''Pagoda'' Mast

By Crusader1307

The ''Pagoda'' Mast was a portion of Imperial Japanese Naval (Ship) construction which earned it's name from the similar shape of The Pagoda (a type of Japanese land architecture) prominent in that Country for centuries. The type of building was multi-layers (floors) in which the base floor was larger than the alternating smaller floors installed above it. This ''stacked'' effect became known as a Pagoda. The Japanese Castle System was renowned for it's Pagoda shape. The Naval version was related to various Ship Classes which used ''Pagoda'' styled Conning Towers. Unlike most National Navies which adopted The ''Tripod'' Mass system (but which Command and Control ''floors'' were towered on a 3-mast converging structure, The Pagoda was indicative to ''Kongo'', ''Nagato'' and later ''Yamato''-Class Battleships. Centered Amidship, The Command and Control ''Decks'' rose up as much as 25-feet (Beam). In some cases, slightly higher. Many Navies distrusted the style, citing it making a Ship ''top heavy''. In truth, the stacking of the Pagoda shape somewhat prohibited this possible flaw. After World War II, The ''Pagoda'' Mast was no longer used.