Iwami (battleship)

Iwami (battleship) was a pre-dreadnought battleship that served in the Imperial Japanese Navy following its capture from the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Japanese War. Originally commissioned as the Borodino-class battleship Oryol for the Russian Empire, it was taken as a prize of war after the Battle of Tsushima in 1905. Renamed Iwami after the ancient Iwami Province, the ship was extensively refitted and served as a front-line unit and later as a coastal defense vessel until its decommissioning in the 1920s.

Design and description

The vessel was constructed as part of the Borodino-class battleship series, built at the Galerniy Island shipyard in Saint Petersburg. Its design was a modified version of the earlier ''Tsesarevich'', featuring a prominent tumblehome hull form intended to reduce top weight and improve stability. Primary armament consisted of two twin-gun turrets mounting 12-inch 40-caliber naval guns, a layout common among pre-dreadnoughts of the era like the HMS ''Majestic''. Secondary battery included twelve 6-inch 45-caliber naval guns in wing-mounted casemates, supplemented by numerous lighter 75 mm 50 caliber naval guns and 47 mm Hotchkiss guns for defense against torpedo boats. Propulsion was provided by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines fed by twenty Belleville boilers, driving two shafts for a designed speed of eighteen knots. Protection relied on Krupp armour, with a main belt armor belt up to 7.64 inches thick and gun turret faces armored with ten inches of steel.

Service history

Laid down in 1900 and launched in 1902, the ship entered service with the Baltic Fleet as the Oryol in 1904. It was immediately assigned to the Second Pacific Squadron under Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky for the epic voyage to the Pacific Ocean during the Russo-Japanese War. The ship participated in the decisive Battle of Tsushima in May 1905, where it was heavily damaged by gunfire from the Japanese flagship ''Mikasa'' and other vessels of the Combined Fleet under Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō. Following the surrender of the Russian squadron, the battered Oryol was captured and incorporated into the Imperial Japanese Navy. After major repairs and modernization at the Kure Naval Arsenal, which included replacing its original fighting tops and light armament with Japanese models, it was renamed Iwami and formally commissioned in 1907. It served as a first-class coastal defence ship and performed training duties, including during World War I when Japan joined the Allies.

Fate

After the war, Iwami was rendered obsolete by the advent of dreadnought battleships like HMS Dreadnought and the lessons of the Battle of Jutland. It was reclassified as a first-class coastal defence ship in 1921 and later as a training vessel. In accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited naval armaments, Iwami was designated for disposal. The battleship was decommissioned on 1 September 1922 and used as a target ship for the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service off Miura Peninsula. It was finally sunk by aerial bombing in July 1924 and its wreck was later salvaged for scrap.

Notes

The ship's history exemplifies the rapid transfer of naval technology through capture during the early 20th century. Its service life bridges two major naval powers and two distinct eras of naval warfare, from pre-dreadnought design to the age of naval aviation. The name Iwami was later assigned to a heavy cruiser planned during World War II, which was never completed.

Category:Battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy Category:Borodino-class battleships Category:Ships built in Saint Petersburg Category:World War I battleships of Japan Category:1902 ships