Tank Commanders!
So far, we've followed the Challenger to the Australian Armour Museum and Kinmen, Taiwan. Two episodes have since been released, showcasing the military treasures that these two locations have to offer.
The Challenger now heads further north in search of something new. But what could it be?
The Japanese Battleship Mikasa
Hidden within the modest-looking city of Yokosuka lies an old retired warship: the Mikasa. Classed as a 'pre-dreadnought battleship', this vessel was built at a time when naval warfare had yet to be dominated by massive guns and aircraft carriers, which also means that it's practically ancient by today's standards.
In fact, the Mikasa holds the distinction of being the very last battleship of its kind in existence today, which is why we're devoting an entire episode around it. He won't be alone this time either; our Tadamasa Miyanaga, our Military Advisor based in Japan will be assisting with the presentation, drawing on his extended familiarity with Japanese military history.
In particular, he has this to say about the gunnery tactics used by the Japanese during the period when the Mikasa was still in operational service:
There was a possibility that the Japanese used the salvo firing method developed by the British during this battle. Around the time of the Russo-Japanese War, navies around the world have begun evaluating the concept of firing in salvos, but the technology to make this practical was still in development.
- Tadamasa Miyanaga
Enjoy the video, and don't forget to turn on the subtitles for more amazing facts from Miyanaga-san!
Roll out!