|
Tonnage |
2701 tons |
|
Dimensions |
440'2" by 38'1" by 13'7" 134.16m by 11.61m by 4.14m |
|
Maximum speed |
33 knots |
|
Complement |
263 |
|
Armament |
4x2 3.9"/65
AA guns 4 25mm/60 machine guns 1x4 Long Lance torpedo tubes 72 depth charges |
|
Bunkerage |
1097 tons fuel oil |
|
Range |
8300 miles at 18 knots |
| Sensors | Niizuki was the first Japanese destroyer equipped with radar when she was commissioned, likely Type 21 and 22 |
| Modifications | Additional 25mm machine guns began to be shipped in 1943, and some units had a total of 51 25mm machine guns by the time the war ended. |
The Akizukis (transliterated Akitsukis by some authors) were completed between 1942 and 1945. A total of 53 were ordered, but the straining Japanese economy was unable to complete more than twelve before the end of the war. They were very modern ships, designed specifically as escort vessels, with a much better antiaircraft battery than most Japanese ships: eight 3.9”/65 AA guns, the most effective antiaircraft gun shipped by the Imperial Navy during the war, in dual mounts. They were nearly as large as the Yubari light cruiser class, with four torpedo reloads and remarkable range and toughness, but they were somewhat limited in speed compared with other destroyers. They were probably the finest Japanese destroyer design.
| completed 1942-6-11 (Maizuru) | Sunk by aircraft 1944-10-25 during the Battle of Cape Engano | |
| completed 1942-8-31 (Nagasaki) | Torpedoed 1942-12-12 by PT-37 and PT-40 off Guadalcanal | |
| completed 1942-12-20 (Nagasaki) | ||
| completed 1942-12-29 (Maizuru) | Sunk by gunfire 1944-10-25 during the Battle of Cape Engano | |
| Niizuki | completed 1943-3-31 (Nagasaki) | Sunk by gunfire 1943-7-6 at Kula Gulf |
| Wakatsuki | completed 1943-5-31 (Nagasaki) | Sunk by aircraft 1944-11-11 off Ormoc |
| completed 1944-3-31 (Nagasaki) | Torpedoed 1944-11-25 by Cavalla 220 miles ENE of Singapore | |
| completed 1944-5-25 (Maizuru) | ||
| completed 1944-12-26 (Maizuru) | ||
| completed 1944-12-28 (Sasebo) | ||
| Yoizuki | completed 1945-1-31 (Tokyo) | |
| completed 1945-4/8 (Sasebo) |
References
CombinedFleet.com (accessed 2007-3-29)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007 by Kent G. Budge. Index
