USS Sealion (SS-315) is the submarine that sunk Koungou and Urakaze, she also intercepted Nagato, Yamato, Yahagi, Izokaze, Hamakaze, Yukikaze, Ume, and Kiri.
The lion face in the background is probably representing England.
Not sure about the pigeons though. Except the three to the right, all of them are born in England (Asahi in Scotland, close enough) and most are either scrapped or disarmed due to the Washington Naval Treaty.
Not sure about the pigeons though. Except the three to the right, all of them are born in England (Asahi in Scotland, close enough) and most are either scrapped or disarmed due to the Washington Naval Treaty.
It's most likely a reference to her age. The Kongou-class was the next Japanese Battleship class after those, if I recall correctly. Though, they don't seem to be in any particular order.
This made her a WW1 Battle-cruiser, and one of the oldest battleships in WW2. I think the second. I think. (The USS Texas was older... and commissioned as a Battleship from the get go.)
Fuji class pre-dreadnought battleship.
Fuji, completed on August 1897 by Thames Iron Works.
Yashima, completed on September 1897 by Armstrong WhitworthShikishima-class pre-dreadnought battleship
Shikishima, completed on January 1900 by Thames Iron Works
Hatsuse, completed on January 1901 by ArmstrongPre-dreadnought battleship Asahi
Completed on July 1900 by Clydebank Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. / John Brown & Company,Katori-class pre-dreadnought battleship
Katori, completed on May 1905 by Vickers
Kashima, completed on May 1906 by Armstrong
Satsuma-class semi-dreadnought battleship
Satsuma, completed on March 1910 by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Aki, completed on March 1911 by Kure Naval ArsenalIbuki-class battlecruiser
Ibuki, completed on November 1909 by Kure Naval Arsenal
Kurama, completed on Febuary 1911 by Yokosuka Naval ArsenalTsukuba-class cruiser
Tsukuba, completed on January 1907 in Kure Naval Arsenal
Ikoma, completed on March 1908 in Kure Naval ArsenalPre-dreadnought battleship Mikasa
Completed on March 1902 by Vickers.
Flagship of Admiral Tougo Heihachiro, hero of the Russo-Japanese war.
The only surviving pre-dreadnought era battleship in the world. Used as museum in Yokosuka.Possibly a reference to USS Sealion II, the ship that sunk Kongou.USS Sealion II was sunk as a target ship on July 8, 1978The ships that accompanied Kongou during her final voyage.Urakaze was also sunk in USS Sealion's attack.