Tenryū-class cruiser

Tenryū
Class overview
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Chikuma-class cruiser
Succeeded by	Kuma-class cruiser
Built	1917–1919
In commission	1919–1944
Completed	2
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Light cruiser
Displacement	3,948 long tons (4,011 t) standard 4,350 long tons (4,420 t) full
Length	142.9 m (468 ft 10 in) o/a
Beam	12.3 m (40 ft 4 in)
Draught	4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	3 shaft geared turbine engines 10 Kampon boilers 51,000 shp (38,000 kW) 920 tons oil, 150 tons coal
Speed	33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement	327
Armament	• 4 × 140 mm (5.5 in) guns • 3 × 76 mm (3.0 in) guns • 2 × 13 mm (0.51 in) machine guns • 6 × 550 mm (22 in) torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt: 50 mm (2.0 in) Deck: 25 mm (0.98 in)

The two Tenryū class cruisers (天龍型軽巡洋艦, Tenryū-gata keijunyōkan) were first light cruisers operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. They participated in numerous actions during World War II.

The Tenryū-class was followed by the larger and more versatile Kuma class.

Background

Authorized during World War I, the Tenryū class was the first series of light cruisers to be designed by the Japanese, albeit based on current Royal Navy models.

Although modernized in the early 1930s, they were still considered obsolete at the start of the Pacific War. By contrast to later Japanese light cruisers, the Tenryū-class ships were not designed as flagships of destroyer flotillas, but were intended to be operated within a cruiser division.

Design

The basic design of the Tenryū class cruisers was essentially that of an enlarged destroyer, inspired by and designed with similar concept to the British Arethusa class and C-class cruisers.

With oil-fired single-reduction Brown-Curtis geared turbine engines providing more than twice the power of the engines in the previous Chikuma-class, the Tenryū-class cruisers were capable of the relatively high speed of 33 knots (61 km/h).

In terms of armament, these ships were the first in the Imperial Japanese Navy to use 5.5-inch (140 mm) guns and were also the first armed with triple 550 mm torpedoes. However, the gun layout was not particularly effective due to restricted arcs of movement. Against targets ahead and astern of the ship, only one 140 mm gun could be fired. The firing arcs of the No. 2 and No. 3 turrets were very limited. Anti-aircraft fire was initially also very limited, consisting of one 3.1-inch (79 mm) gun and two 13 mm machine guns.

Ships in Class

Two vessels were built in the Tenryū class, neither of which survived the Pacific War.

Tenryū (天龍)

Tenryū was completed on 20 November 1919, at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal. Prior to World War II, it participated in the Siberian Intervention, Yangtze River patrols and supported the landings of Japanese troops along the China coast. During the early stages of the Pacific War, it participated in the Battle of Wake Island and the invasions of the Solomon Islands, New Guinea and the Battle of Savo Island. It was sunk after the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal by USS Albacore, and struck on 20 January 1943.

Tatsuta (龍田)

Tatsuta was completed at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal on 31 March 1919. Prior to World War II, it participated in the Siberian Intervention, and supported the landings of Japanese troops along the China coast. During the Pacific War, it participated in the Battle of Wake Island and the invasions of the Solomon Islands, New Guinea and the Battle of Savo Island and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. It was sunk by USS Sand Lance, 40 nautical miles (74 km) NNE of Hachijōjima on 13 March 1944. Tatsuta was struck from the Navy List on 10 May 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: Tenryu 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 Tenryu class cruiser at Wikimedia Commons

• List of World War II ships