Design B-65 cruiser

A line drawing of the proposed Design B-65.
Class overview
NameDesign B-65
OperatorsEmpire of Japan Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded byAmagi-class battlecruiser
Planned2
Cancelled2
General characteristics
TypeSuper Type A cruiser
Displacement
  • Standard: 31,905 t (31,401 long tons)[1]
  • Full-load: 35,000 t (34,000 long tons)
Length
Beam27.2 m (89 ft)[1]
Draft8.8 m (29 ft) (trial)[1]
PropulsionFour sets of geared turbines and eight Kampon boilers would yield 170,000 metric horsepower (167,674 shaft horsepower); this would have been able to drive the ship at 33 kn (38 mph; 61 km/h)[2]
Endurance8,000 mi (13,000 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)[1]
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 190 mm (7.5 in) inclined 20 degrees
  • Barbettes: 210 mm (8.3 in) to 190 mm (7.5 in)
  • Conning tower sides: 180 mm (7.1 in)
  • Conning tower roof: 125 mm (4.9 in)
  • Deck: 125 mm (5 in)[3]

Design B-65 was a class of cruisers planned by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) before and during World War II. The IJN referred to this design as a 'Super Type A' cruiser; It was larger than most heavy cruisers but smaller than most battlecruisers, and as such, has been variously described as a 'super-heavy cruiser,' a 'super cruiser,' or as a 'cruiser-killer.'[A 1] As envisioned by the IJN, the cruisers were to play a key role in the Night Battle Force portion of the "Decisive battle" strategy which Japan hoped, in the event of war, to employ against the United States Navy.

Begun in 1939, plans were far enough along that tests were conducted with the main armament and against the underwater protection. Even though the ships were approved for construction under a 1942 fleet replenishment program, the prioritizing of aircraft carriers and smaller ships due to the war, followed by Japan's defeat, ended any chance of the B-65's construction.

Design B-65 would have been similar to the United States' Alaska-class cruiser in terms of displacement, armament, and role. Both designs also straddled the line between heavy cruisers and battlecruisers. The envisioning of the 'large cruiser' or 'super-heavy cruiser' and, ultimately, the design of the Alaska-class itself may have been at least partly inspired by the desire to counter the Design B-65, or at least earlier IJN proposals.[4][5][6][7] However, unlike the never-built Design B-65, the Alaska-class would see two ships completed.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cite error: The named reference Garzke86 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Lacroix and Wells II, p. 830
  3. ^ Lacroix and Wells II, p. 606
  4. ^ "Hawaii". DANFS. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Conway's was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Global Security was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Scarpaci, 17.


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