Akizuki-class destroyer (1942)

Akizuki on trial run off Miyazu Bay on May 17, 1942.
Class overview
Name: Akizuki-class destroyer
Builders: Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Sasebo Naval Arsenal
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Uraga Dock Company
Operators: Imperial Japanese Navy
Republic of China Navy
Soviet Navy
Subclasses: Akizuki-class (Pr. F51)
Fuyutsuki-class (Pr. F51)
Michitsuki-class (Pr. F53)
Super Akizuki-class (Pr. V7, only a project)
Cost: 12,090,000 JPY in 1939
17,820,400 JPY in 1941
19,194,000 JPY in 1942
Built: 1940–1945
In commission: 1942–1945 (IJN)
Planned: 6 (1939) + 10 (1941) + 23 (1942)
Completed: 12
Cancelled: 27
Lost: 6
Retired: 6
General characteristics (as per Whitley[1])
Displacement:2,700 long tons (2,743 t) standard
3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full load
Length:134.2 m (440 ft 3 in) overall
Beam:11.6 m (38 ft 1 in)
Draught:4.15 m (13 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:3 × Ro-Gō Kampon water tube boilers,
2 × Kampon impulse geared turbines,
2 shafts, 52,000 shp (39 MW)
Speed:33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Range:8,000 nmi (15,000 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement:263 (Akizuki in 1942)
315 (Akizuki in October 1944)
Armament:Akizuki in 1942[2]
8 × 100 mm / 65 cal Type 98 DP guns (4 × 2)
4 × 25 mm AA guns (2 × 2)
4 × Type 92 torpedo tubes
(8 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes)
56 × Type 95 depth charges
Suzutsuki in April 1945[3]
8 × 100 mm / 65 cal Type 98 DP guns (4 × 2)
47 × 25 mm AA guns (7 × 3 + 26 × 1),
3 × 13 mm AA guns (3 × 1)
4 × Type 92 torpedo tubes (1 × 4)
8 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes
56 × Type 2 Mod.1 depth charges

The Akizuki-class destroyers (秋月型駆逐艦 Akizuki-gata Kuchikukan) were one of the primary classes of new destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after 1942. The IJN called them Type-B Destroyer (乙型駆逐艦, Otsu-gata Kuchikukan) from their plan name. They were designed to fight smaller 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 3.9" (100mm) Type 98 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.

Ships of the Fuyutsuki and Michitsuki subclasses were modified to simplify and speed-up construction.

Four ships were used for war reparation.

Ships in classes

Akizuki class

Project number F51. General production type of the Akizuki-class. Seven vessels were built under the Maru 4 Programme (Ship # 104-109) and the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 360).

Ship # Ship Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
104 Akizuki (秋月) Maizuru Naval Arsenal 30 June 1940 2 July 1941 11 June 1942 Sunk during the Battle of Cape Engaño on 25 October 1944. Removed from naval ship list on 10 December 1944.
105 Teruzuki (照月) Mitsubishi, Nagasaki Shipyard 13 November 1940 21 November 1941 31 August 1942 Heavily damaged by USS PT-37 and PT-40 off Savo Island on 11 December 1942. Scuttled on 12 December 1942. Removed from naval ship list on 20 January 1943.
106 Suzutsuki (涼月) Mitsubishi, Nagasaki Shipyard 15 March 1941 3 March 1942 29 December 1942 Survived war at Sasebo. Decommissioned on 20 November 1945. Converted to breakwater at Kitakyūshū in July 1948.
107 Hatsuzuki (初月) Maizuru Naval Arsenal 25 July 1941 3 April 1942 29 December 1942 Sunk during the Battle of Cape Engaño on 25 October 1944. Removed from naval ship list on 10 December 1944.
108 Niizuki (新月) Mitsubishi, Nagasaki Shipyard 8 December 1941 29 June 1942 31 March 1943 Sunk during the Battle of Kula Gulf on 6 July 1943. Removed from naval ship list on 10 September 1943.
109 Wakatsuki (若月) Mitsubishi, Nagasaki Shipyard 9 March 1942 24 November 1942 31 May 1943 Sunk during the Battle of Ormoc Bay on 11 November 1944. Removed from naval ship list on 10 January 1945.
360 Shimotsuki (霜月) Mitsubishi, Nagasaki Shipyard 6 July 1942 7 April 1943 31 March 1944 Sunk by USS Cavalla off Anambas Islands 02°21′N 107°20′E / 2.350°N 107.333°E on 25 November 1944. Removed from naval ship list on 10 January 1945.

