Nagato Class Battleship Summary

This is a 3D printed resin sculpt of the Nagato class battleship by EBard Models.

Nagato was a super-dreadnought battleship and was the lead ship of her class, along with Mutsu. As the last of Japan's pre-Treaty capital ships, they were the first class to carry 41 cm (16.1 in) guns, the largest afloat and the first bigger than 15 inches (381 mm). Completed in 1920 and modernized in 1934–1936 with improvements to her armor and machinery and a rebuilt superstructure in the pagoda mast style.

Both ships participated in Pearl Harbor but did not see combat. Nagato also participated at Midway but did not see combat. Mutsu participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August before returning to Japan in early 1943. One of Mutsu's magazines accidentally detonated killing 1,121 crew and visitors and destroyed the ship. A later investigation concluded that it was the work of a disgruntled crewmember. Survivors were dispersed in an attempt to conceal the sinking to keep up morale. 

Nagato spent most of the first two years of the Pacific War training in home waters. She was transferred to Truk in mid-1943, but did not see any combat until the Battle of the Philippine Sea in mid-1944 when she was attacked by American aircraft. Nagato did not fire her main armament against enemy vessels until the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October. She was lightly damaged during the battle and returned to Japan the following month. The IJN was running out of fuel by this time and decided not to fully repair her. Nagato was converted into a floating anti-aircraft platform and assigned to coastal defense duties. She was attacked in July 1945 as part of the American campaign to destroy the IJN's last remaining capital ships, but was only slightly damaged and went on to be the only Japanese battleship to have survived World War II. In mid-1946, the ship was a target for nuclear weapon tests during Operation Crossroads. She survived the first test with little damage, but was sunk by the second.

The wreck is upside down and her most prominent features are her four propellers, at a depth of 33.5 meters (110 ft) below the surface. She has become a scuba diving destination and has been nominated as one of the top ten wreck diving sites in the world.

Ships of Class

• Nagato
• Mutsu

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