Japanese cruiser Chōkai

	Chōkai in 1933
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Chōkai
Namesake	Mount Chōkai
Builder	Mitsubishi
Laid down	26 March 1928
Launched	5 April 1931
Commissioned	30 June 1932
Stricken	20 December 1944
Fate	Scuttled after gunfire/bomb damage in Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944
General characteristics
Class & type	Takao-class cruiser
Displacement	15,781 tons
Length	203.76 m (668.5 ft)
Beam	19 m (62 ft)
Draught	6.3 m (21 ft)
Propulsion	130,000 hp (97,000 kW)
Speed	35.5 knots (65.7 km/h)
Range	8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement	773
Armament	Original layout:; 10 (5x2) 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun in Model E turrets,; 4 (4x1) Type 89 120 mm (5 in) in Model B2 mounts,; 2 (2x1) 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns; 2 (2x1) 7.7 mm Vickers MG; 8 (4x2) 61 cm torpedo tubes (4×2, 24 Type 90 torpedoes); Final layout:; 10 (5x2) 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun in Model E turrets,; 4 (4x1) Type 89 120 mm (5 in) in Model B2 mounts,; 38 (4x2, 22x1) Type 96 25 mm (1.0 in) AA guns; 8 (4x2) 61 cm torpedo tubes (4×2, 24 Type 93 torpedoes);
Armor	Machinery belts: 102 mm (4.0 in); Magazine belts: 127 mm (5.0 in) tapered to 38 mm (1.5 in); Main deck: 35 mm (1.4 in) (max); Bulkheads: 76 mm (3.0 in) to 100 mm (3.9 in); Turrets: 25 mm (0.98 in);
Aircraft carried	2
Aviation facilities	2 catapults

Chōkai (鳥海) was a Takao-class heavy cruiser, armed with ten 20 cm (8 in) guns, four 12 cm (5 in) guns, eight tubes for the Type 93 torpedo, and assorted anti-aircraft guns. Named for Mount Chōkai, Chōkai was designed with the Imperial Japanese Navy strategy of the great "Decisive Battle" in mind, and built in 1932 by Mitsubishi's shipyard in Nagasaki.

Chōkai participated in numerous actions during the Pacific War including the Battle of Savo Island off Guadalcanal, in which she, along with other Japanese cruisers, sank the heavy cruisers USS Astoria, USS Vincennes and USS Quincy. She was sunk in the Battle off Samar in October 1944.

History
Chōkai in 1933
Empire of Japan
Name	Chōkai
Namesake	Mount Chōkai
Builder	Mitsubishi
Laid down	26 March 1928
Launched	5 April 1931
Commissioned	30 June 1932
Stricken	20 December 1944
Fate	Scuttled after gunfire/bomb damage in Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944
General characteristics
Class & type	Takao-class cruiser
Displacement	15,781 tons
Length	203.76 m (668.5 ft)
Beam	19 m (62 ft)
Draught	6.3 m (21 ft)
Propulsion	130,000 hp (97,000 kW)
Speed	35.5 knots (65.7 km/h)
Range	8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement	773
Armament	Original layout: 10 (5x2) 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun in Model E turrets, 4 (4x1) Type 89 120 mm (5 in) in Model B2 mounts, 2 (2x1) 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns 2 (2x1) 7.7 mm Vickers MG 8 (4x2) 61 cm torpedo tubes (4×2, 24 Type 90 torpedoes) Final layout: 10 (5x2) 20 cm/50 3rd Year Type naval gun in Model E turrets, 4 (4x1) Type 89 120 mm (5 in) in Model B2 mounts, 38 (4x2, 22x1) Type 96 25 mm (1.0 in) AA guns 8 (4x2) 61 cm torpedo tubes (4×2, 24 Type 93 torpedoes)
Armor	Machinery belts: 102 mm (4.0 in) Magazine belts: 127 mm (5.0 in) tapered to 38 mm (1.5 in) Main deck: 35 mm (1.4 in) (max) Bulkheads: 76 mm (3.0 in) to 100 mm (3.9 in) Turrets: 25 mm (0.98 in)
Aircraft carried	2
Aviation facilities	2 catapults