Chikuma-class cruiser

Class overview
Chikuma during commissioning, 1912
Name:	Chikuma class
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by:	Yodo class
Succeeded by:	Tenryū class
Completed:	3
Retired:	3
General characteristics
Type:	Protected cruiser
Displacement:	5,000 long tons (5,080 t)
Length:	134.1 m (440 ft 0 in)
Beam:	14.2 m (46 ft 7 in)
Draught:	5.1 m (16 ft 9 in)
Propulsion:	Two shaft steam turbine engines; 16 Kampon boilers; 22,500 hp (16,800 kW)
Speed:	26 knots (30 mph; 48 km/h)
Range:	10,000 nmi (19,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Armament:	8 × Type 41 6 inch 45 caliber naval gun 4 × QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval guns 2 × 7.7 mm Lewis Guns 3 × 457 mm (18.0 in) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Deck: 22 mm (0.87 in) to 57 mm (2.2 in) Conning tower: 102 mm (4.0 in)

The three Chikuma-class cruisers (筑摩型防護巡洋艦, Chikuma-gata bōgojun'yōkan^?) were protected cruisers operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. They participated in numerous actions during World War I.

The Chikuma class was the final class of protected cruiser in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was followed by the Tenryū class of light cruisers.

The Chikuma-class light cruisers were ordered as part of the 1907 Naval Expansion Program, based on lessons learned during the Russo-Japanese War. Along with the Kongō-class battlecruisers, the Chikuma class was the first phase of a project to build a high speed navy based on the latest naval technologies.

The basic design of the Chikuma-class cruisers was modeled after the Royal Navy Town class with some modifications and was also largely influenced by the design of the cruiser Tone. The silhouette of the Chikuma class was readily distinguishable due to its four smokestacks. Contrary to many popular publications, the protection of the Chikuma class was similar to the Tone class, and they remained protected cruisers, without an armoured belt.

The Chikuma-class cruisers were the first high-speed turbine-driven cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy, which gave them much greater speed than previous cruiser designs. Chikuma and Hirado used the newly developed Curtiss turbines, which gave them a rated top speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph). During speed trials, they achieved 26.83 and 26.87 knots respectively. Yahagi was built with a Parsons-type turbine engine, and achieved 27.14 knots during speed trials. Although the class achieved its target of high speed, the new technology of the engines, especially issues with material strength and fatigue, led to maintenance issues.

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