Matsu-class destroyer

The Matsu-class destroyers (松型駆逐艦, Matsu-gata kuchikukan) were a class of destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late stages of World War II. The class was also designated the Type-D Destroyer (丁型駆逐艦, Tei-gata kuchikukan). Although sometimes termed Destroyer escorts, they were larger and more capable than contemporary United States Navy destroyer escorts or the Imperial Japanese Navy kaibōkan vessels.[5]

Momi, one of the members of this class
Class overview
Name: Matsu class
Builders:
Operators:
Preceded by:
Subclasses: Tachibana class
Built: 1943–1945
In commission: 1944–1971
Planned:
  • 42 (1943, Ship #5481-5522),
  • 32 (1944, Ship #4801-4832),
  • 80 (1945, Kai-Tachibana class)
Completed:
  • 18 (Matsu class),
  • 14 (Tachibana class)
Cancelled: 122
Lost: 10
Retired: 22 + 1 (JDS Wakaba)
General characteristics Matsu class
Displacement:
  • 1,260 tons standard
  • 1,530 tons in battle condition
Length:
  • 100.0 m (328 ft 1 in) overall,
  • 92.15 m (302 ft 4 in) waterline
Beam: 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draft: 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Kampon water tube boilers,
  • 2 × Kampon impulse geared[1] turbines, 19,000 shp (14 MW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 27.8 knots (32.0 mph; 51.5 km/h)
Range: 3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement: 211
Sensors and
processing systems:
Electronic warfare
& decoys:		 1 × 22-Gō surface search radar (wavelength 10 cm)
Armament:
General characteristics Tachibana class
Displacement:
  • 1,350 tons standard
  • 1,640 tons in battle condition
Length:
  • 100.0 m (328 ft 1 in) overall,
  • 92.15 m (302 ft 4 in) waterline
Beam: 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draft: 3.41 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Kampon water tube boilers,
  • 2 × Kampon impulse geared[2] turbines, 19,000 shp (14 MW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 27.3 knots (31.4 mph; 50.6 km/h)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • 1 × Type 3 active sonar,
  • 1 × Type 4 hydrophone
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • 1 × 22-Gō surface search radar (wavelength 10 cm),
  • 1 × 13-Gō early warning radar (wavelength 2 m)
Armament:
  • (Tachibana, January 1945)
  • 3 × 127 mm (5.0 in) L/40 Type 89 AA guns (1×2, 1×1)
  • 25 × 25 mm (1") AA guns (4×3, 13×1)
  • 4 × 610 mm (24 in) Type 92 torpedo tubes (1×4)
  • 4 × Type 93 torpedoes
  • 48 × Type 2 depth charges
General characteristics Kaiten carrier[4]
Armament:
  • (Take, 25 June 1945)
  • 3 × 127 mm (5.0 in) L/40 Type 89 AA guns (1×2, 1×1)
  • 39 × 25 mm (1") AA guns (4×3, 27×1)
  • 4 × 610 mm (24 in) Type 92 torpedo tubes (1×4)
  • 4 × Type 93 torpedoes
  • 48-60 × Type 2 depth charges
  • 1 × manned torpedo Kaiten Type 1

Background

Even by 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff realized that attrition of its destroyer force was not sustainable. There was a growing need for a simplified design which could be quickly mass-produced which could serve primarily as convoy escorts and as destroyer-transports in front-line locations, but would still be capable of working with the fleet if necessary. Emphasis was placed on anti-aircraft guns and anti-submarine weapons, and radar, as operations against surface targets was deemed unlikely. Forty-two vessels were ordered and work began in August 1943.

