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Yūgumo-class destroyer

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Naganami in June 1942
Class overview
NameYūgumo-class destroyer
Builders
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded byKagerō class
Succeeded by
Built1940–1944
In commission1941–1945
Planned14 (1939) + 16 (1941) + 8 (1942)
Completed19
Cancelled19
Lost19
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
Beam10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draft3.76 m (12 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 3 × Kampon water tube boilers,
  • 2 × Kanpon impulse geared turbines,
  • 52,000 shp (39 MW), 2 shafts
Speed35.5 knots (40.9 mph; 65.7 km/h)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement225 (Yūgumo, 1941)
Armament

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.

Background

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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

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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] Despite this, the process of replacing the No. 2 gun turret with anti-aircraft guns was never carried out on any ship of this class. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in 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. From 1943, two triple-mounts replaced the dual mounts aft and one twin-mount Type 96 was added forward of the bridge and a Type 22 radar. Units surviving into 1944 had a second pair of 25mm triple-mounts added on a platform behind the forward smokestack since they retained their No. 2 gun turrets. The six units surviving into late 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

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The Yūgumo class were considered[by whom?] elite units and always assigned to escort primary fleet units. They were all lost during the Pacific War. Most of their service consisted of convoy and carrier escorting duties with the occasional shore bombardment. Surprisingly, despite being one of the most advanced destroyers of WW2, the class seldom served in surface actions against enemy warships.

A number of ships of the class were involved in the Battle of Tassafaronga in November 30th, 1942, but most did not accomplish anything. However, the Takanami was sunk by the combined gunfire of the heavy cruisers USS New Orleans and USS Minneapolis, but not before firing her torpedoes. Two torpedoes hit Minneapolis, blowing her bow clean off, while one hit New Orleans, igniting her turret one magazines and severing everything forward of turret 2, heavily crippling (but not sinking) both ships.[6]

On the 12th of July, 1943, the Kiyonami was involved in the battle of Kolombangara against a US cruiser force. Alongside the destroyers Yukikaze, Hamakaze, and Yūgure, she took part in a mass torpedo spread that sank the destroyer USS Gwin and crippled the light cruisers USS Honolulu, USS St. Louis, and HMS Leander.[7]

The Yũgumo herself was involved in the Battle of Vella Lavella on the 6th of October 1943, the last Japanese naval victory of the war. In a similar fate to Takanami, she was sunk by the combined gunfire and torpedoes of the destroyers USS Chevalier, USS Selfridge, and USS O'Bannon, yet still fired a torpedo that hit and sank Chevalier.[8]

Ships in class

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Construction data
Ship Kanji Ship # Shipyard Laid down Launched Completed Fate
Akigumo 秋雲 115 Built as part of the Kagerō class
Yūgumo 夕雲 116 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 12 June 1940 16 March 1941 5 December 1941 Sunk, Battle of Vella Lavella, 6 October 1943
Makigumo 巻雲 117 Fujinagata Shipyards 13 December 1940 5 November 1941 14 March 1942 Sunk after surface action, 1 February 1943
Kazagumo 風雲 118 Uraga Dock Company 23 December 1940 26 September 1941 28 March 1942 Torpedoed at Davao Gulf, 8 June 1944
Naganami 長波 119 Fujinagata Shipyards 5 April 1941 5 March 1942 30 June 1942 Air attack, Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944
Makinami 巻波 120 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 11 April 1941 27 December 1941 8 August 1942 Sunk, Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943
Takanami 高波 121 Uraga Dock Company 29 May 1941 16 March 1942 31 August 1942 Sunk, Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942
Ōnami 大波 122 Fujinagata Shipyards 15 November 1941 13 August 1942 29 December 1942 Sunk, Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943
Kiyonami 清波 123 Uraga Dock Company 15 October 1941 17 August 1942 25 January 1943 Air attack, NNW of Kolombangara 20 July 1943
Tamanami 玉波 124 Fujinagata Shipyards 16 March 1942 26 December 1942 30 April 1943 Torpedoed, WSW of Manila, 7 July 1944
Suzunami 涼波 126 Uraga Dock Company 27 March 1942 26 December 1942 27 July 1943 Air attack, Rabaul, 11 November 1943
Fujinami 藤波 127 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
Hayanami 早波 340 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 15 January 1942 19 December 1942 31 July 1943 Torpedoed near Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, 7 June 1944
Hamanami 濱波 341 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 28 April 1942 18 April 1943 15 October 1943 Air attack, Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944
Okinami 沖波 342 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 5 August 1942 18 July 1943 10 December 1943 Air attack W of Manila, 13 November 1944
Kishinami 岸波 343 Uraga Dock Company 29 August 1942 19 August 1943 3 December 1943 Torpedoed W of Palawan Island, 4 December 1944
Asashimo 朝霜 344 Fujinagata Shipyards 21 January 1943 18 July 1943 27 November 1943 Air attack during Operation Ten-Go, 7 April 1945
Hayashimo 早霜 345 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 20 January 1943 20 October 1943 20 February 1944 Air attack off Semirara Island, 26 October 1944
Akishimo 秋霜 346 Fujinagata Shipyards 3 May 1943 5 December 1943 11 March 1944 Air attack, Manila, 13 November 1944
Kiyoshimo 清霜 347 Uraga Dock Company 16 March 1943 29 February 1944 15 May 1944 Torpedoed after air attack, 26 December 1944
Umigiri 海霧 348 — — — — Cancelled on 11 August 1943
Yamagiri 山霧 349
Tanigiri 谷霧 350
Kawagiri 川霧 351
Taekaze 妙風 352
Kiyokaze 清風 353
Satokaze 里風 354
Murakaze 村風 355
Yamasame 山雨 5041 — — — — Kai-Yūgumo class cancelled on 11 August 1943
Akisame 秋雨 5042
Natsusame 夏雨 5043
Hayasame 早雨 5044
Takashio 高潮 5045
Akishio 秋潮 5046
Harushio 春潮 5047
Wakashio 若潮 5048

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Stille, Mark (2013). Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919–45 (2). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 20–28. ISBN 978-1-84908-987-6.
  2. ^ Sturton, p. 195
  3. ^ a b c Whitley, p. 203
  4. ^ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
  5. ^ Campbell, p. 192
  6. ^ "Long Lancers". www.combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Long Lancers". www.combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Long Lancers". www.combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.

References

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  • Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
  • 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.
  • Sturton, Ian (1980). "Japan". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 167–217. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Whitley, M. J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.

Further reading

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  • "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
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