IJN Minekaze, Kamikaze and Mutsuki class Destroyers

The Minekaze, Kamikaze and Mutsuki class destroyers were essentially a single design with each group representing progressive development. As a modeling subject, they are visually interesting and are historically important as a pivotal design between early foreign built ships and the later original and highly innovative Kagero/Fubuki "Special Type" destroyers and their successors which played such a dominant role in the early surface battles of the Pacific War.

Prior to the First World War the Imperial Japanese Navy was very dependent on foreign suppliers for its arms and equipment. Many of the prominent overseas warship builders supplied vessels to the Imperial Navy with the majority being built in British yards. In addition, the Japanese Navy acquired many ships as prizes in both the war with China and the Russo-Japanese War. This combination allowed a very rapid expansion of the fleet while also affording ample opportunities to study foreign construction methods and techniques. Destroyers were purchased mainly from Yarrows and Thonnycroft, leaders in destroyer design at the time. Later, some units were built in Japan through licensing agreements.

As Japanese shipbuilding capacity expanded and the ship constructors gained more experience, original designs were built. Initially these were still based on British practice. The break from British design dominance occurred in 1916 when the Navy issued specifications for new First and Second Class destroyers. These new vessels, the Minekaze and Momi classes, departed from the traditional British layout, adopting a design that owed much to German ideas.

When compared with previous designs, the Minekaze class forecastle was lengthened with a break forward of the bridge forming a well deck where the forward torpedo mounts were placed. This well deck layout followed typical German torpedo boat design practice. A traditional turtledeck style forecastle was retained but the bow was flared more for better seakeeping qualities. The four 4.7"/45 cal. S.P. guns were evenly spaced along the hull length and mounted as high as possible so they could be worked in heavy seas. All the main armament, guns and torpedoes, were mounted on the centerline so that all could bear on either broadside. Six 21" torpedo tubes in three twin mountings were provided. Parsons geared turbines were fitted which delivered 38,000 shaft horsepower for a speed of 39 knots on trials. The Momi type, Second Class destroyers, were identical in appearance and design, except in scaled down form. They were smaller in dimensions and mounted only three 4.7" guns and 4 torpedo tubes in two twin mounts. While not all of these new ideas were completely successful, (the forward gun and torpedo mounting were swept by water in heavy seas and were sometimes unworkable), generally the new destroyers were fast and powerful ships that were equal to any of their foreign contemporaries.

The Minekaze and Sawakaze were ordered under the 1917 construction program and were followed by the Hakaze, Nadikaze, Okikaze, Shimakaze, and Yakaze under the 1918 program. None had been laid down when the war ended but it was decided to proceed with construction as many of the operational units were old and in need of replacement. Five additional ships, Akikaze, Hokaze, Shijokaze, Tachikaze, and Yukaze were ordered in 1919.

The last three ships of the class, Namikaze, Nokaze, and Numakaze, were ordered in 1920, built to an improved design with a better gunnery fire control system and improved ammunition magazine arrangements. Essentially these last three vessels, in their external revision, set the pattern for the following Kamikaze class. Gun and torpedo positions were changed, the gun mounted aft of the second funnel was moved further aft to X position. Torpedo mounts 2 and 3 were moved closer together and the searchlight platform formerly between them was moved forward to just aft of the second funnel. The following Kamikaze class ships were visually identical apart from slight detail changes in the bridge and the addition of an improved 4.7"/50 cal. main gun which was designed as a dual purpose mount.

There were nine units in the Kamikaze class. The first five ships were ordered under the 1920 program and assigned names, Okaze, Makaze, Tsumikaze, Soyakaze, and Suyukaze. The orders were carried over into the 1921-22 construction program but upon reordering only hull numbers were assigned in odd numbers from 1 to 17.

The parallel designs, Second Class destroyers of the Momi and Wakataka classes, were also ordered in this period and for a time after their completion were also not given the names assigned to them but were only known by their hull numbers. In 1928, all ships under this designation system received their names. In the case of the Kamikaze class, new

names were assigned. In numerical order, these were; Kamikaze, Asakaze, Hanikaze, Matsukaze, Hatakaze, Oite, Hayate, Asanagi, and Yunagi.

Twelve units of the final type, the Mutsuki class, were ordered in 1923 and differed from the previous two groups in several ways. The Mutsukis were the first ships to be fitted with the newly developed 24' torpedoes which were arranged in two triple mountings. The hull form was improved with a swan neck bow design developed as a result of model testing in an experimental tank. The new bow shape became standard for all subsequent Japanese destroyer designs. In spite of an increase in tonnage and added fuel capacity the performance remained the same with no changes in the propulsion machinery. As with the Kamikaze class, the Mutsuki class originally were assigned hull numbers and only received their names in 1928. The hull numbers and names were; (19) Mutsuki, (21) Kisaragi, (23) Yayoi, (25) Uzuki, (27) Satsuki, (28) Minatsuki, (29) Fumisuki, (30) Nagatsuki, (31) Kikusuki, (32) Mikatsuki, (33) Mochitsuki, and (34) Yuzuki.

