Design B-65 cruiser

Design B-65 was a class of Super Type A cruisers planned by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) before and during World War II. As envisioned by the IJN, the cruisers were to play a key role in the Night Battle Force portion of the "Decisive battle" strategy which Japan hoped, in the event of war, to employ against the United States Navy.

A line drawing of the proposed Design B-65.
Class overview
NameDesign B-65
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded byAmagi-class battlecruiser
Planned2
Cancelled2
General characteristics
TypeSuper Type A cruiser
Displacement
  • Standard: 31,905 t (31,401 long tons)
  • Full-load: 35,000 t (34,000 long tons)
Length
  • 240 m (790 ft) length at the waterline
  • 246.2 m (808 ft) length overall
Beam27.2 m (89 ft)
Draft8.8 m (29 ft) (trial)
PropulsionFour sets of geared turbines and eight Kampon boilers would yield 170,000 metric horsepower (167,674 shaft horsepower); this would have been able to drive the ship at 33 kn (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Endurance8,000 mi (13,000 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 190 mm (7.5 in) inclined 20 degrees
  • Barbettes: 210 mm (8.3 in) to 190 mm (7.5 in)
  • Conning tower sides: 180 mm (7.1 in)
  • Conning tower roof: 125 mm (4.9 in)
  • Deck: 125 mm (5 in)

Begun in 1939, plans were far enough along that tests were conducted with the main armament and against the underwater protection. Even though the ships were approved for construction under a 1942 fleet replenishment program, the prioritizing of aircraft carriers and smaller ships due to the war, followed by Japan's defeat, killed any chance of the B-65's construction.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.