PJSD005 Mutsuki 1926

The Mutsuki class was the first to be fitted with the newly developed 24 inch torpedoes, with greater range and larger warhead than previous torpedoes in the Japanese inventory. Originally Type 8 torpedoes were carried, arranged in two triple mountings. These were later replaced with the famous Type 93 "Long Lance" oxygen-propelled torpedoes during World War II.

In September 1935, many ships in the navy were severely damaged by a typhoon while on training exercises, in what was later termed the "Fourth Fleet Incident", including a number of the Mutsuki class destroyers, which had several plates buckled and bridges wrecked. During 1936-37 the Mutsuki class ships were retrofitted with a strengthened, more compact, bridge, with redesigned watertight shields on the torpedo mounts. With the new shields the torpedoes could be worked in all weather conditions thus extending the useful life of the class.[8]

From 1941-1942 the Mutsuki class destroyers were refitted with the 120 mm/45 main guns reduced to two single mounts and ten Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns added. The minesweeping and minelaying equipment was removed and replaced with four depth charge launchers, with 36 depth charges.

In June 1944, the surviving vessels were again refit, with the number of Type 96 25 mm antiaircraft guns increased to twenty, and an additional five Type 93 13 mm AA Guns also installed.

General Characteristics:

Type: Destroyer
Displacement: 1,315 long tons (1,336 t) normal, 1,445 long tons (1,468 t) full load
Length: 97.54 m (320.0 ft) pp, 102.72 m (337.0 ft) overall
Beam: 9.16 m (30.1 ft)
Draught: 2.96 m (9.7 ft)
Propulsion: 4 x Ro-Gō Kampon water-tube boilers 2 x Kampon geared turbines 38,500 ihp (28,700 kW) 2 shafts
Speed: 37.25 knots (68.99 km/h) Range: 3600 nm @ 14 knots (6,700 km at 26 km/h)
Complement: 154

Armament: (As originally built)

• 4 ×Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun,
• 2 x Type 92 7.7 mm machine gun,
• 2 x triple Type 12 torpedo tubes (12 × 610 mm Type 8 torpedoes), 18 x depth charges
• 16 x Ichi-Gō naval mines[2]

(Mutsuki, December 1941)

• 4 ×Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun
• 2 x Type 93 13 mm AA guns,
• 2 x Type 92 7.7 mm machine gun,
• 2 x triple Type 12 torpedo tubes (12 × 610 mm 8th Year Type torpedoes), 18 x depth charges

(Uzuki, December 1942)

• 4 ×Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun,
• 2 x Type 93 13 mm AA guns,
• 2 x Type 92 7.7 mm machine guns,
• 2 x triple Type 12 torpedo tubes (12 × 610 mm 8th Year Type torpedoes),18 x depth charges
• 1 x landing craft

(Uzuki, September 1944)

• 2 ×Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun,
• 16 x Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns
• 1 x triple Type 12 torpedo tubes (6 × 610 mm 8th Year Type torpedoes), 36 x depth charges