Japanese battleship Aki

The Japanese battleship Aki
History
Empire of Japan
Name:	Aki
Namesake:	Aki Province
Ordered:	1904
Builder:	Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan
Laid down:	15 March 1906
Launched:	14 April 1907
Commissioned:	11 March 1911
Struck:	1923
Fate:	Sunk as target, 2 September 1924
General characteristics
Class and type:	Satsuma-class semi-dreadnought battleship
Displacement:	20,100 long tons (20,423 t)
Length:	492 ft (150.0 m)
Beam:	83 ft 7 in (25.5 m)
Draft:	27 ft 6 in (8.4 m)
Installed power:	24,000 shp (18,000 kW) 15 Miyabara water-tube boilers
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 steam turbine sets
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range:	9,100 nmi (16,900 km; 10,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:	931
Armament:	2 × twin 12 in (305 mm) guns 6 × twin 10 in (254 mm) guns 8 × single 6 in (152 mm) guns 12 × single 3 in (76 mm) guns 5 × 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor:	Waterline belt: 4–9 in (102–229 mm) Deck: 2–3 in (51–76 mm) Gun turrets: 7–9.5 in (178–241 mm) Conning tower: 6 in (152 mm) Casemates: 6 in (152 mm)

Aki (安芸^?) was a Satsuma-class semi-dreadnought battleship built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the first decade of the 20th century. She was the second battleship built domestically in Japan and the first to use steam turbines for propulsation. The ship was named for Aki Province, now a part of Hiroshima Prefecture. The ship saw no combat during World War I. Aki was disarmed in 1922 and sunk as a target in 1924 in accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.

The Satsuma class was ordered in late 1904 under the 1904 War Naval Supplementary Program during the Russo-Japanese War. Unlike the previous Katori-class pre-dreadnought battleships, they were the first battleships ordered from Japanese shipyards. They were originally designed with a dozen 12-inch (305 mm) guns, but had to be redesigned because of a shortage of guns in Japan and to reduce costs.

The ship had an overall length of 492 feet (150.0 m), a beam of 83 feet 7 inches (25.5 m), and a normal draft of 27 feet 6 inches (8.4 m). She displaced 20,100 long tons (20,400 t) at normal load. The crew consisted of 931 officers and enlisted men.

Aki was fitted with a pair of Curtiss steam turbine sets using steam from 15 Miyabara water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 24,000 shaft horsepower (18,000 kW) for a design speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). The ship reached a top speed of 20.25 knots (37.50 km/h; 23.30 mph) during her sea trials from 27,740 shp (20,690 kW). She carried enough coal and oil to give her a range of 9,100 nautical miles (16,900 km; 10,500 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Unlike her half-sister, she had three funnels.