In the middle of 1944, the orders for twenty-four of these vessels were replaced with a further-simplified design, designated the Tachibana-class destroyer (橘型駆逐艦, Tachibana-gata kuchikukan) or Modified Type-D Destroyer (改丁型駆逐艦, Kai Tei-gata kuchikukan). The Tachibana-class had straight lines and a modular construction to facilitate mass-production.The Imperial Japanese Navy had plans to build another hundred and twelve Tachibana-class vessels, but only fourteen were completed before construction was cancelled, with resources diverted to "special-attack units".[5]

Design

The Matsu-class destroyers displaced 1,260 long tons (1,280 t) standard with a length of 100.0 m (328 ft 1 in) overall. In order to simplify construction and reduce construction time, the Matsu-class destroyers used the same turbine engine as the Ōtori class, with two Kampon boilers The engine could develop only 19,000 shp (14 MW), which gave the vessels a top speed of just under 28 kn (32 mph; 52 km/h). The boiler and the machinery rooms were separated to improve on survivability to combat damage.[5]

The class was well armed for a ship of its size. The main battery was the 12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun used as a primary anti-aircraft gun on many Japanese capital ships. A single gun was located forward with an anti-spray shield rather than a gun turret, and a dual mount was located aft with no protection at all. However, the lack of a high-angle fire-control director limited the anti-aircraft effectiveness of these weapons. Each vessel also had a quadruple torpedo launcher with Type 93 torpedoes, but no reloads.[5]

Further anti-aircraft protection was provided by four Type 96 AA gun triple-mounts and eight single-mounts and both a Type 22 and Type 13 radar. The number of single-mounts was increased on certain individual vessels to thirteen. For anti-submarine warfare, each vessel also had two Type 94 depth charge projectors with 48 depth charges.[5]

The Tachibana-class, entering service in 1945, had the same armament as the Matsu-class, but initially with 13 single-mount Type 96s instead of eight. This was later increased to as many as 19. Only one vessel, Take, was modified to launch a single kaiten manned torpedo from her stern, although there were plans to covert another 11 to this configuration just before the war came to an end.[5]

Operational history

Matsu-class destroyers were assigned to Destroyer Divisions 43, 52, and 53. Few Matsu-class units saw extensive service beyond Japanese home waters, and none of the Tachibana-class.[5]

Matsu and Tachibana classes comparison
Matsu-class destroyer Take with Kaiten. Lower illustration is Take in August 1945.
Tachibana. Arrows are difference to Matsu class.
Matsu class Tachibana class
Project number F55 F55B
Building method Ordinary Modular design
Main materials High-Tensile Strength steel (upper deck only) and Carbon steel Carbon steel only
Hull Double bottom Single bottom
Bow Knuckle bow Straight bow
Stern Destroyer stern Transom stern
Bilge Keel Boxy (Solid) Flat board
Active sonar Type 93 Type 3
Hydrophone Type 93 Type 4
Turbines high-pressure,
intermediate-pressure,
low-pressure,
and cruising		 high-pressure
and low-pressure

Ships of the classes

Forty-two vessels were ordered in Fiscal Year 1943 under the Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme as #5481-#5522. Eighteen of these were completed to the original Matsu design, but the other twenty-four were altered to a modified (simplified) design which became known as the Tachibana class. Eight of this batch were completed to that design, while orders for sixteen were subsequently cancelled (of which eleven had not been laid down).

Another thirty-two vessels were authorised in Fiscal Year 1944 under the Wartime Naval Armaments Supplement Programme as #4801-#4832, all to the Tachibana design. Six of this batch were completed to that design, while another four were ordered and laid down but were subsequently cancelled on 17 April 1945; the remaining twenty-two were never ordered.

A further eighty vessels were projected in Fiscal Year 1945 to a further modification of the design, known as the Kai-Tachibana class, but no orders were placed before the end of the war brought an end to the programme.

