The Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer IJN Akizuki on trial run off Miyazu Bay on May 17th, 1942.
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 larger 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. 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.
Specifications[]
Akizuki-class[]
- Type: Air Defense Destroyer
- Service Period: 1942-1945 (IJN)/1969 (ROCN)
- Characteristics:
- Length: 440 feet 3 inches (134.19 meters)
- Beam: 38 feet 1 inch (11.61 meters)
- Draught: 13 feet 7 inches (4.14 meters)
- Displacement: 2,700 tons (Standard); 3,700 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 289
- Propulsion: 4 × Ro-Gō Kampon water tube boilers, 2 × Kampon impulse geared turbines, 2 shafts, 52,000 shp (39 MW)
- Range: 8,300 nautical miles (15,372 kilometers) at 18 knots (33.34 km/h)
- Speed: 33 knots (61.12 km/h)
- Sensor Suite:
- Type 13 Air Search RDF
- Type 22 Fire Control RDF
- Type 3 Mod 1 ASDIC
- Type 4 Hydrophone
- Armament:
- 8 x 10cm/65-caliber Type 98 dual purpose naval guns (4x2)
- 48 x 25mm/60-caliber Type 96 anti-aircraft guns (16x3)
- 4 x Type 92 torpedo tubes (fire Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes)
- 56 x Type 95 depth charges
Super Akizuki-class[]
- Type: Air Defense Destroyer
- Service Period: 1944-1945
- Characteristics:
- Length: 440 feet 3 inches (134.19 meters)
- Beam: 39 feet 4 inches (11.99 meters)
- Draught: 13 feet 7 inches (4.14 meters)
- Depth: 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 meters)
- Displacement: 3,030 tons (Standard); 4,152 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 289
- Propulsion: 3 × Kampon water-tube boilers, 2 × Kampon impulse geared steam turbines, 2 × shafts, 75,000 shp (56,000 kW)
- Range: 8,000 nautical miles (14.816 kilometers) at 18 knots (33.34 km/h)
- Speed: 36.7 knots (67.97 km/h)
- Sensor Suite:
- Type 13 Air Search RDF
- Type 22 Fire Control RDF
- Type 3 Mod 1 ASDIC
- Type 4 Hydrophone
- Armament:
- 8 x 10cm/65-caliber Type 98 dual purpose naval guns (4x2)
- 48 x 4cm/60-caliber Type 5 anti-aircraft guns (12x4)
- 6 x 61cm torpedo tubes (2x3) - fires Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes
- 50 x Type 95 depth charges
Unit Run[]
Akizuki-subclass[]
- IJN Akizuki
- IJN Teruzuki
- IJN Suzutsuki
- IJN Hatsuzuki
- IJN Niizuki
- IJN Shimotsuki
Fuyutsuki-subclass[]
- IJN Fuyutsuki
- IJN Harutsuki
- IJN Yoizuki - transferred to Republic of China Navy in 1947, renamed ROCS Hsien Ning
- IJN Natsuzuki
Michitsuki-subclass[]
- IJN Michitsuki
- IJN Hanazuki
- IJN Kiyotsuki
- IJN Ootsuki
- IJN Hazuki
- IJN Yamazuki
- IJN Urazuki
- IJN Aogumo
- IJN Benigumo
- IJN Harugumo
- IJN Amagumo
- IJN Yaegumo
- IJN Yukigumo
- IJN Okitsukaze
- IJN Shimokaze
- IJN Asagochi
- IJN Ookaze
- IJN Kochi
- IJN Nishikaze
- IJN Hae
Super Akizuki-subclass[]
- IJN Kitakaze
- IJN Hayakaze
- IJN Fuyukaze
- IJN Hatsunatsu
- IJN Hatsuaki
- IJN Hayaharu