Harusame class destroyer

The nihongo|Harusame class destroyers|春雨型駆逐艦|Harusamegata kuchikukan was a class of seven torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The "Harusame"-class of destroyers were the first destroyers to be built in Japan. [ Jentsura, Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945 ]

Background

The "Harusame"-class destroyers were part of the 1894 Imperial Japanese Navy ten-year expansion and modernization plan for based on lessons learned in the First Sino-Japanese War. In the second phase of this plan, from fiscal 1897, after 12 destroyers had been imported from the United Kingdom, budget cutbacks reduced the number of new vessels to only four more (two each from the "Akitsuki" and "Shirakumo"-classes.

In fiscal year 1900, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided to cancel plans for a torpedo boat tender, which freed funds to purchase four additional destroyers. Likewise, in fiscal 1903, the cancellation of six planned utility vessels freed funds to produce an additional three destroyers.

In order to cut costs and to help develop the Japanese shipbuilding industry, it was decided to construct all seven of the new destroyers at Japanese yards. The first four were built at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, and the remaining three at the Kure Naval Arsenal. [ Howarth, The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun]

Design

The "Harusame"-class ships attempted to incorporate the best features of the existing destroyer designs in the Navy's inventory. The bow design and front half of the vessel was substantially identical to the previous Yarrow-built "Ikazuchi"-class, whereas the aft section was a copy of the previous Thornycroft-built "Murakumo"-class.

Externally, the design retained the four-smokestacks of the "Ikazuchi", and the improved rudder design of the "Akitsuki"–class. The main design issue was with the coal-fired triple expansion steam engines, which copied the design of the Yarrow water-tube boilers. As with the "Ikazuchi"-class, the rated power was 7,000 shp; however, problems with quality of the materials and construction meant that actual maximum power was considerably less. [Evans, Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941]

Armament was the similar to the previous "Ikazuchi" and "Murakumo" classes; i.e. two QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle, four QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss (two sided abreast the conning tower, and two sided between the funnels and two single tubes for 18 inch torpedoes. [Jane, The Imperial Japanese Navy]

Operational history

All of the "Harusame"-class destroyers were completed in time to be used in combat during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, with the final three vessels completed just in time to take part in the crucial final Battle of Tsushima. "Hayatori" was lost after striking a naval mine during the conflict off of Port Arthur coord|38|47|S|121|30|E [Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy ] .

"Harusame" was lost in 1911 after running aground in Matoya Bay in Mie Prefecture, Japan coord|34|25|N|137|00|E [Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy ] . On 1912-08-28, the remaining five vessels were derated to third-class destroyers and were removed from front line combat service. However, all five served again during World War I, albiet in minor roles.

All five surviving vessels were converted to auxiliary minesweepers on 1922-04-01, but were used for only a year until converted to unarmed utility vessels, and were then subsequently scrapped in 1924 or 1926. [Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy ]

List of Ships

References

Books

*cite book
last = Evans
first = David
year = 1979
title = Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941
publisher = US Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0870211927
*cite book
last = Howarth
first = Stephen
year = 1983
title = The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945
publisher = Atheneum
location =
id = ISBN 0689114028
*cite book
last = Jane
first = Fred T
year = 1904
title = The Imperial Japanese Navy
publisher = Thacker, Spink & Co
location =
id = ASIN: B00085LCZ4
*cite book
last = Lyon
first = David
year = 2006
title = The First Destroyers
publisher = Mercury Books
location =
id = ISBN 184560010X
*cite book
last = Jentsura
first = Hansgeorg
year = 1976
title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945
publisher = US Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 087021893X

External Links

*cite web
last = Nishida
first = Hiroshi
url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0405.htm
title = Materials of IJN: Harusame class destroyer
work = Imperial Japanese Navy

Notes