View source for Katori-class battleship

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{{Infobox Ship Image
|Ship image=[[Image:IJN Katori 2.jpg|300px]] 
|Ship caption=The Japanese battleship ''Katori'' in 1905
}}
{{Infobox Ship Class Overview
|Name='''''Katori'''''
|Builders=[[Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd|Vickers]], [[United Kingdom|UK]] (''Katori'') <br> [[Armstrong Whitworth]], [[United Kingdom|UK]] (''Kashima'')
|Operators=[[Image:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|30px|Japanese Navy Ensign]] [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]
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|Total ships completed=Two
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{{Infobox Ship Characteristics
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|Ship class=
|Ship type=[[battleship]]
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement=15,950 tons (''Katori'') <br>16,400 tons (''Kashima'')
|Ship tons burthen=
|Ship length=128.2 meters (''Katori'')<br> 129.54 meters (''Kashima'')
|Ship beam=23.77 meters (''Katori'')<br>23.81 meters (''Kashima'')
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|Ship draught=8.23 meters (''Katori'')<br>8.12 (''Kashima'')
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|Ship propulsion=2-shaft [[Steam engine#Multiple expansion| VTE steam engine]], {{convert|16000|shp|kW|-1|abbr=on}}; 20 boilers
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed={{convert|18.5|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship range=1857 tons [[coal]]; {{convert|10000|nmi|km|-3}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h|0}}
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|Ship complement=864
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|Ship armament=<table>
*4 × [[EOC 12 inch /45 naval gun|{{convert|12|in|mm|0|adj=on}} 45 cal guns]]
*4 x [[Vickers 10 inch /45 naval gun|{{convert|10|in|mm|0|adj=on}} 45 cal guns]]
*12 × [[QF 6 inch /40 naval gun|{{convert|6|in|mm|0|adj=on}} quick fire guns]]
*4 x {{convert|3|in|mm|0|adj=on}} 40-cal guns
*2 x {{convert|3|in|mm|0|adj=on}} 28-cal guns
*5 ×{{convert|18|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[torpedo]]es
</table>
|Ship armour=<table>
*229 mm main [[belt armor]] 
*76 mm deck armor
*152 mm turret, [[casement]]
*229 mm conning tower
</table>
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}}
|}

The {{nihongo|'''''Katori'' class'''|香取型戦艦|Katori-gata senkan}} was a two-ship [[ship class|class]] of [[pre-dreadnought]] [[battleship]]s of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]. The ''Katori'' class vessels were the last battleships to be built for Japan at overseas shipyards, and the last to be equipped with a [[Naval ram|ram]].

==Background==
''Kashima'' and ''Katori'' were ordered as emergency replacements for the loss of [[Japanese battleship Hatsuse|''Hatsuse'']] and [[Japanese battleship Yashima|''Yashima'']] in early stages of the [[Russo-Japanese War]]. Although the [[armored cruiser]]s [[Japanese cruiser Nisshin|''Nisshin'']] and [[Japanese cruiser Kasuga|''Kasuga'']] successfully held their own in the [[line of battle]] during the crucial [[Battle of Tsushima]], the armored cruisers lacked the size and firepower to be as effective as battleships. As the Japanese Navy projected that a fleet of six battleships was the minimum necessary against potential threats from [[China]], [[Russia]] or the [[United States]], a new order was placed to the [[United Kingdom]]. Although construction was rushed, and the design was based largely on the previous [[Japanese battleship Mikasa|''Mikasa'']], the ''Katori''-class ships were not delivered until after the end of the Russo-Japanese War.

==Design==
[[File:Katori class diagrams Brasseys 1923.jpg|thumb|left|300px|<center>Right elevation and deck plan as depicted in Brassey's Naval Annual 1923</center>]]
The design of the ''Katori'' class was a modified version of the [[King Edward VII class battleship|''King Edward VII class'']] of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Royal Navy]]. The ''King Edward'' class introduced a number of innovations over previous classes in terms of armament and engines.

===Armament===
For its [[main battery]],, the ''Katori'' class mounted more powerful [[Armstrong Whitworth#Elswick Ordnance Company|Elswick Ordnance Company]] [[EOC 12 inch /45 naval gun|12-inch (305 mm) 45-calibre guns]] mounted in twin [[gun turret|turrets]] fore and aft, compared to the 12 inch 40-[[Caliber#Caliber as measurement of length|calibre]] guns on ''Mikasa'' and previous Japanese battleships. 

