Ise Class Battleship

Ise Class Battleship

Originally intended as sister ships of the preceding Fusō class, the Ise-class battleships (伊勢型戦艦, Ise-gata senkan?) of the Imperial Japanese Navy were considered sufficiently different to warrant separate classification.

Among the differences were a shorter foredeck, a more closely grouped secondary armament (with the majority of the forward guns set further astern than in the Fusōs), a different arrangement of the primary turrets (though the cumbersome six-twin arrangement was retained), more closely spaced funnels and uptakes, and eventually rear flightdecks.

Like most if not all battleships of their era, they retained the soon-to-be outmoded casemated secondary armament, the forward guns of which often proved useless in any kind of seaway, and like all Japanese warships of the period, these vessels still relied on mixed (i.e. coal and oil) firing for their boilers.

They were reconstructed in the 1930s, receiving improved powerplants, armor, fire control, and internal protection. Nonetheless, during World War II, like their cousins of the Fusō class, the Ises took part in no significant action, due to their age and slow speed. Being largely surplus to the Imperial Japanese Navy's duties, following Midway they were rebuilt with the ability to operate a small flight wing, but spent most of their time in training duties near the Inland Sea as part of Battleship Division 2.