Kuma-class cruiser

Kuma off Tsingtao, 1930
Class overview
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Tenryū-class cruiser
Succeeded by	Nagara-class cruiser
Built	1917–1921
In commission	1920–1946
Completed	5
Lost	4
General characteristics
Type	Light cruiser
Displacement	5,500 long tons (5,588 t) normal 5,832 long tons (5,926 t) full load
Length	162.1 m (531 ft 10 in) o/a 158.6 m (520 ft 4 in) w/l
Beam	14.2 m (46 ft 7 in)
Draft	4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	4-shaft geared turbine 12 boilers 90,000 shp (67,000 kW)
Speed	36 knots (41 mph; 67 km/h)
Range	9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement	450
Armament	• 7 × 140 mm (5.5 in)/50 cal guns • 2 × 80 mm (3.1 in)/40 cal AA guns • 8 × 530 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes • 48 naval mines
Armor	Belt: 60 mm (2.4 in) Deck: 30 mm (1.2 in)

The five Kuma class cruisers (球磨型軽巡洋艦, Kuma-gata keijunyōkan) were light cruisers operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. They participated in numerous actions during World War II.

The Kuma-class was followed by the very similar Nagara-class.

Background

Despite the success of the Tenryū-class high speed light cruiser design, the Imperial Japanese Navy felt that they would be outgunned by the larger US Navy Omaha-class of light cruisers then under development. The Kuma-class was the successor to the Tenryū-class, based on a larger hull that could accommodate larger guns, and was intended for both high speed scouting missions, and destroyer or submarine flotilla command assignments.

With the development of the long range oxygen-propelled Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes in the 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Navy drafted plans to create a special "Night Battle Force" of torpedo-cruisers. The idea was based on Japan's success in the naval Battle of Port Arthur in the Russo-Japanese War. As the new Type 93 torpedoes had a range longer than that of contemporary battleships main guns, the concept was to have a high speed strike force attack an enemy fleet at night with a massive and overwhelming barrage of torpedoes. Major surface combatants would follow up at dawn to finish off the wounded enemy.

However, the rapid development of naval aviation and submarine warfare in the 1930s quickly made this plan obsolete. Although the Kuma-class cruisers were never to fulfill their original design objective, the design provided to be useful in combat operations ranging from the Aleutian Islands to the Indian Ocean.

Design

The Kuma-class hull design was based on a 5,500 ton nominal displacement, and proved so versatile that it became the standard upon which all future light cruisers in the Japanese navy would be based.

The propulsion system for the Kuma-class was based on four axial deceleration turbines with 12 boilers, providing 90,000 hp (67,000 kW). Ten boilers were designed to burn heavy oil, and the remaining two burned coal. The power provided yielded a top speed of 36 knots, and a cruising range of 9000 nautical miles at 10 knots (19 km/h). The silhouette of the Kuma-class was discernible by its three smoke stacks, with the stacks flaring out in a trumpet shape.

Initially, the main armament was seven 140 mm/50-caliber guns mounted in individual gun turrets, (two fore, three after and one on either side of the bridge) and two side-mounted 80 mm/40-caliber guns, and eight 533 mm torpedo tubes. Provision was made for a catapult to launch one floatplane (typically a Kawanishi E7K1 "Alf" floatplane ) for scouting purposes on Kuma and Tama, and Kiso was unique in that it had both a forward and aft flat surfaced superstructure, with a rotating floatplane take-off platform located aft. The platform appears to have never been used. All of the ships in the Kuma-class were progressively upgraded with anti-aircraft guns, depth charges, radar and sonar during the Pacific War.

Ōi and Kitakami were both converted into torpedo cruisers just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Two years later, Kitakami was converted again into a landing craft carrier until severely damaged. After repairs, she was converted for the last time into a Kaiten (human torpedo) carrier.

Ships in Class

Five vessels were built in the Kuma class. Only one (Kitakami) survived the Pacific War.

Kuma (球磨)

Ordered in 1917 to the Sasebo Navy Yard, launched 14 July 1919, and completed 31 August 1920, Kuma was active in screening the landings of Japanese troops throughout southeast Asia in World War II. It was torpedoed by the HMS Tally-Ho (P317) off the west coast of Malaya on 10 March 1944.

Tama (多摩)

Ordered in 1917 to Mitsubishi in Nagasaki, launched 10 February 1920, and completed 29 January 1921, Tama participated in the Battle of the Aleutian Islands and the Battle of the Komandorski Islands and spent most of the early part of World War II in northern waters. It was later used as a fast transport and made numerous sorties to Rabaul and other locations in the Solomon Islands. Afterwards, it was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, and was torpedoed by USN submarines northeast of the Philippines on 20 December 1944.

Kitakami (北上)

Ordered in 1917 to the Sasebo Navy Yard, launched 3 July 1920, and completed 15 April 1921, Kitakami participated in Battle of Midway as part of the Aleutian screening force. It was later used as a fast transport and made numerous sorties to Rabaul and other locations in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. In the later stages of World War II, it became a carrier for Kaiten human torpedoes, but never served in this capacity. It survived the end of the war, and was used as a tender for repatriation vessels after the war. It was scrapped at Nanao from 10 August 1946 – 31 March 1947.

Ōi (大井)

Ordered in 1917 to the Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe, launched 15 July 1920, and completed 3 November 1921, Ōi participated in the Battle of Midway as part of the Aleutian screening force. It was later used as a fast transport and made numerous sorties to Rabaul and other locations in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. It was torpedoed west of Manila on 10 September 1944.

Kiso (木曾)

Ordered in 1917 to the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, launched 14 December 1920, and completed 4 May 1921, Kiso participated in the Battle of the Aleutian Islands and spent most of the early part of World War II in northern waters. It was later at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands and the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. It was sunk by USN carrier-based aircraft west of Manila on 13 November 1944.

References

Books

• D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
• Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
• Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0-68911-402-8.
• Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Lacroix, Eric (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Whitley, M.J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-141-6. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

• Parshall, Jon. CombinedFleet.com: Kuma class "Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com)". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

See also

Media related to Kuma class cruiser at Wikimedia Commons

• List of World War II ships