Yamato-Class Battleships (大和型戦艦) were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the years of 1937 to 1942. The class carried the largest naval artillery ever fitted to a warship, 5 were planned while only 2 were completed.

Yamato-Class Battleships  served between the years of 1941 to 1945

Preceded by:  Nagato class (actual)

Preceded also by: Number 13 class (planned)

Yamato-Class Battleships Yamato & ,Musashi were built in extreme secrecy, to prevent American intelligence officials from learning of their existence and specifications. In fact, they only became aware of Yamato and Musashi by name in late 1942.  Due to the threat of American submarines and aircraft carriers, both Yamato and Musashi spent the majority of their careers in naval bases at Brunei, Truk, and Kure. 

Yamato served as the flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet during the Battle of Midway in June 1942, yet did not engage enemy forces during the battle. as part of the 1st Battleship Division, deployed on multiple occasions to counteract American carrier-raids on Japanese island bases. On 25 December 1943, she suffered major torpedo damage at the hands of USS Skate, and was forced to return to Kure for repairs and structural upgrades. In 1944 ,after refits, Yamato joined the Second Fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, serving as an escort to the Japanese Carrier Division. In October 1944, in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, she used her naval artillery against an enemy vessel for the only time, helping sink the American escort carrier Gambier Bay and the destroyer Johnston before she was forced away by torpedoes from Heermann, which put her out of combat. Yamato was sunk 7 April 1945 by 386 American carrier aircraft during Operation Ten-Go, receiving 10 torpedo and 7 bomb hits or more before capsizing. 

On 11 February 1943, Musashi relieved her sister ship Yamato as flagship of the Combined Fleet. Until July 1944, Musashi shifted between the naval bases of Truk, Yokosuka, Brunei, and Kure. On 29 March 1944, she sustained moderate damage near the bow from one torpedo fired by the American submarine Tunny. In June 1944, as part of the Second Fleet, the ship escorted Japanese aircraft carriers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. In October 1944, she left Brunei as part of Admiral Takeo Kurita's Centre Force during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Musashi was sunk 24 October during the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, taking 17 bomb and 19 torpedo hits.