Japanese cruiser Yūbari
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 "Yūbari" in 1924 |
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| Career |  Japanese Navy Ensign |
|---|---|
| Class and type: | light cruiser |
| Name: | Yūbari (夕張) |
| Ordered: | October 1921 |
| Builder: | Sasebo Navy Yard |
| Laid down: | 5 June 1922 |
| Launched: | 5 March 1923 |
| Commissioned: | 23 July 1923 |
| Status: | sunk 28 April 1944 by US submarine Bluegill |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 2,890tonnes standard designed 3,141 tons full load designed 4075 tons full load actual |
| Length: | 138.90 m (455.66 ft) |
| Beam: | 12.04 m (39.5 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.58 m (11.75 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 3 shaft geared steam turbines,8 boilers 57,750 hp (43,060 kW) |
| Speed: | 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Complement: | 328 |
| Armament: | 6 - 140 mm guns (2x2, 2x1) 1- 76.2 mm AA gun, 2 machine guns, 4-24 in torpedo tubes (2x2),34 mines |
| Armour: | Main belt: 38 mm, deck: 25 mm, turrets: 25 mm, |
The Yūbari (夕張?) was a single light cruiser built between 1922 and 1923 for the Imperial Japanese Navy. She fought in World War 2 and was sunk.
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[edit] Design
The ship originated as an experimental scout cruiser, which would have the combat potential of the standard 5,000 ton Japanese light cruisers on a much lighter ship. The ship was designed by Admiral Yuzuru Hiraga. The guns were mounted on the centre line in turrets and armour was integrated into the hull structure. The forecastle was given significant flare to improve seakeeping. Destroyer type machinery was used to save weight, with 8 oil fired Kanpon boilers trunked into a single large funnel.
The ship was completed 419 tons (13%) over the designed displacement, this resulted in an extra foot of draught and a loss of 1.5 knots (2.8 km/h) in designed speed. The ship was however considered successful and many of its features were used in subsequent Japanese warships.
The ship had a significant refit in early 1944 when the two single 140 mm guns were removed, 1 120mm AA gun (A position) and 6 twin and 1 triple 25 mm AA guns added together with search radar and depth charges.
[edit] Service
The Yubari served during in the Pacific during World War II where she was the flagship of the Japanese invasion force during the invasion of Wake Island. She led both invasion attempts on December 11, and December 23, 1941 and was damaged by U.S. Marine coastal guns during the first attempted landing. The Yubari was sunk on April 27, 1944 off Palau by the U.S. submarine Bluegill.
[edit] Commanding Officers
Chief Equipping Officer - Capt. Masao Sugiura - 1 March 1923 - 31 July 1923
Capt. Masao Sugiura - 31 July 1923 - 1 December 1923
Capt. Nobuichi Yamaguchi - 1 December 1923 - 10 November 1924
Cmdr. / Capt. Aijiro Tomioka - 10 November 1924 - 20 October 1925 (Promoted to Captain on 1 December 1924.)
Capt. Kiyoshi Anno - 20 October 1925 - 1 November 1926
Capt. Shinpei Kida - 1 November 1926 - 1 December 1927
Capt. Shigefusa Morita - 1 December 1927 - 30 November 1929
Capt. Takeo Kawana - 30 November 1929 - 15 November 1930
Capt. Seitaro Hara - 15 November 1930 - 1 December 1931
Capt. Jiro Saito - 1 December 1931 - 15 November 1933
Capt. Ko Kiyomiya - 15 November 1933 - 15 November 1934
Capt. Marquis Tadashige Daigo - 15 November 1934 - 25 May 1935
Capt. Seiichi Harada - 25 May 1935 - 31 October 1935
Capt. Masao Yamamoto - 31 October 1935 - 1 December 1936
Capt. Sueto Hirose - 1 December 1936 - 15 November 1937
Capt. Yugoro Hori - 15 November 1937 - 20 July 1938
Capt. Shutoku Miyazato - 20 July 1938 - 15 November 1938
Capt. Takero Koda - 15 November 1938 - 1 November 1939
Capt. Michiaki Kamata - 1 November 1939 - 15 November 1939
Capt. Heitaro Edo - 15 November 1939 - 1 November 1940
Capt. Masami Ban - 1 November 1940 - 15 August 1942
Capt. Yasuji Hirai - 15 August 1942 - 3 May 1943
Capt. Morie Funaki - 3 May 1943 - 26 December 1943
Capt. Ranji Oe - 26 December 1943 - 30 January 1944
Capt. Takeo Nara - 30 January 1944 - 28 April 1944
[edit] References
- Frido G Kip - The Japanese Experimental Light Cruiser Yubari - in Warship 1999-2000, Conway's Maritime Press
