Japanese cruiser Chikuma (1938)

Chikuma was a Tone-class cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She carried the pennant number 1938. She was named for Chikuma River. Her keel was laid at Mitsubishi on 1 October 1935. She entered service on 20 May 1939, having been launched on 19 March 1938.

Her class ran to two ships. The class followed the Mogami-class cruiser and was succeeded by the Ibuki-class cruiser.

Displacement was 11,213 long tons. She measured 201.6 m (661 ft) long with a beam of 19.4 m (64 ft). Her designed speed was 35 knots, and she carried a complement of 874.

Her main battery was eight 200 mm (7.9 in) guns. She carried six aircraft.

She was in commission for 2,058 days of the Second World War. She was struck from the register on 20 April 1945.

She was sunk on 25 October 1944, at 11°25′N 126°36′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.