Fuyutsuki class

Project number F51. The Fuyutsuki subclass were originally going to be built to the same specifications as the Akizuki class but construction was more simplified. Four vessels were built under the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 361-364). Main differences from the Akizuki class were simplified bow design, removed rear deck house, and fitted two-dimensional air inlet for boilers. However, the IJN was not satisfied with the design. More modifications were ordered, leading to the Michitsuki subclass.

Ship # Ship Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
361 Fuyutsuki[4][5] (冬月) Maizuru Naval Arsenal 8 May 1943 20 January 1944 25 May 1944 Survived war at Kitakyūshū. Decommissioned on 20 November 1945. Converted to breakwater at Kitakyūshū in July 1948.
362 Harutsuki (春月) Sasebo Naval Arsenal 23 December 1943 3 August 1944 28 December 1944 Survived war at Kure. Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to Soviet Union on 28 August 1947 and renamed Внезапный.
363 Yoizuki (宵月) Uraga Dock Company 25 August 1943 25 September 1944 31 January 1945 Survived war at Nōmi. Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to Republic of China on 29 August 1947 and renamed Fen Yang. Scrapped in 1963.
364 Natsuzuki (夏月) Sasebo Naval Arsenal 1 May 1944 2 December 1944 8 April 1945 Survived war at Kitakyūshū. Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to United Kingdom on 25 August 1947. Sold and scrapped at Uraga in September 1947-March 1948.

Michitsuki class

Project number F53. Final production model of the Akizuki-class. Simplified more than Fuyutsuki-class. Converted 5 vessels from the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 365-369) and 16 vessels from the Maru 5 Programme (Ship #770-785 were re-planned to #5061-5076). However, only 1 vessel was completed.

Ship # Ship Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
365 Michitsuki[6][7] (満月) Sasebo Naval Arsenal 3 January 1945 16% complete, construction stopped on 17 April 1945. Scrapped on 28 February 1948.
366 Hanazuki (花月) Maizuru Naval Arsenal 10 February 1944 10 October 1944 26 December 1944 Survived war at western Inland Sea. Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to United States on 29 August 1947 and renamed DD-934. Sunk as target off the Gotō Islands on 3 February 1948.[8]
367 Kiyotsuki (清月) Maizuru Naval Arsenal Cancelled on 14 December 1944.
368 Ōtsuki (大月) Sasebo Naval Arsenal
369 Hazuki (葉月) Maizuru Naval Arsenal
5061
5062
5063
5064
5065		 Yamazuki (山月)
Urazuki (浦月)
Aogumo (青雲)
Benigumo (紅雲)
Harugumo (春雲)
5066
5067
5068
5069
5070
5071
5072
5073
5074
5075
5076		 Amagumo (天雲)
Yaegumo (八重雲)
Fuyugumo (冬雲)
Yukigumo (雪雲)
Okitsukaze (沖津風)
Shimokaze (霜風)
Asagochi (朝東風)
Ōkaze (大風)
Kochi (東風)
Nishikaze (西風)
Hae (南風)		 Cancelled on 9 June 1944.

Super Akizuki class

Project number V7. High-speed model of the Akizuki-class. Only a project. 16 vessels were planned under the Maru 5 Programme (Ship # 770-785) and 7 vessels were converted from Super Shimakaze-class under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Ship #733-748 were re-planned to #5077-5083).

Ship # Ship Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
770-785 Converted to Akizuki-class (later Michitsuki-class, Ship # 5061-5076) on 30 June 1942.
5077-5083 Kitakaze (北風)
Hayakaze (早風)
Natsukaze (夏風)
Fuyukaze (冬風)
Hatsunatsu (初夏)
Hatsuaki (初秋)
Hayaharu (早春)		 Cancelled on 9 June 1944.

Photos

See also

Media related to Akizuki class destroyers (IJN) at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Whitley, M J (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press. p. 204. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
  2. ↑ "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of the Pacific War Vol.23 Akizuki class destroyer, Gakken (Japan), 1999, ISBN 4-05-602063-9
  3. ↑ The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.19 Destroyer Asashio class/Akizuki class, Ushio Shobō (Japan), 1978, Book code 8343-7
  4. ↑ 1 October 1943, Administrative order No. 235, Named one destroyer, two submarines, one coast defence ship, two minesweepers, and one submarine chaser., Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of the Navy.
  5. ↑ National Archives of Japan, Reference code: C12070120400, October (1) p.1.
  6. ↑ 5 February 1945, Administrative order No. 22, Named four destroyers, one submarine, and six coast defence ships., Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of the Navy.
  7. ↑ National Archives of Japan, Reference code: C12070510100, February (1) p.44.
  8. ↑ Pike, John (27 April 2005). "globalsecurity.org". Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2007.

External links