Ship # Japanese name & translation Class Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
5481 Matsu (松)
Pine tree		 Matsu Maizuru Naval Arsenal 8 August 1943 3 February 1944 28 April 1944 Sunk on 4 August 1944 by US Navy ships 50 miles northwest of Chichijima (Ogasawara Islands)
5482 Take (竹)
Bamboo		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 15 October 1943 28 March 1944 16 June 1944 Surrendered to United Kingdom on 16 July 1947 at Singapore, scrapped
5483 Ume (梅)
Japanese apricot		 Matsu Fujinagata Shipyards 25 January 1944 24 April 1944 28 June 1944 Sunk 31 January 1945 by US Army Air Force aircraft 20 miles south of Taiwan
5484 Momo (桃)
Peach		 Matsu Maizuru Naval Arsenal 5 November 1943 25 March 1944 10 June 1944 Sunk 15 December 1944 by US Navy submarine USS Hawkbill 140 miles south-west of m.Bolinao (o-in Luzon)
5485 Kuwa (桑)
Mulberry		 Matsu Fujinagata Shipyards 20 December 1943 25 May 1944 15 July 1944 Sunk 3 December 1944 by US Navy destroyers during the Battle of Ormoc Bay (o-in Luzon)
5486 Kiri (桐)
Paulownia		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 1 February 1944 27 May 1944 14 August 1944 Delivered to Soviet Union on 29 July 1947 at Nakhodka, renamed Vozrozhdionny (Возрождённый), converted to target ship TsL-25 (1949) and depot ship PM-65 (1957), scrapped in 1969.
5487 Sugi (杉)
Cedar		 Matsu Fujinagata Shipyards 25 February 1944 3 July 1944 25 August 1944 Surrendered at Kure. Handed over to the Republic of China on 6 July 1947 in Shanghai, called ROCN Hui Yang. Removed from the ROC Navy list 11 November 1954 and scrapped.
5488 Maki (槇)
Podocarpaceae		 Matsu Maizuru Naval Arsenal 19 February 1944 10 June 1944 10 August 1944 Surrendered to United Kingdom on 14 August 1947 at Singapore, scrapped 1947
5489 Momi (樅)
Abies firma		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 1 February 1944 16 June 1944 3 September 1944 Sunk on 5 January 1945 by US Navy carrier aircraft 28 miles west-southwest of Manila
5490 Kashi (樫)
Live oak		 Matsu Fujinagata Shipyards 5 May 1944 13 August 1944 30 September 1944 Surrendered to United States on 7 August 1947 at Sasebo, scrapped 20 March 1948
5491 Yaezakura (八重櫻)
Prunus verecunda Antiqua		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 18 December 1944 17 March 1945 Discontinued on 23 June 1945 (60%). Sunk 18 July 1945
5492 Kaya (榧)
Torreya nucifera		 Matsu Maizuru Naval Arsenal 10 April 1944 30 July 1944 30 September 1944 Transferred to the Soviet Union 5 July 1947 in Nakhodka, It was called "Volevoy", converted to target ship "TSL-23" (1949), then to the floating heater "OT-61" (1958); excluded from the lists of the fleet on 1 August 1959 and scrapped.
5493 Nara (楢)
Oak		 Matsu Fujinagata Shipyards 10 June 1944 12 October 1944 26 November 1944 Scrapped 1 July 1948
5494 Yadake (矢竹)
Arrow bamboo		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 2 January 1945 1 May 1945 Construction stopped 17 April 1945. Launched to empty the dock. Converted to breakwater, 1948
5495 Kuzu (葛)
Kudzu
or
Madake (真竹)
Phyllostachys bambusoides		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 19 March 1945 Discontinued on 17 April 1945.
5496 Sakura (櫻)
Cherry blossom		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 2 June 1944 6 September 1944 25 November 1944 Sunk by a mine in the port of Osaka 11 July 1945
5497 Yanagi (柳)
Willow		 Matsu Fujinagata Shipyards 20 August 1944 25 November 1944 8 January 1945 Heavily damaged by aircraft and ran aground on 14 July 1945 at Ōminato, scrapped on 1 April 1947
5498 Tsubaki (椿)
Camellia		 Matsu Maizuru Naval Arsenal 20 June 1944 30 September 1944 30 November 1944 Scrapped 28 July 1948
5499 Kaki (柿)
Persimmon		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 5 October 1944 11 December 1944 5 March 1945 Surrendered to United States on 4 July 1947 at Qingdao. Sunk as target off 35°29′N 123°35′E, 19 August 1947
5500 Kaba (樺)
Birch		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards 15 October 1944 27 February 1945 29 May 1945 Surrendered to United States on 4 August 1947 at Sasebo, scrapped 1 March 1948
5501 Hayaume (早梅)
early blooming Prunus mume		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Cancelled in 1945.
5502 Hinoki (檜)
Chamaecyparis obtusa		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 4 March 1944 4 July 1944 30 September 1944 Damaged 5 January by air attack while in company with the Momi, returned to Manila for repair and was sunk while leaving Manila Bay 7 January 1945 by US Navy destroyers[6]
5503 Katsura (桂)
Cercidiphyllum		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards 30 November 1944 23 June 1945 Construction stopped 23 June 1945. Converted to breakwater.
5504 Tobiume (飛梅)
A sacred Prunus mume at Dazaifu Tenman-gū		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Cancelled in 1945.
5505 Kaede (楓)
Maple		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 4 March 1944 25 June 1944 30 October 1944 Surrendered at Kure. Handed over to the Republic of China on 6 July 1947 in Shanghai, named ROCN Heng Yang. Removed from the ROC Navy list in 1950, then scrapped in 1962.
5506 Fuji (藤)
Wisteria		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Cancelled in 1945.
5507 Wakazakura (若櫻)
