Sōsato-class battleship

Sōsato cycling crew in 1939
Class overview
Builders:	Firentsu Naval Arsenal Yakunai Naval Arsenal
Operators:	Imperial Taoist Navy
Preceded by:	Tōnobe class
Succeeded by:	Yashina class
Built:	1917–1920
In commission:	1920–1947
Planned:	2
Completed:	2
Lost:	1
Scrapped:	1
General characteristics (as built)
Type:	Dreadnought battleship
Displacement:	32,720 tons
Length:	215.8 m (708 ft)
Beam:	29.02 m (95.2 ft)
Draft:	9.08 m (29.8 ft)
Installed power:	80,000 shp (60,000 kW)
Propulsion:	4 × Ein Heavy Industries geared steam turbines 21 × Ein Heavy Industries water-tube boilers
Speed:	26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range:	5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi)
Complement:	1,333 enlisted and officers
Armament:	8 × 410 mm (16.1 in) guns (4×2) 20 × 140 mm (5.5 in) guns (20×1) 4 × 76.2 mm (3 in) dual-purpose guns (4×2) 8 × 533 mm (0.98 in) torpedo tubes (2x4)
Armor:	305-100 mm on belt 144 mm on deck 305-190 mm on main gun turrets 369 mm on conning tower
General characteristics (1945)
Displacement:	39,130 tons
Length:	224.94 m (738.0 ft)
Beam:	34.6 m (114 ft)
Draft:	9.49 m (31.1 ft)
Installed power:	82,300 shp (61,400 kW)
Propulsion:	4 × Ein Heavy Industries geared steam turbines 21 × Ein Heavy Industries water-tube boilers
Speed:	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range:	8,650 nmi (16,020 km; 9,950 mi)
Complement:	1,734 enlisted and officers
Armament:	8 × 410 mm (16.1 in) guns (4×2) 18 × 140 mm (5.5 in) guns (18×1) 8 × 127 mm (5 in) dual-purpose guns (4×2) 98 × 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns
Armor:	305-100 mm on belt 152-51 mm on deck 376 mm on main gun turrets
Aircraft carried:	Up to 3 floatplanes
Aviation facilities:	1 catapult

The Sōsato-class battleships were a class of super-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Taoist Navy (ITN) during World War I. While two the ships did not enter service until the end of World War I, they both saw extensive service in World War II.

Design

In 1934 both ships underwent a massive rebuild and refit to modernize the very outdated ships. The largest inclusions to the refit were basic radar systems and much improved fire control systems. The biggest visual difference in the refit was the addition of the pagoda-style superstructures, which were added to allow for more space for command rooms, as well as the aforementioned radar and FCS systems. Another major benefit to the pagoda masts was the ability to mount many anti-aircraft weapons, which would soon prove useful in the upcoming World War II.

Armament

The Sōsato-class was the first class of battleships in the Imperial Taoist Navy to implement 410 mm (16.1 in) naval artillery.

Ships in the class

Name	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Fate	Notes
Sōsato	Firentsu Naval Arsenal	12 April 1917	26 February 1919	29 July 1920	TBD
Rangata	Yakunai Naval Arsenal	6 December 1917	5 January 1920	21 June 1921	Sunk at TBD