Aoshima 05174 I.J.N Repair ship Akashi

The Akashi was a Japanese repair and support vessel from the interwar period and World War II, launched in June 1938 and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1939. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 158.5 m, width 20.5 m, and displacement - approx. 9,000 tons. The maximum speed was 19-20 knots. At the time of launch, the unit was armed with 4 127 mm guns and 12 25 mm cannons.

The Akashi was a unique vessel in the Imperial Japanese Navy - the only ship in her class. From the beginning, it was also designed as a repair and overhaul unit, intended to somehow complement the old battleship Asahi rebuilt for this role in the fleet. The unit also received very modern equipment - largely imported from Germany. During the Pacific War (1941-1945), the unit operated primarily from the base in Truk. It carried out overhauls of such units as the aircraft carrier Shokaku in late 1942 and the battleship Yamato in 1943. In February 1944, the unit managed to escape from the base in Truk during the American Operation Hailstone, but was finally sunk on March 30, 1944 as a result of attacks by American air forces.