Yūgumo-class destroyer
The Yūgumo-class destroyers (夕雲型駆逐艦, Yūgumo-gata kuchikukan) were a group of 19 destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The IJN called them Destroyer Type-A (甲型駆逐艦,, Kō-gata Kuchikukan) from their plan name. No ships of the class survived the war.
Naganami in June 1942 | |
Class overview | |
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Name: | Yūgumo-class destroyer |
Builders: | |
Operators: | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Preceded by: | Kagerō class |
Succeeded by: | Matsu class |
Built: | 1940–1944 |
In commission: | 1941–1945 |
Planned: | 14 (1939) + 16 (1941) + 8 (1942) |
Completed: | 19 |
Cancelled: | 19 |
Lost: | 19 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement: |
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Length: |
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Beam: | 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in) |
Draft: | 3.76 m (12 ft 4 in) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: | 35.5 knots (40.9 mph; 65.7 km/h) |
Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h) |
Complement: | 225 (Yūgumo, 1941) |
Armament: |
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Background
The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. The first 11 ships of the class were ordered as part of the 1939 4th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme. Another 16 ships (the Hayanami sub-class) were ordered as ships #340 to #355 as part of the 1941 Rapid Naval Armaments Supplement Programme, but of these eight were canceled before being laid down. Another eight ships (the Kai-Yūgumo sub-class) were planned as ships #5041 to #5048 under the 1942 Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme, but these were also canceled.[1]
Design and description
The Yūgumo class was 45 tons heavier and a few feet longer than the Kagerō class, distinguishable in silhouette primarily by the shape of the bridge. The Yūgumo class had a forward slope on the bridge, which was intended to reduce wind resistance and improve stability. Another difference was that the Yūgumo-class vessels were built by three different shipyards, and there were minor differences between individual ships, depending on the builder and when the ship was built.[1]
The general specifications for the Yūgumo class was a 119.17-meter (391 ft 0 in) overall length, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).[2] They displaced 2,110 metric tons (2,080 long tons) at standard load and 2,560 metric tons (2,520 long tons) at deep load.[3] Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men.
The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 shaft horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).[4]
The main battery of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5.0 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure.[3] The guns were in a new type of mount (known as the "D" mount) which was able to elevate up to 75° to increase their performance against aircraft; however, their slow rate of fire, slow traversing speed, and the lack of any sort of high-angle fire-control system meant that they were virtually useless as anti-aircraft guns.[5] The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised two depth charge throwers for which 36 depth charges were carried.[3]
As built, the Yūgumo class had four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-mounts forward of the aft smokestack. as with other destroyer classes, as the Pacific War progressed, anti-aircraft armaments were increased. Later, two triple-mount and one twin-mount Type 96 were added forward of the bridge and a Type 22 radar. Units surviving into 1944 had a second triple-mount added on a platform behind the forward smokestack. The six units surviving into 1944 received up to twelve additional single-mount Type 96s and a Type 13 radar. Kiyoshimo also received a number of Type 93 13mm machine guns.[1]
Operational history
The Yūgumo class were considered elite units and always assigned to escort primary fleet units. They were all lost during the Pacific War.
