Akizuki class destroyer (1942)
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 Fuyuzuki |
|
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators: |  Imperial Japanese Navy Republic of China Navy Royal Navy Soviet Navy United States Navy |
| In commission: | June 11, 1942 - August 8, 1945 |
| Completed: | 12 completed |
| Lost: | 6 |
| General characteristics (as per Whitley[1]) | |
| Displacement: | 2,700 tons standard; 3,700 tons full load |
| Length: | 440 ft 3 in (134.2 metres) (overall) |
| Beam: | 38 ft 1 in (11.6 m) |
| Draught: | 13 ft 7 in (4.5 m) |
| Propulsion: | 4 × Kampon type boilers, 2 × Parsons geared turbines, 2 × shafts at 50,000 shp (37 MW) |
| Speed: | 33 knots (61 km/h)] |
| Range: | 8,300nm at 18 kn (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 300 |
| Armament: | 8 × 100 mm / 65 calType 98DPguns (4x2), up to 51 × 25 mm AA guns, 4 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedotubes, 72 depth charges |
The Akizuki class destroyers were one of the primary classes of new destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after 1942. They were designed to fight larger ships, aircraft and submarines.
This is considered to have been the most useful class of destroyers Japan fielded during the war and was well regarded in the IJN.[1] They mounted a superb 3.9" dual-purpose gun in four twin mounts. They also were among the first Japanese vessels equipped with radar. The ships were lighter in their torpedo armament, compared to contemporary destroyers (a single mount of four tubes, plus reloads), but the ships compensated with stronger anti-aircraft armament.
Michizuki and Fuyuzuki and the later ship which were not completed simplified materials and a method of the building.
Four ships were used for war reparation.
[edit] Ships in class
The completed ships of this class of destroyers were:
| Ship | Launched | Fate |
| Akizuki | 2 July 1941 | Sunk 25 October 1944 |
| Teruzuki | 21 November 1941 | Sunk 12 December 1942 |
| Suzutsuki | 4 March 1942 | Scrapped 1948 |
| Hatsuzuki | 3 April 1942 | Sunk 25 October 1944 |
| Niizuki | 29 June 1942 | Sunk 6 July 1943 |
| Wakatsuki | 24 November 1942 | Sunk 11 November 1944 |
| Shimotsuki | 7 April 1943 | Sunk 24 November 1944 |
| Fuyuzuki | 24 May 1944 | Scrapped 1948 |
| Hanazuki or Hanatsuki | 10 October 1944 | Transferred to USN 28 August 1947 (DD-934). Sunk as target off Qingdao, China, 3 February 1948[2] |
| Yoizuki | 25 September 1944 | Transferred to Republic of China Navy 29 August 1947, renamed Fen Yang, scrapped 1963 |
| Haruzuki or Harutsuki | 3 August 1944 | Transferred to Soviet Navy 28 August 1947, renamed Popeshny |
| Natsuzuki | 2 December 1944 | Transferred to Royal Navy 3 September 1947, scrapped 1948 |
In addition the following four units were either cancelled or not completed: Mochizuki, Kiyotsuki, Ozuki and Hazuki.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Whitley, M J (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press, p.204. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
- ^ Pike, John (27 April 2005). globalsecurity.org. Retrieved on [[23 November 2007]].
[edit] External links
- CombinedFleet.com: Akizuki-class destroyers
- IJN Akitsuki Class Destroyers, Globalsecurity.org
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