Yūgumo-class destroyer

Naganami in June 1942.
Class overview
Name:	Yūgumo-class destroyer
Builders:	Maizuru Naval Arsenal Fujinagata Shipbuilding Yard Uraga Dock Company
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:	0
Lost:	19
General characteristics
Displacement:	2,077 tons standard, 2,520 tons battle condition
Length:	119.03 m (390 ft 6 in) overall, 117.00 m (383 ft 10 in) waterline
Beam:	10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draft:	3.76 m (12 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:	3 × Kampon water tube boilers, 2 × Kanpon impulse geared turbines, 52,000 shp (39 MW), 2 shafts
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:	(Yūgumo, December 1941) 6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3×2) 4 × 25 mm Type 96 AA guns 8 × Type 92 torpedo tubes (2×4) 16 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes 18 × depth charges (Naganami, November 1944) 6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3×2) approx. 20 × 25 mm Type 96 AA guns 1 × 12.7 mm AA gun (captured from USS Darter) 8 × Type 92 torpedo tubes (2×4) 16 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes 36 × depth charges (Asashimo, April 1945) 6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3×2) over 20 × 25 mm Type 96 AA guns 8 × Type 92 torpedo tubes (2×4) 16 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedoes 36 × depth charges

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.

Design and description

The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 meters (391 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).^[1] 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.^[2] 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).^[3]

The main armament 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.^[2] The guns were able to elevate up to 75° to increase their ability against aircraft, but 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.^[4] They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but more of these guns were added over the course of the war. 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.^[2]

Ships in class

Notes

References

• Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4. 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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yugumo class destroyers.

• http://www.combinedfleet.com/yugumo_n.htm