NAVYPEDIA

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Satsuma 1915  

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
薩摩 [Satsuma]			Yokosuka K K	15.5.1905	15.11.1906	25.3.1910	stricken 9.1923

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	19372
Displacement full, t	19700
Length, m	146.0 wl 146.9 oa
Breadth, m	25.4
Draught, m	8.40
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 VTE, 20 Miyabara boilers
Power, h. p.	17300
Max speed, kts	18.3
Fuel, t	coal 2860 + oil 377
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armour, mm	belt: 229 - 102, deck: 51 with 76-mm slopes, 305mm gun barbettes: 234 - 178, 305mm gun turrets: 305 - 203, 254mm gun barbettes: 120, 254mm gun turrets: 178, casemates: 152, CT: 152
Armament	2 x 2 - 305/45 41-shiki, 6 x 2 - 254/45 41-shiki, 12 x 1 - 120/40 41-shiki, 4 x 1 - 76/40 41-shiki, 4 x 1 - 76/23 41-shiki, 5 - 450 TT (1 bow, 4 beam)
Complement	887

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Satsuma and Aki were to have been the first Japanese all-big-gun battleships, but 254mm guns had to be substituted for single 305mm due to shortages in Japan. Thus the planned 12-305/45 (4x2, 4x1) were replaced by 4 305mm and 12 254mm (6x2). Both units were ordered from the two main Navy yards (Yokosuka and Kure) late in 1904, but Aki could not be laid down until her slip was vacated by the armoured cruiser Tsukuba. The delay allowed the Japanese Navy to decide to fit her with turbines (which were Curtis units built by the Fore River Yd in the United States), and to replace her 120mm secondary battery with 152mm guns. Aki also differed visually from her near sister. She had three unequally spaced funnels (the third further apart than the other two). By way of contrast, the next ship, the Kawachi, had her last two funnels closer together.

Satsuma made 18.95kts on 18,507ihp on trials; Aki 20.25kts on 27,740shp.

Ship protection

Thickness of main belt was 229mm between main gun barbettes, 152mm between fore barbette and stem and 102mm between aft barbette and stern. There was upper belt between main belt and casemate deck. Its thickness was 203mm between main gun barbettes decreasing fwd from fore barbette. Casemates were protected by 152mm armor. 51mm main deck connected with lower edge of main belt by 76mm slopes. 12`` turrets had 305mm faces and 203mm sides. CT had 305mm sides and 102mm roof.

Modernizations

1916 - 1917: + 2 x 1 - 76/40 3-shiki AA

Naval service

Satsuma was stricken 20.9.1923, converted to target and sunk on manoeuvres by battleships Mutsu and Nagato 7.9.1924.