Japanese destroyer Shimakaze

nihongo|"Shimakaze"|島風 was a one-off super-destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. A virtual cruiser, she was armed with six 127 mm dual purpose guns and conventional anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weaponry. More importantly, she was also armed with 15 torpedo tubes each capable of firing the deadly 24-inch "Long Lance" torpedo. The ship was a testbed for an enormously powerful high-temperature, high-pressure steam engine that was able to develop nearly 80,000 shaft horsepower. This made her one of the fastest destroyers in the world: her designed speed was 39 knots, but on trials she made 40.9 knots.

Ordered in 1939 under the Fourth Naval Replacement Programme (the Maru Yon programme), "Shimakaze" was laid down in Maizuru Naval Arsenal in August 1941 and completed on 10 May 1943. She saw action in the evacuation of Kiska in July 1943 and was present in 1944 at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. While flagship of Destroyer Squadron 2, she was sunk by American aircraft on 8 November 1944 during the Battle of Ormoc Bay. Japan had intended to lay down sixteen similar destroyers, with long term plans (the Maru Go programme) for a total of 32 to equip 4 destroyer squadrons, but a lack of industrial capacity prevented them from being realized.

peed Test

This ship was powered with experimental steam turbine (This made construction of sister ship very difficult) and has speed test on 7 April 1943 marked 40.90 knots with 79,240 horsepower.

hips in class

Commanding Officers

* Chief Equipping Officer - Cmdr. Hiromu Hirose - 20 March 1943 - 10 May 1943
* Cmdr. Hiromu Hirose - 10 May 1943 - 5 October 1943
* Cmdr. Hiroshi Uwai - 5 October 1943 - 11 November 1944

References

* M.J Whitley, Destroyers of World War 2, 1988 Cassell Publishing ISBN 1-85409-521-8
*"Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.5, Stories of Japanese Destroyers", Kōjinsha (Japan) 1993, ISBN 4-7698-0611-6
*"The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.41 Japanese Destroyers I", Ushio Shobō (Japan), July 1980, Book code 68343-42

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/japan/destroyers/pages/shimakaze.htm MaritimeQuest Shimakaze Page]
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/shimak_n.htm Shimakaze Class Notes by Allyn Nevitt]