Von Rom
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Joined: 5/12/2000
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Here is another very interesting topic :)
From what I have been able to find out, the Japanese did have many destroyers that served as AA protection for carriers. And in night battles their Long-Lance torpedoes were deadly.
Japanese destroyers were fast and powerfully armed, especially in the torpedo department. Unfortunately, they were less well equipped with good sonar, radar, and adequate anti-aircraft weapons (most Japanese destroyer 5" mounts turned too slowly to track fast moving aircraft, and the dual and triple 25mm mounts which comprised the bulk of their AAA had inferior fire control, a low sustained rate of fire, and insufficient weight of shell). As a consequence, U.S. submarines and aircraft took a heavy toll of these ships. In a night fight, however, they were much to be feared.
Please forgive me for any inaccuracies:
1) Akizuki class - 1942-1945
This was the finest class of destroyers Japan fielded during the war. They mounted a superb 3.9" dual-purpose gun in four twin mounts. They also were among the first Japanese vessels equipped with radar. Yes, they were a little light in the torpedo department (a single mount of four tubes, plus reloads), but the Japanese were desperately in need of good AA ships, and the tradeoff was probably worth it.
Known as the "Type B," these ships were designed primarily as antiaircraft escorts for the carrier force.
Some 50 feet longer and 700 tons heavier than the preceding KAGEROs and YUGUMOs, the AKIZUKIs were able to carry a fourth main-battery turret without suffering any topweight problems as a result. These turrets were large, fully-enclosed and power-operated, and each mounted twin 3.9" high-velocity guns. Though designed as AA weapons, their high rate of fire and range of 20,000 yards made them at least the equal of their American 5" counterparts. From 1943 on each destroyer was also equipped with fifteen to fifty-one 25 mm. machine guns, the number increasing as the war progressed, and a full array of Types 21 and 22 radars.
Armament:
*8 x 3.9"/65 DP
*up to 51 x 25mm AA
*4 x 24" TT
*72 DCs
2) Yugumo class - 1941-1944
Their main armament of six 5"/50 cal. guns was the same as the KAGEROs, but these were mounted in the new Type D turret capable of 75-degree elevations as opposed to KAGERO's 55-degrees, a considerable advantage in the antiaircraft role which became more vital as the war progressed. In fact, this major upgrade, often overlooked, obviated the need to sacrifice a main-gun turret for extra light AA, and no YUGUMOs actually suffered the removal of their "X" turret to make room for extra 25 mm. machine guns, as has been widely reported. (SHIMAKAZE also carried the Type D turrets — KAGERO-class AKIGUMO did not.) Instead, surviving YUGUMOs added their two triple 25 mm. mounts on bandstands abaft their fore-funnels. One of the spare sets of Long-Lance torpedoes was also eventually landed in favor of the greater AA firepower, with the total number of 25 mm. growing to between fifteen and twenty-eight per destroyer.
armament:
*6 x 5"/50 DP,
*up to 28 x 25mm AA,
*up to 4 x 13mm AA,
*8 x 24" TT,
*36 DCs
3) Shimakaze class - 1943
One word sums up this magnificent vessel: power. She had a top speed of almost 40 knots (that's really moving, people), 6 x 5" guns, and a main torpedo battery of 15 (count 'em) 24" tubes. She was one of the most powerful destroyers of the war -- the superb U.S. Allen Sumner had comparable gun power and better fire control, and the French Mogadors had the same speed and superior 8 x 5.5" gunpower (not to mention almost 1,000 tons of full load displacement -- nearly a light cruiser), but neither of these classes had the kind of torpedo battery capable of scuppering an entire squadron of opponents at a crack. Of course, because of her outsized powerplant she was far too expensive to be built in any sort of quantity (Japan was losing the war big-time by the time she was launched), and her sixteen sister ships were never laid down.
Armament:
*6 x 5"/50 DP,
*up to 28 x 25mm AA,
*up to 4 x 13mm AA,
*15 x 24" TT,
*18 DCs
More information on Japanese destroyers:
http://www.warships1.com/Japanese_destroyers.htm
http://www.friesian.com/destroy.htm
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Jap Destroyers have incorrect guns!!!!! - 
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