Ships in class
Ship # | Ship | Shipyard | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
115 | Akigumo (秋雲) | Built as part of the Kagerō class | |||||
116 | Yūgumo (夕雲) | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 12 June 1940 | 16 March 1941 | 5 December 1941 | Sunk, Battle of Vella Lavella, 6 October 1943 | |
117 | Makigumo (巻雲) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 13 December 1940 | 5 November 1941 | 14 March 1942 | Sunk after surface action, 1 February 1943 | |
118 | Kazagumo (風雲) | Uraga Dock Company | 23 December 1940 | 26 September 1941 | 28 March 1942 | Torpedoed at Davao Gulf, 8 June 1944 | |
119 | Naganami (長波) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 5 April 1941 | 5 March 1941 | 30 June 1942 | Air attack, Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944 | |
120 | Makinami (巻波) | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 11 April 1941 | 27 December 1941 | 8 August 1942 | Sunk, Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943 | |
121 | Takanami (高波) | Uraga Dock Company | 29 May 1941 | 16 March 1942 | 31 August 1942 | Sunk, Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942 | |
122 | Ōnami (大波) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 15 November 1941 | 13 August 1942 | 29 December 1942 | Sunk, Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943 | |
123 | Kiyonami (清波) | Uraga Dock Company | 15 October 1941 | 17 August 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Air attack, NNW of Kolombangara 20 July 1943 | |
124 | Tamanami (玉波) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 16 March 1942 | 26 December 1942 | 30 April 1943 | Torpedoed, WSW of Manila, 7 July 1944 | |
126 | Suzunami (涼波) | Uraga Dock Company | 27 March 1942 | 26 December 1942 | 27 July 1943 | Air attack, Rabaul, 11 November 1943 | |
127 | Fujinami (藤波) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 25 August 1942 | 20 April 1943 | 31 July 1943 | Air attack N of Iloilo, 27 October 1944 | |
128 129 |
Dummy budget covering Yamato-class battleships | ||||||
340 | Hayanami (早波) | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 15 January 1942 | 19 December 1942 | 31 July 1943 | Torpedoed near Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, 7 June 1944 | |
341 | Hamanami (濱波) | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 28 April 1942 | 18 April 1943 | 15 October 1943 | Air attack, Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944 | |
342 | Okinami (沖波) | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 5 August 1942 | 18 July 1943 | 10 December 1943 | Air attack W of Manila, 13 November 1944 | |
343 | Kishinami (岸波) | Uraga Dock Company | 29 August 1942 | 19 August 1943 | 3 December 1943 | Torpedoed W of Palawan Island, 4 December 1944 | |
344 | Asashimo (朝霜) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 21 January 1943 | 18 July 1943 | 27 November 1943 | Air attack SW of Nagasaki, 7 April 1945 | |
345 | Hayashimo (早霜) | Maizuru Naval Arsenal | 20 January 1943 | 20 October 1943 | 20 February 1944 | Air attack off Semirara Island, 26 October 1944 | |
346 | Akishimo (秋霜) | Fujinagata Shipyards | 3 May 1943 | 5 December 1943 | 11 March 1944 | Air attack, Manila, 13 November 1944 | |
347 | Kiyoshimo (清霜) | Uraga Dock Company | 16 March 1943 | 29 February 1944 | 15 May 1944 | Torpedoed after air attack, 26 December 1944 | |
348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 |
Umigiri (海霧) Yamagiri (山霧) Tanigiri (谷霧) Kawagiri (川霧) Taekaze (妙風) Kiyokaze (清風) Satokaze (里風) Murakaze (村風) |
Cancelled on 11 August 1943 | |||||
5041 5042 5043 5044 5045 5046 5047 5048 |
Yamasame (山雨) Akisame (秋雨) Natsusame (夏雨) Hayasame (早雨) Takashio (高潮) Akishio (秋潮) Harushio (春潮) Wakashio (若潮) |
Kai-Yūgumo class Cancelled on 11 August 1943 | |||||
Notes
- Stille, Mark (2013). Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919–45 (2). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 20–28. ISBN 978 1 84908 987 6.
- Chesneau, p. 195
- Whitley, p. 203
- Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
- Campbell, p. 192
References
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
- "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.51 The truth of Imperial Japanese Vessels Histories 2, Gakken (Japan), August 2005, ISBN 4-05-604083-4
- Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.5, Stories of Japanese Destroyers, Kōjinsha (Japan) 1993, ISBN 4-7698-0611-6
- Model Art Extra No.340, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-1, Model Art Co. Ltd. (Japan), October 1989, Book code 08734-10
- The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.41 Japanese Destroyers I, Ushio Shobō (Japan), July 1980, Book code 68343-42
External links
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