Update Aoba class

The two Aoba class thus followed the Furutaka a year apart as heavy cruisers, and their development did not took into account the serious issues of the two previous ships. They had from the start three twin turrets for their main armement. On the other hand, their torpedo tubes were still unusually placed in six fixed tubes on the broadside. A first modification in 1932 consisted in adding eight Type 93 heavy machine guns. In 1938-40, their fixed tubes were replaced by two quadruple torpedo tubes on deck, and longitudinal ballasts added, while AA was reinforced with Type 96 25mm guns and four more Type 93. In operations, they saw heavy action, starting with the Solomon Islands, the “massacre” of Savo Island on August 8, 1942. Kinugasa was later sunk by USN aviation on November 14, 1942 zt the second battle of Guadalcanal and Aoba survived to be modernized in May-June 1944. She saw action at the Battle of the Coral Sea, first battle of Guadalcanal, second, only to be destroyed at Kure by the 3rd US Air Fleet on July 25, 1945.
Full Article