Japanese destroyer Makinami (1941)
Makinami (巻波) was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "Overflowing Waves" (Rolling Wave).
Right elevation and plan of a Yūgumo-class destroyer | |
History | |
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Empire of Japan | |
Name | Makinami |
Builder | Maizuru Naval Arsenal |
Laid down | 11 April 1941 |
Launched | 17 December 1941 |
Completed | 18 August 1942 |
Stricken | 10 February 1944 |
Fate | Sunk in Battle of Cape St. George, 25 November 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Yūgumo-class destroyer |
Displacement | 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) |
Length | 119.15 m (390 ft 11 in) |
Beam | 10.8 m (35 ft 5 in) |
Draught | 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) |
Speed | 35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h) |
Complement | 228 |
Armament |
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Design and description
The Yūgumo class was a repeat of the preceding Kagerō class with minor improvements that increased their anti-aircraft capabilities. Their crew numbered 228 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 119.17 meters (391 ft 0 in) overall, with a beam of 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) and a draft of 3.76 meters (12 ft 4 in).[1] They displaced 2,110 metric tons (2,080 long tons) at standard load and 2,560 metric tons (2,520 long tons) at deep load.[2] The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 shaft horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).[3]
The main armament of the Yūgumo class consisted of six Type 3 127-millimeter (5.0 in) guns in three twin-gun turrets, one superfiring pair aft and one turret forward of the superstructure.[2] The guns were able to elevate up to 75° to increase their ability against aircraft, but their slow rate of fire, slow traversing speed, and the lack of any sort of high-angle fire-control system meant that they were virtually useless as anti-aircraft guns.[4] They were built with four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but more of these guns were added over the course of the war. The ships were also armed with eight 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a two quadruple traversing mounts; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons comprised two depth charge throwers for which 36 depth charges were carried.[2]
Construction and career
On the night of 24–25 November 1943, Makinami was on a troop evacuation run to Buka Island when she was sunk in the Battle of Cape St. George. After being crippled by a torpedo from either USS Charles Ausburne, Claxton or Dyson, she was finished off by gunfire from the destroyers USS Converse and Spence, 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) east-southeast of Cape St. George (05°14′S 153°50′E).
Notes
- Chesneau, p. 195
- Whitley, p. 203
- Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 150
- Campbell, p. 192
References
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
- Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.