Young cherry blossom		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards 15 January 1945 Discontinued on 11 May 1945, scrapped.
5508 Keyaki (欅)
Zelkova serrata		 Matsu Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 22 June 1944 30 September 1944 15 December 1944 Surrendered to United States on 5 July 1947 at Yokosuka, Sunk as target off 34°44′N 140°01′E, 29 October 1947
5509 Yamazakura (山櫻)
Cherry blossom at mountain		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards Cancelled in 1945.
5510 Ashi (葦)
Phragmites		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Cancelled on 26 March 1945.
5511 Tachibana (橘)
Citrus tachibana		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 8 July 1944 14 October 1944 20 January 1945 Sunk on 14 July 1945 by US Navy carrier aircraft off Hakodate
5512 Shinodake (篠竹)
Simon bamboo		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards Cancelled in 1945.
5513 Yomogi (蓬)
Artemisia princeps		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
5514 Tsuta (蔦)
Parthenocissus tricuspidata		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 31 July 1944 2 November 1944 8 February 1945 Surrendered at Kure. Used to repatriate Japanese. Handed over to the Republic of China on 31 July 1947 in Shanghai. It was renamed ROCN Hua Yang, removed from the ROC Navy list on 11 November 1954.
5515 Aoi (葵)
Malvaceae		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Cancelled in 1945.
5516 Shiraume (白梅)
White blossom of Prunus mume		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards
5517 Hagi (萩)
Lespedeza		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 11 September 1944 27 November 1944 1 March 1945 Surrendered to United Kingdom on 16 July 1947 at Singapore, scrapped
5518 Kiku (菊)
Chrysanthemum		 Tachibana Fujinagata Shipyards Cancelled in 1945.
5519 Kashiwa (柏)
Daimyo oak		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
5520 Sumire (菫)
Viola		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 21 October 1944 27 December 1944 26 March 1945 Surrendered to United Kingdom on 23 August 1947 at Hong Kong, sunk as target 1947
5521 Kusunoki (楠)
Cinnamomum camphora		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 9 November 1944 8 January 1945 28 April 1945 Surrendered to United Kingdom on 1947
5522 Hatsuzakura (初櫻)
Year's first cherry blossom		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 4 December 1944 10 February 1945 18 May 1945 Delivered to Soviet Union on 29 July 1947 at Nakhodka, renamed Vetrenny and soon Vyrazitel'ny (Выразительный), converted to target ship TSL-26 (1949), scrapped in 1958.
4801 Kigiku (黄菊)
Yellow chrysanthemum		 Tachibana Cancelled in March 1945.
4802 Hatsugiku (初菊)
Year's first chrysanthemum		 Tachibana
4803 Akane (茜)
Madder		 Tachibana
4804 Shiragiku (白菊)
White Chrysanthemum		 Tachibana
4805 Chigusa (千草)
Grass		 Tachibana
4806 Wakakusa (若草)
Spring grass		 Tachibana
4807 Natsugusa (夏草)
Summer grass		 Tachibana
4808 Akikusa (秋草)
Autumn grass		 Tachibana
4809 Nire (楡)
Elm		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 14 August 1944 25 November 1944 31 January 1945 Scrapped April 1948
4810 Nashi (梨)
Pyrus pyrifolia		 Tachibana Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation 1 September 1944 17 January 1945 15 March 1945 Sunk 28 July 1945 at Kure by US aircraft. Salvaged on 30 September 1954, Transferred to JDS Wakaba on 31 May 1956. Refitted in 1958 as a radar trials ship; sonar added in 1960. Struck on 31 March 1971 and scrapped 1972–1973.
4811 Shii (椎)
Castanopsis		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 18 September 1944 13 January 1945 13 March 1945 Delivered to Soviet Union on 5 July 1947 at Nakhodka, renamed Vol'ny (Вольный), converted to target ship TSL-24 (1949), scrapped in 1960.
4812 Enoki (榎)
Japanese Hackberry		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 14 October 1944 27 January 1945 31 March 1945 Sunk 26 June 1945 sunk in shallow water by contact mine at Obama, Fukui, raised and scrapped 1948.[7]
4813 Azusa (梓)
Catalpa		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 29 December 1944 Discontinued on 17 April 1945.
4814 Odake (雄竹)
Great Bamboo		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 5 November 1944 10 March 1945 15 May 1945 Surrendered to United States on 14 July 1947 at Qingdao. Sunk as target off 35°29′N 122°52′E, 17 September 1947
4815 Hatsuume (初梅)
Year's first Prunus mume		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 8 December 1944 25 April 1945 18 June 1945 Surrendered at Maizuru. Handed over to the Republic of China on 6 July 1947 in Shanghai, called ROCN Xin Yang. Removed from the ROC Navy list and scrapped 1961.
4816 Tochi (栃)
Aesculus		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 23 January 1945 (28 May 1945) Discontinued on 18 May 1945. Converted to breakwater.
4817 Hishi (菱)
Water caltrop		 Tachibana Maizuru Naval Arsenal 10 February 1945 Discontinued on 17 April 1945.
4818 Susuki (薄)
Miscanthus sinensis		 Tachibana Cancelled in March 1945.
4819 Nogiku (野菊)
Aster		 Tachibana
4820 Sakaki (榊)
Sakaki		 Tachibana Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 29 December 1944 Discontinued on 17 April 1945.
4821
to
4832		 12 destroyers Tachibana Cancelled in March 1945.
80 destroyers Kai-Tachibana Cancelled on 30 June 1945.

