Japanese cruiser Takao (1930)

	Takao on trials in 1939
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Takao
Namesake	Mount Takao
Ordered	early 1927
Builder	Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Laid down	28 April 1927
Launched	12 May 1930
Commissioned	31 May 1932
Stricken	3 May 1947
Fate	Surrendered to British forces on 21 September 1945, then sunk as a target ship on 29 October 1946
General characteristics
Class and type	Takao-class cruiser
Displacement	9,850 t (9,690 long tons) (designed standard), 15,490 t (15,250 long tons) (full load)
Length	Length between perpendiculars: 192.5 m (632 ft); overall: 203.76 m (668.5 ft);
Beam	19 m (62 ft) – 20.4 m (67 ft)
Draught	6.11 m (20.0 ft) – 6.32 m (20.7 ft)
Propulsion	4-shaft geared turbine, 12 Kampon boilers, 132,000 shp (98,000 kW)
Speed	35.5 knots (65.7 km/h) - 34.2 knots (63.3 km/h)
Range	8,500 nautical miles (15,740 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement	773
Armament	Original Layout: ; 10 × 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type No.2 naval guns (5x2); 4 × Type 10 12 cm high angle guns (4x1); 8 × 61 cm torpedo tubes (4×2, 24 Type 90 torpedoes); 2 × 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns (2x1); 2 x 7.7 mm Type 92 MG (2x1); Final Layout: ; 10 × 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type No.2 naval guns (5x2); 8 × Type 89 12.7 cm (5 in) dual purpose guns (4x2); 60 × Type 96 25 mm (1.0 in) AA guns (30x1, 6x2, 6x3); 16 torpedo tubes (4×4, plus 8 reloads; 24 Type 93 torpedoes); Depth charges;
Armour	main belt: 38 to 127 mm; main deck: 37 mm (max); upper deck: 12.7 to 25 mm; bulkheads: 76 to 100 mm; turrets: 25 mm;
Aircraft carried	3 floatplanes (1 Aichi E13A1 "Jake" & 2 F1M2 "Pete")
Aviation facilities	2 aircraft catapults

Takao (高雄) was the lead vessel in the Takao-class heavy cruisers, active in World War II with the Imperial Japanese Navy. These were the largest cruisers in the Japanese fleet, and were intended to form the backbone of a multipurpose long-range strike force. Her sister ships were Atago, Maya and Chōkai.^[1] Takao was the only ship of her class to survive the war. She was surrendered to British forces at Singapore in September 1945, then sunk as a target ship in 1946.

^ Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X. page 84

[1] Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-893-X. page 84

[1]

History
Takao on trials in 1939
Empire of Japan
Name	Takao
Namesake	Mount Takao
Ordered	early 1927
Builder	Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Laid down	28 April 1927
Launched	12 May 1930
Commissioned	31 May 1932
Stricken	3 May 1947
Fate	Surrendered to British forces on 21 September 1945, then sunk as a target ship on 29 October 1946
General characteristics
Class and type	Takao-class cruiser
Displacement	9,850 t (9,690 long tons) (designed standard), 15,490 t (15,250 long tons) (full load)
Length	Length between perpendiculars: 192.5 m (632 ft) overall: 203.76 m (668.5 ft)
Beam	19 m (62 ft) – 20.4 m (67 ft)
Draught	6.11 m (20.0 ft) – 6.32 m (20.7 ft)
Propulsion	4-shaft geared turbine, 12 Kampon boilers, 132,000 shp (98,000 kW)
Speed	35.5 knots (65.7 km/h) - 34.2 knots (63.3 km/h)
Range	8,500 nautical miles (15,740 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement	773
Armament	Original Layout: 10 × 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type No.2 naval guns (5x2) 4 × Type 10 12 cm high angle guns (4x1) 8 × 61 cm torpedo tubes (4×2, 24 Type 90 torpedoes) 2 × 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns (2x1) 2 x 7.7 mm Type 92 MG (2x1) Final Layout: 10 × 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type No.2 naval guns (5x2) 8 × Type 89 12.7 cm (5 in) dual purpose guns (4x2) 60 × Type 96 25 mm (1.0 in) AA guns (30x1, 6x2, 6x3) 16 torpedo tubes (4×4, plus 8 reloads; 24 Type 93 torpedoes) Depth charges
Armour	main belt: 38 to 127 mm main deck: 37 mm (max) upper deck: 12.7 to 25 mm bulkheads: 76 to 100 mm turrets: 25 mm
Aircraft carried	3 floatplanes (1 Aichi E13A1 "Jake" & 2 F1M2 "Pete")
Aviation facilities	2 aircraft catapults