships ever constructed, weighing 65,027 tons and armed with nine 18. 1in (460mm) main guns. Construction Desi, she was a member of the largest and most heavily armoured class of battleships ever constructed.
In June of 1937, executives from the Nagasaki Shipyard including Director Kensuke Watanabe and yard engineer Kumao Baba were ordered to begin preparations for construction and fitting out of one of the new series of battleships. Expansions of the Number 2 slipway had originally inspired naval executives to issue Nagasaki Shipyard the lucrative contract. Built under secrecy second only to that concerning the construction of US nuclear submarines, the battleship was launched November 1November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. Events 1512 The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo, is exhibited to the public for the first time. 1521 The Strait of Mage 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 and spent the better part of eighteen months fitting out. The completion date was revised to accommodate the changes requested by the Navy, including strengthening armor on the wing turrets, and the installation of extra communications gear.
Commissioned in August 1942, she proceeded to Truk Lagoon, where Admiral Isoroku YamamotoIsoroku Yamamoto ( Yamamoto Isoroku ( April 4, 1884 April 18, 1943) was the outstanding Japanese naval commander of World War II. Family Background Yamamoto was born Isoroku Takano ( Takano Isoroku in Nagaoka in Niigata. His father was Takano Sadayoshi ( made the Musashi his flagship. After he was killed on 18 April 19431943 is the common year starting on Friday. Events January January 4 End of term for Culbert Olson, 29th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Earl Warren. January 11 The United States and United Kingdom give up territorial rights in China. January 1, Musashi returned to Japan carrying his ashes. On 29 March 1944, Musashi was torpedoed by the USS Tunny, and had to return to Japan for repairs and modifications to her anti-aircraft armament.
She formed part of Vice-Admiral Takeo Kurita's Centre Force along with Yamato at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. During the battle ( 22 October 1944), she was attacked and sunk by American carrier-based aircraft armed with bombs and torpedoes, taking more than 1,000 of her 2,900 crew with her. The battleship absorbed an estimated eighteen heavy bombs and twenty torpedoes.
For more details on this class of ship, see the entry for Yamato
Emperor Hirohito visiting the Musashi
Musashi under attack at the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, 24 October 1944.
| Yamato class battleship |
| Yamato | Musashi |
| Shinano class aircraft carrier |
| Shinano |
| List of ships of the Japanese Navy |
| Imperial Japanese Navy | ||||||||||||
| Major battles | List of ships | Main admirals | ||||||||||