JAPANESE LIGHT CRUISER NATORI

Natori was a Japanese light cruiser whose keel was laid in 1920, launched in April 1922, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in September 1922. The length of the ship at the time of launching was 163 m, width 14.8 m, and the actual full displacement - 5,800 tons. The cruiser Natori had a maximum speed of 36 knots. At the time of launching, the main armament was 7 140 mm guns in single mounts, and the additional armament was, among others: 2 80 mm cannons and 8 610 mm torpedo tubes. Natori was the third Nagara-class cruiser. The cruisers of this type were built on the basis of the successful design of the Kuma class ships. In fact, the two types differ slightly, and often the Nagara type is referred to as the modified Kuma type. The main differences were in the construction of superstructures, which allowed Nagara-type units to operate seaplanes. Already at the time of launching, they also received better torpedo tubes of a new type. Nagara-class cruisers were built from the very beginning as the so-called "Leaders" of the destroyer flotillas, which resulted in the creation of very fast ships, with good artillery armament, but relatively poorly armored. The combat career of the cruiser Natori began during the Sino-Japanese fights in the 1930s. In the course of these struggles, he supported Japanese landings in southern China. The Natori combat trail in World War II began in December 1941 with support for the Japanese landing on Luzon. In early 1942, he supported operations in the area of the Dutch East Indies, as well as took part in the Battle of the Sunda Strait. In the summer of 1942, he was on patrol in the Java Sea - he did not take part in the Battle of Midway. From the summer of 1943 until April 1944, Natori underwent a major modernization in Japan - its anti-aircraft armament was strengthened and a new type of radar was installed. After modernization, Natori was directed to the Philippines, but did not take part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The cruiser was sunk on August 18, 1944 by the American submarine USS Hardhead.