[[Battleship secondary armament|Secondary armament]] was enhanced as per innovations developed for the ''King Edward VII'' class with an intermediate range of [[Type 41 10 inch 45 caliber naval gun]]s in four secondary turrets in addition to the twelve now-standard [[Type 41 6-inch (152 mm)/40-caliber naval gun|Type 41 6-inch (152 mm)/40-caliber]] [[British_ordnance_terms#QF|quick firing guns]] to counter [[torpedo boat]] attacks,  mounted widely spaced on two decks so that a single hit would not disable more than one of them. The guns on the upper deck were enclosed within [[casemate]]s. Tertiary armament consisted of four [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|Type 41 3-inch (7.62 cm)/40-caliber naval gun]]s, commonly known as "twelve pounders" and two Type 41 {{convert|3|in|mm|sing=on}} guns with shortened barrels, and five [[torpedo]]es, with four tubes below the waterline, and one more on deck.

===Armor===
The ''Katori'' class vessels used [[Krupp armor]] with a {{convert|9|in|mm|0|sing=on}} belt amidships and main turrets, {{convert|12|in|mm|0|sing=on}} on the barbettes, {{convert|7 |in|mm|0|sing=on}} on the secondary turrets and {{convert|2|in|mm|0|sing=on}} on the deck.

==Propulsion==
The engines on the ''Katori'' class vessels were four cylinder triple expansion steam engines with [[water tube boiler]]s and two screws. Another innovation from the ''King Edward VII'' class was the use of oil sprayers, which allowed steam pressure to be rapidly increased, improving the acceleration of the ships. The engines produced {{convert|18000|shp|kW|-1|abbr=on}} horsepower, yielding a design speed of {{convert|16.75|kn|km/h|0}}; however, the design had inherent instability problems and was difficult to keep on a straight course at higher speeds. In trials, ''Katori'' was able to sustain just over {{convert|20|kn|km/h|0}}; for eight hours.

== Ships in class ==
* '' [[Japanese battleship Katori|'''Katori''']] '' 
Commissioned on 20 May 1906, ''Katori'' was completed too late for the [[Russo-Japanese War]], and with rapid developments in naval technology, was already obsolete at the time of [[World War I]]. In 1922, ''Katori'' was home to [[Emperor Showa|Crown Prince Hirohito]] on his voyage to Europe. She was scrapped as part of Japan's compliance with the [[Washington Naval Agreement]] in 1924.

* '' [[Japanese battleship Kashima|'''Kashima''']]''
Commissioned on 23 May 1906, ''Kashima'' was completed too late for the [[Russo-Japanese War]], and with rapid developments in naval technology, was already obsolete at the time of [[World War I]]. She was scrapped as part of Japan’s compliance with the [[Washington Naval Agreement]] in 1924.

==See also==
{{Commonscat-inline|Katori class battleship}}

==References==
* D. K. Brown, ''Warrior to Dreadnought, Warship Development 1860-1906'', ISBN 1-84067-529-2
*{{cite book
 | last = Andidora 
 | first = Ronald 
 | year = 2000
 | title = Iron Admirals: Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century
 | publisher = Greenwood Press 
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 0-313-31266-4
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Brown 
 | first = D. K. 
 | year = 1999 
 | title = Warrior to Dreadnought, Warship Development 1860-1906 
 | publisher = Naval Institute Press
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 1-84067-529-2
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Evans 
 | first = David 
 | year = 1979
 | title = Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941 
 | publisher = US Naval Institute Press 
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 0870211927
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Hoare 
 | first = J.E. 
 | year = 1999 
 | title = Britain and Japan, Biographical Portraits, Volume III 
 | publisher = RoutledgeCurzon 
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 1873410891
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Howarth
 | first = Stephen 
 | year = 1983
 | title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945
 | publisher = Atheneum 
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 0689114028
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Jentsura 
 | first = Hansgeorg 
 | year = 1976
 | title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945 
 | publisher = Naval Institute Press 
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 087021893X 
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Schencking
 | first = J. Charles
 | year = 2005
 | title = Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922
 | publisher = Stanford University Press 
 | location = 
 | id = ISBN 0804749779
}}

==External links==
*[http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0116.htm Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy]
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/kashima-bb.htm Global Security site]

{{Katori class battleship}}

[[Category:Battleship classes]]
[[Category:Katori class battleships| ]]

[[ja:香取型戦艦]]
[[ru:Броненосцы типа «Катори»]]
[[zh:香取型戰艦]]