Anatomy of Yamato

12. Tower Bridge
The tower bridge was the ship's control center. Perched at its top, 100 feet above the weather deck, was a rangefinder with state-of-the-art optics. Similar rangefinders aided targeting at Yamato's three main gun turrets. Their range estimation would have been critical in battles with distant enemy ships. But like Yamato's modern radar and sonar equipment, the rangefinders were little help in her final showdown with Allied planes. Yamato veteran Naoyoshi Ishida, who was stationed on the tower bridge, could see the American pilots with his unaided eyes.