The Minekaze, Kamikaze and Mutsuki class ships formed the backbone of Japanese destroyer formations throughout the twenties and thirties until they were supplemented and later replaced by the "Special Types". As the Fubuki class and their improved successors became available in numbers the Minekaze and Kamikaze ships were withdrawn from first line service and reassigned to secondary duties. The Mutsukis were retained as first line destroyers due to their increased range and their more powerful torpedo armament.

The three groups retained their original appearance, relatively unchanged until the late thirties. Minor changes were made such as adding windows to the originally open bridge of the Minekazes. 13mm machine guns were replaced by 25mm guns, speaking tubes were added to the torpedo stations, (later being removed and replaced with a telephone system). At various times paravanes were fitted, the ships were classified as minesweepers as well as destroyers. Funnels were fitted with higher caps thus visually increasing their raked appearance.

In September of 1935 units of the Combined Fleet while on exercises passed through a typhoon. It was a very violent storm with winds to 85 miles per hour and wave heights of over 50 feet. Many units of the fleet received severe damage including the Mutsuki which had several plates buckled and the top of her bridge wrecked. During 1936-37 Mutsuki and her sisters were fitted with a strengthened, more compact, semi-enclosed bridge structure. The side plating below the bridge was cut away and the forward boat davits were changed from radials to the swingout, goose neck type and relocated one deck lower. At the same time new watertight shields were fitted to the torpedo mounts similar to those on the "Special Type" destroyers then in service.

The Mutsukis, with their 24" torpedo mounts were able to accept the newly designed 24" oxygen driven "Long Lance" torpedo, a superb weapon with no equal in allied arsenals. With the new protected weather proof shields the torpedoes could be worked in all seas and weather conditions thus extending the useful life of the class in the fleet destroyer role. No such refit was contemplated for the Minekaze and Kamikaze classes as they were considered to be obsolete.

By 1938 most of the Minekaze class ships had been withdrawn and replaced by more modern ships in the fleet escort role. These still useful hulls were then converted to a variety of secondary roles such as patrol boats, escorts, and high speed transports. The Kamikaze and Mutsuki classes were also undergoing refits beginning in 1940-41. A common trend was the suppression of one or more of the 4.7 mounts and the addition of more anti-aircraft guns. This took the form of 25mm machine guns in single, double or triple mountings. This weapon was based on a French Hotchkiss prototype and was a rather elderly design by this time.

On paper, the additional anti-aircraft guns look impressive in their numbers but due to the fact that no central fire control system was developed to direct their fire the adding of more barrels firing independently had little effect on the ship's defensive capability. There was also a large gap in coverage between the 4.7 dual purpose gun and the 25mm gun that was never resolved. Japan possessed examples of the 40mm Bofors gun which would have been a possible solution to the problem but they were never produced in quantity. This serious deficiency in anti-aircraft defensive capability became more critical as the war progressed.

From early 1942 onward the Mutsukis were gradually withdrawn from fleet service. Some were converted to the escort role with reduced boilers and added fuel capacity for longer range. Contrary to some published sources not all of the

ships were modified in this way which is apparent from studying wreck photographs. The amount of evidence available is not adequate to document all of the individual ships but there is ample to cover several in detail which can be considered representative of the appearance changes in the class.

The drawings show some of the variety of conversion possibilities offered by the new Minekaze and Kamikaze kits from Skywave. The Minekaze, Kamikaze and Mutsuki classes parallel the USN 4-pipers in that all were available for secondary uses in large numbers and were utilized in very similar roles. It is interesting to compare the conversions done by both navies for the same mission. The degree of standardization apparent in some of the American conversions is not present in the IJN adaptations. Many of the IJN conversions are very individual, almost experimental in nature. So much the better for the modeler as there are more possibilities for creativity.

IJN Minekaze As built; IJN Sawakaze 1920 with full shields on main guns

IJN Minekaze 1930, speaking Tubes installed

IJN Shimakaze, two main guns suppressed and extra 25mm added

IJN Yukaze, two main guns removed and extra 25mm added

Patrol Boat #2 1944 (Ex IJN Nadakaze)

IJN Yakaze 1944 (Target Ship)

IJN Shiokaze 1944 (Kaiten Carrier)

IJN Namikaze 1945 (Kaiten Carrier)

IJN Momi and Wakatake class Destroyers

The recent release of the MOMI and WAKATAKE class destroyers by Hasegawa opens up many conversion possibilities and adds a previously unavailable ship type to our IJN miniature fleet. The MOMI class, (also known as the KURI type, for such is the listing in some Japanese sources), was ordered under the IJN 8-8 Fleet Project towards the end of the First World War. These ships were designed as "second class" destroyers, slightly smaller and more lightly armed versions of the "first class" destroyers of the MINEKAZE type. Many design features were borrowed from the MINEKAZE class, including the well deck mounting of the forward torpedo mounts, and the high centerline mounting of the three 4.7" guns. They in fact looked like a scaled down MINEKAZE. The WAKATAKE class units were a repeat of the MOMI class with only minor improvements. Externally, they are almost identical. MOMI class vessels numbered 21 in all. There were 13 WAKATAKE class destroyers ordered but only 8 were completed.

