Hiei was a Japanese battlecruiser, the keel of which was laid in 1911, launched in November 1912, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in August 1914. The total length of the ship was 222 meters, width 29.3 meters, and a full displacement of 38,900 tons. The maximum speed of the Hiei battleship was around 29-30 knots. The main armament at the time of the launch was 8 356 mm guns in four turrets, two guns each, and the secondary armament was mainly 14 152 mm guns.
Hiei was the second of four Congo-class battleships. The unit was the first in the series to be built at the Japanese shipyard in Yokosuka, but with the use of many elements imported from Great Britain. In the interwar period, Hiei underwent numerous reconstructions. The first of them, from the mid-1920s, focused on the reconstruction of the front superstructure, which took the shape of a Japanese pagoda. In the period 1929-1933, in connection with the disarmament systems, Hiei was converted into a training artillery ship. e.g. by reducing the power of the engine room or weakening the armor. However, at the end of the 1930s, when Japan entered the path of intensive naval armaments Hiei, the potential of a real battleship was restored. Hiei's combat career in World War II began with the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 1941), during which he was part of the forces protecting Japanese aircraft carriers. In early 1942, he covered the occupation of Rabaul. In April 1942, he also took part in the famous rally of the Japanese fleet to the Indian Ocean, and later - in May this year - he covered the forces fighting in the Aleutian region. Hiei was sunk on November 13, 1942, in the Battle of Savo Island in the Guadalcanal Battle.
Kirishima was a Japanese battlecruiser, the keel of which was laid in 1912, launched in December 1913, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in April 1915. The total length of the ship was 223 meters, width 29.3 meters, and a full displacement of 38,200 tons. The maximum speed of the line cruiser Kirishima was around 30-31 knots. The main armament at the time of the launch was 8 356 mm guns in four turrets, two guns each, and the secondary armament was mainly 14 152 mm guns.
Kirishima was the third of four Congo-class battleships. The vessel, the second in the series, was built at the Japanese shipyard in Nagasaki. In the interwar period, Kirishima underwent three modernizations, in the years 1927-1930, 1932-1933 and 1934-1936. They were aimed at: significantly improving the armor of the ship (especially in critical points, such as the engine room), rebuilding the front superstructure, which took the shape of a Japanese pagoda, and increasing the power and modernizing the engine room. The combat career of Kirishima in World War II began with the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 1941), during which she was part of the forces protecting Japanese aircraft carriers. In April 1942, he also took part in the famous Japanese raid on the Indian Ocean, and later - in June this year - took part in the Battle of Midway. Kirishima was sunk on November 15, 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal.
USS South Dakota (BB-57) was an American battleship laid down in 1939, launched in June 1941, and commissioned with the US Navy in March 1942. The ship was 210 m long, 33 m wide, and her full displacement - at the time of launching - 44,500 tons. The top speed of the USS South Dakota battleship was up to 27 knots. The main armament was 9 406 mm guns in three turrets of three cannons each, and the secondary armament was mainly 16 127 mm guns.
The USS South Dakota was the first of four battleships of the type to bear the same name. This type of ships was one of the first modern US Navy ships of the World War II period. During their construction, emphasis was placed on better armor compared to the North Carolina-class battleships, but with the same main armament and maximum speed. The power of the engine room has also been significantly increased and the anti-torpedo protection of the hull has been improved. It is worth noting that the first ship of the series (BB-57) was intended from the very beginning as a flagship, which led to the creation of an additional room for the work of the staff, as well as having only 16 127 mm guns, compared to the 20 guns installed on later ships. of this type. USS South Dakota (BB-57) joined Task Force 17 in October 1942 and fought in the Battle of Santa Cruz Island (October 26, 1942). Despite the damage sustained there, shortly thereafter, he successfully participated in the so-called II Battle of Gudalcanal, on the night of November 14/15 of the same year. After these battles, the ship was overhauled until February 1943. This year, the ship served in the Atlantic for a short period of time, in liaison with the British Home Fleet. But in August / September 1943, the USS South Dakota returned to the Pacific, participating in supporting operations in the Gilbert Islands area. In 1944, the ship took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and - later - supported ground operations in the Philippines. In April 1945, the ship took part in operations in the Okinawa region. The USS South Dakota was decommissioned in 1947 and was sold for scrap in 1962.
USS Washington (BB-56) was an American battleship laid down in 1938, launched in June 1940, and commissioned in the US Navy in 1941. The ship was 222 m long, 33 m wide, and her full displacement - at the time of launching - 44,400 tons. The maximum speed of the USS Washington battleship was 26-28 knots. The main armament was 9 406 mm guns in three turrets of three guns each, and the secondary armament was mainly 20 127 mm guns.
USS Washington was the second and last battleship of the North Carolina class. This type of ships was one of the first modern US Navy ships of the World War II period. Their construction was not guided by any tractor restrictions, which resulted in a significant increase in displacement to the so-called standard battleships and the ability to mount powerful main and secondary weapons located in separate towers, not casemates. The new battleships also have improved performance over battleships such as Colorado and Pennsylvania. USS Washington (BB-56) underwent its baptism of fire in World War II in the waters of the Atlantic, operating with the British Home Fleet from March to July 1942. During this period, it also covered Arctic convoys from Great Britain to the USSR. However, in mid-1942, he was transferred to the Pacific, where he took part in the fighting in the Gudalcanal area. On November 15, 1942, it fought a victorious artillery fight with the battleship Kirishima, as a result of which the Japanese battleship had to be finished off by its own destroyers the next day. In 1944, the USS Washington took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. In February 1945, the ship supported the invasion of Iwo-Jima with its artillery fire, and in March it acted against port installations in the Japanese Islands. USS Washington (BB-56) was decommissioned in 1947 and sold for scrap in 1961.