World War 2 In Review: Japanese Heavy Cruiser Furutaka

Heavy cruiser Furutaka on speed trials after reconstruction off Ugurujima, 9 June 1939. The main gun director and rangefinder tower on the top of the bridge had not yet been installed. (Colorized)

Furutaka was the lead ship in the two-vessel Furutaka-class of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship was named after Mount Furutaka, located on Etajima, Hiroshima, immediately behind the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy. She was commissioned in 1926 and was sunk 12 October 1942 by USS Salt Lake City and USS Buchanan at the Battle of Cape Esperance.

Furutaka's original appearance, 1926. (Colorized)

Furutaka and Kinugasa seen from Kako in the Strait of Bungo, October 1941. (Colorized)

Furutaka at anchor off Shinagawa, Japan, on 4-10 October 1935. The three bands painted on her after smokestack signify that she is the third ship of the 6th Sentai (squadron). The cruisers Aoba and Kinugasa, also members of Sentai 6, are in the left distance. (Naval History & Heritage Command NH 75481)

Heavy cruiser Furutaka off Nagasaki shortly after commissioning. 1926.

120mm/45 10th Year Type gun of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the single mount B2 Model on board of heavy cruiser Kako. This is no. 2 mount (forward, port), looking aft. Behind 120mm mount there's part of lattice tower of the 110cm searchlight and davit. In background are heavy cruisers Furutaka (middle) a Kinugasa (right). Picture was taken after 1937 refit in years 1939-1942.

Heavy cruiser Furutaka with heavy cruiser Kinugasa in background, 1941. According to installation of degaussing cables, three white stripes on forward funnel and two E7K2 on board this picture should be taken in early November 1941. Note the main gun fire command room and rangefinder room installed on the top of the bridge.

A shot taken from the heavy cruiser Kako during an Imperial Japanese Navy fleet review, 11 October 1940; the heavy cruiser Furutaka is behind her. Anchored in the first row (closest to farthest) lies the heavy cruisers Kumano, Suzuya, Mogami, Tone, and Chikuma, then the destroyers Kagero, Oshio, Asashio, and Arashio. Several more destroyers are anchored ahead, but are too blurry to note any features.

Furutaka is refueling from the tanker Tsurumi, 1935.

Furutaka class cruiser, starboard view, 1941. Halftone copy from the files of the Department of Naval Intelligence, June 1943. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. [The aircraft are all fake; the same drawing of an aircraft was used multiple times, some smaller than others to give the impression of distance.]

Furutaka underway, 1926, after her smokestacks were raised. (Naval History & Heritage Command NH 97700)

Heavy cruiser Furutaka in 1933 after 1932/33 reconstruction with new 120mm AA cannons and catapult installed. The crew is rendering honors on deck and superstructure.

IJN's heavy cruiser Furutaka off Yokohama on 2 May 1926.

Furutaka, 17 April 1928.

Furutaka, 1926.

Furutaka photographed 5 April 1926 off Nagasaki, soon after completion and before any modifications had been made. The original print, with a vertical seam in the center as clipped from a publication, came from Office of Naval Intelligence files.

Furutaka photograph taken in 1927-29, when she was the fourth ship of the Fifth Sentai (squadron), as indicated by the white stripes painted on her after smokestack. Identification of this view is based on funnel bands and the appearance of the ship, as she was prior to her 1931-33 refit.

Furutaka photographed circa 1927-28, while she was the fourth ship of the Fifth Sentai (squadron), as signified by the two bands (one wide, one narrow) painted on her after smokestack.

Furutaka probably 1930-1932. Heightened forward funnels dates this picture after 1926/27 modification, missing take off platform dates this picture after 1929/30 and missing AAA platform on the side of the bridge and long cover of bridge ventilation dates this picture before 1932.