Notes
  1. Fitzsimons, Bernard, general editor. Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 17, p.1853, "Matsu".
  2. Fitzsimons, Volume 17, p.1853, "Matsu".
  3. Microform by "The National Institute for Defense Studies". Archived from the original on 8 May 2017..
  4. Converted to the Take, Kiri, Sugi, Maki, Kashi, Kaya, Kaede, Tsuta, Hagi, Nire, Nashi and Sii, from May to July 1945.
  5. Stille, Mark (2013). Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919–45 (2). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. p. 38-45. ISBN 978 1 84908 987 6.
  6. "Long Lancers". www.combinedfleet.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  7. "Long Lancers". www.combinedfleet.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2018.

Bibliography
  • Dodson, Aidan & Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: The Fate of Enemy Fleets after Two World Wars. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
  • "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.43 Matsu class destroyers, Gakken (Japan), November 2003, ISBN 4-05-603251-3
  • "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.51 The truth of Imperial Japanese Vessels Histories 2, Gakken (Japan), August 2005, ISBN 4-05-604083-4
  • Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.5, Stories of Japanese Destroyers, Kōjinsha (Japan) 1993, ISBN 4-7698-0611-6
  • Model Art Extra No.340, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-1, Model Art Co. Ltd. (Japan), October 1989, Book code 08734-10
  • Daiji Katagiri, Ship Name Chronicles of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet, Kōjinsha (Japan), June 1988, ISBN 4-7698-0386-9
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.41 Japanese Destroyers I, Ushio Shobō (Japan), July 1980, Book code 68343-42
  • Fitzsimons, Bernard, general editor. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons and Warfare, Volume 17, p. 1854, "Matsu". London: Phoebus Publishing, 1978.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.