Photogaleries

TSUKUBA class gallery

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The IJN Tsukuba was completed in 1907, only two years after its inception. It was built in the Naval Arsenal of Kure because it was feared that Yokosuka Arsenal would be attacked as it was better adapted to build large ships. Its main armament were four 305/45mm 41st Year Type guns mounted on two twin turrets that fired a 386 kg AP shell at a maximum distance of 22 km. The secondary artillery was composed by twelve 152mm guns mounted in casemates on the main and middle decks, with the inconvenience that guns on the middle deck could not shoot in bad weather because they were too close to the waterline. In addition to the 305 and 152mm guns, these vessels had twelve 120mm guns to fight against torpedo boats. Finally,the armament was completed with four 76mm guns, four 47mm guns and three 457mm torpedo tubes in the Tsukuba and one 457mm plus two 533mm torpedo tubes in the Ikoma ship.
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The IJN Ikoma was completed in 1908, because its construction was not done as urgently as that of its sister ship. The fact of being built in the Kure Naval Arsenal supposed enormous logistical problems that delayed the whole project, because this Shipyard lacked experience and facilities to build this type of vessels. In addition, steel and rivets came from the United States and did not always arrive according to Japanese needs. These vessels had Miyabara-type boilers installed, which were much smaller than those of other vessels but of equal power, so that the space saved could be used to install larger caliber artillery and store more ammunition. This propulsion system generated about 23,000 hp that allowed a maximum speed of about 20 knots.

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