It's not a very good picture, but this seems to support that: it's a head-on shot (the superfiring rear turrets are visible aft of the rear mast), and the bow definitely looks shorter and grafted-on, with no #1 turret.
Like usual, I'd presume Japanese-language sources would have more information.
It's not a very good picture, but this seems to support that: it's a head-on shot (the superfiring rear turrets are visible aft of the rear mast), and the bow definitely looks shorter and grafted-on, with no #1 turret.
11-16 January: […] Heavy damage: torpedoed north of the Spratly Islands by USS REDFIN (SS-272). Magazine explosion forward severed bow and killed 80, including Comdesdiv 16 (Captain Furukawa Bunji [49]). Presumed sunk by convoy, left adrift for six days until discovery by patrol plane.[…]
15 November: Arrived in Singapore for fitting of temporary bow, then local escort duties.
The third paragraph in this page claimed that many bombs from the enemy planes missed her because they saw the larger bow wave and miscalculated her real speed.
Assuming it just lost the bow back to about the forward turret? Absolutely, with some luck this is survivable assuming reasonably calm seas, competent damage control, and a slow speed back to a port to keep from aggravating the damage and causing progressive flooding. Actually I'm surprised it seems to have been disabled by this damage, other ships I found where all able to steam slowly after similar damage. (If the ammo really did explode in addition to the torpedo hit perhaps that explain it, but if so the ship was insanely lucky not to sink on the spot)
The kludged on replacement bow being used in combat though is purely a factor of the Japanese being entirely incapable of properly repairing the ship by this point in the war. Such bows were fitted to other ships with this type of damage, but solely as a means to allow travel back to a proper port for a full repair.
Some other examples of ships with this type of damage
The article mentioned that a new bow has been prepared in Yokosuka. Amatsukaze is supposed to return on April 1945, but she got sunk by attacks on the way. Participating in war is probably because of the shortage in operable ships so they even send in the wounded to work, or the sea is too dangerous to return yet so she's being held back.
Amatsukaze KaiA new bow was prepared at Yokosuka for Amatsukaze, who had performed valiantly in battle despite her condition.During April 1945, on her way back to Japan for repairs, she finally ran out of wind under pursuit and was eventually scuttled by explosive charges.
On April 6, another B-25 attack hit her convoy from Hong Kong, setting Amatsukaze adrift until she ran aground that night (possibly deliberately). On April 10, she was scuttled after bad weather fouled multiple salvage attempts. Her wreck served as a training target for Japanese aircraft.Even with only one primary boiler operational, she managed 20 knots.A temporary bow and bridge were rigged onto the surviving stern on the spot, allowing her to cruise once again.Length:
118 m →74 m Surprisingly, she returned to the frontlines like this! The temporary bow made massive waves, resulting in her looking faster than she actually was.Ker-splaaaaashFaaaaast!! (Illusion)A new bow!As a result, during an air raid enemy bombers targeting her misjudged her speed and were swatted back by their would-be victim.
Amatsukaze fought air raids by B-25s throughout March and early April while escorting convoys on her way home.
