Japanese cruiser Ōyodo
Ōyodo (大淀) was a light cruiser built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II, and was the only ship of her class completed before the end of the war. Designed to command submarine operations, she was obsolete upon completion in 1943. The ship was used as a transport and to escort the navy's capital ships for the rest of the year. Ōyodo was lightly damaged by American aircraft in early January 1944 during one transport mission and returned home several months later to begin conversion to serve as the flagship of the Combined Fleet.
Ōyodo in 1943 at Kure Naval Arsenal, Hiroshima | |
Class overview | |
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Operators | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Preceded by | Agano class |
Succeeded by | C-44 class (planned) |
Planned | 2 |
Completed | 1 |
Cancelled | 1 |
Lost | 1 |
History | |
Empire of Japan | |
Name | Ōyodo |
Namesake | Ōyodo River |
Ordered | 1939 |
Builder | Kure Naval Arsenal |
Laid down | 14 February 1941 |
Launched | 2 April 1942 |
Commissioned | 28 February 1943 |
Stricken | 20 November 1945 |
Fate | Sunk by aircraft, 28 July 1945, salvaged and scrapped, 1947–1948 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Type | Light cruiser |
Displacement | |
Length | 192 m (629 ft 11 in) |
Beam | 15.7 m (51 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 5.95 m (19 ft 6 in) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion | 4 shafts; 4 geared steam turbine sets, |
Speed | 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
Range | 10,600 nmi (19,600 km; 12,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 782 |
Armament |
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Armor |
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Aircraft carried | 6 × floatplanes |
The ship reverted to her previous roles when the headquarters of the Combined Fleet was moved ashore in September. The following month, she participated in the Battle off Cape Engaño, where she escorted the Japanese carriers attempting to decoy the American carrier fleet supporting the invasion of Leyte away from the landing beaches. Afterwards, the ship was transferred to Southeast Asia and engaged American forces in the Philippines in December where she was slightly damaged by American bombers. In early 1945, Ōyodo participated in Operation Kita, during which she transported aviation gasoline and other strategic materials back to Japan. The ship was damaged by American carrier aircraft in March and repairs were completed two months later. She was sunk with the loss of about 300 men during American airstrikes in July. After the war, Ōyodo was salvaged and scrapped in 1947–1948.