IJN Kasagi (CB-1938)

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April-2021. I am still happy with this as a cruiser class. The base ship is old but still serviceable. I could certainly do a redraw but it would not look any better. I also like the nine gun version and would happily see the Japanese build a pair of these to act with the cruiser squadrons. A cruiser squadron with one of these ships, a pair of 8" cruisers and a pair of light cruisers would be too much for the ABDA forces. To be completed in 1938 the ships would have been needed to be started building in 1934-35. Ok so I couldn't help myself. Had to have another go at them with better hulls and parts.

The Kasagi class battlecruisers came about from the Japanese demilitarising several ships due to the Washington Treaty. Part of this stockpile was 12 twin 12" turrets which the Japanese felt could be used to arm 3 cruiser sized vessels more as armoured cruisers rather than the 'battlecruiser' tag they were given by the western powers. Two classes of this ship type were built, one with 12" and one with 10". Only the breadth dimension altered to allow for the bigger 12" barbette.



Designed to be fast, the ships had a good length to breadth hull ratio. Large boiler and engineering spaces required some compromises for the exhaust lines to the funnels so that the large, six aircraft, hangar could be fitted. Extra accommodation was designed into the ship for their use as Squadron Flagships. The 6" internal belt armour showed it was not armoured to face battleships only other heavy cruiser types.



Above: original drawing. As part of a 25,000 ton challenge I redrew the Kasagi with new armament, slightly longer hull and breadth dimensions (to take the triples so 9x12").

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