NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Kongo 1878 Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
金剛 [Kongo]		306	Earle, Hull, UK	24.9.1875	17.4.1877	1.1878	TS 1896, stricken 1909
比叡 [Hiei]			Milford Haven SB, Pembroke, UK	9.1875	12.6.1877	23.3.1878	discarded 4.1911

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	2248
Displacement full, t	3718
Length, m	70.5 wl 67.1 pp
Breadth, m	12.5
Draught, m	5.49
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 2-cyl HC, 6 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	Kongo: 2450 Hiei: 2490
Max speed, kts	Kongo: 13.7 Hiei: 14
Fuel, t	coal 280
Endurance, nm(kts)	3100(10)
Armour, mm	compound - belt: 114 - 76
Armament	3 x 1 - 173/17 RKL/20 C/67, 6 x 1 - 149/22 RKL/25 C/74, 2 x 1 - 75/11 KL/11
Complement	314

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The design of these armoured corvettes was prepared by Sir Edward Reed, and was based on the Russian General Admiral and the British Gem class cruisers. The composite-hulled Kongo and iron-hulled Hiei were ordered under the 1875 Programme. They were barque-rigged but the topmasts were subsequently removed during a refit in 1895.

Ship protection

Hull was protected by full length, thickness of the belt was 114mm abreast machinery and 76mm at ship ends.

Modernizations

1880s, both: + 4 x 4 - 25/60 Nordenfelt Mk I, 2 x 5 - 11.9/94, 2 - 350 TT (bow)

1889, Hiei: was reboilered with 2 double-ended cylindrical boilers.

1897, both: + 2 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I

Naval service

Hiei was present at the Battle of the Yalu and was severely damaged by the Chinese battleships. The Kongo was involved in the Hawaiian Revolution in 1898, after which both ships were removed from the operational fleet and used as survey vessels.

1878

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.