Destroyer designs were developing rapidly, the emphasis being on ever larger and more powerful units. The MOMI and WAKATAKE types were fast and powerful ships, comparing well to their foreign contemporaries, but within a few years of their completion they were regarded as being of an obsolete design. No further vessels were built under the "second class destroyer" design concept. The later need for smaller and cheaper designs for escort work was not recognized. Their role as fleet destroyers was seen to be compromised by the increasingly more powerful destroyers appearing in foreign navies. Beginning in 1939 most units were progressively withdrawn from service and converted to other roles.

The MOMI class vessels were the first to be affected. In 1932 the MOMI was taken off the active list and had her powerplants removed. The hulk was then used for experimental purposes at Yokosuka. In late 1938 KAYA and NASHI

were decommissioned and later, (1940), were scrapped. In 1939, nine vessels, AOI, FUJI, HAGI, HISHU, KIKU, SUSUKI, TADE, TSUTA, and YOMOGI were converted to Patrol Boats. This involved removing one of the boilers and various armament changes. One or both torpedo mounts were removed and one, (or two), of the 4.7 main guns. These guns later ended up as the armament of the first TYPE A escorts, the SHUMUSHU type. The mine sweeping gear was also removed and they were then fitted with extra 25mm anti-aircraft guns and additional depth charge racks and throwers. As patrol boats they were assigned numbers, Nos. 32 through 38, (in order matched to the ships as listed above).

In 1941, Nos. 34~39 were reconstructed to carry and launch one Daihatsu landing craft. The stern was cut down to the waterline and anti-aircraft, (25mm), increased. In a few boats the second funnel was removed. Nos. 31, 32, and 33 did not receive this modification. No.32 and 33 boats were stranded on Wake Island, being run ashore to land marine assault troops in the second invasion of the island. No attempt was made to salvage the two boats and the wrecks were still there when American forces retook the island.

Five units, ASNI, KAKI, NIRE, SUMIRE, and TAKE, were partially disarmed in 1940 and were designated as tenders, (or "special ships"). The refit was similar to that of the Patrol Boats, one boiler being removed, two 4.7 guns removed, (leaving only "A" mount), and all of the torpedo mounts removed. One vessel, KAKI, had all of the 4.7 mounts removed.

The three remaining vessels, HASU, KURI, and TSUGA were retained in the destroyer role. In 1942 the midships 4.7 mount was removed from these three ships and replaced with two triple 25mm mounts. KURI and HASU survived the war, (in heavily damaged state), which may explain the "KURI" type designation in some Japanese records.

The WAKATAKE class ships paralleled the KAMIKAZE first class destroyers and had a similar history. All were originally assigned numbers, with names to be assigned upon completion. Like the KAMIKAZE vessels, they were not named upon completion but merely retained their assigned numbers. This situation continued until 1928 when it was decided to assign names, different from those originally planned. The 8 vessels were then named, WAKATAKE, KURETAKE, SANAE, SARAWABI, ASAGAO, YUGAO, HUYO, and KARYKAYA. Like the MOMIs the needs for destroyers were changing and the WAKATAKE class received refits to allow them to remain useful fleet units.

In 1942 YUGAO was refitted and reclassified as Patrol Boat No. 46. This refit was similar to the first stage MOMI conversions. One boiler, all torpedo tubes and the aft 4.7 gun were removed. Depth charges, throwers and 25mm guns were added. Ballast was added to compensate for the removal of weight. No further modifications were made. In 1941-42 the remainder of the class underwent refit during which the center 4.7 gun, between the funnels, was removed. The remaining two 4.7/45cal, low angle guns were replaced with improved dual purpose, (4.7/50cal), mounts. Two triple 25mm mounts replaced the deleted center 4.7 mount. Mine sweeping gear was removed and the number of depth charges was increased by 36 with 4 throwers. The ASAGAO also had one of her torpedo mounts removed during this same refit.

At the end of the war several MOMI class vessels survived in various states of damage. HASU was used for repatriation service until the spring of 1946. She was then moored at Sasebo until taken for scrap in 1948. KURI was mined and sunk in shallow water at Fusan, the forward part of the wreck remaining above water. Patrol Boat 34, (SUSUKI), was moored in home waters. Patrol Boat 34 was severely damaged in 1943, repaired at Truk in 1944, and in spite of repairs, was not used again. Patrol boat 36 was moored at Soerabaya, turned over to the Dutch Nasy at Batavia in 1946, and was later scrapped.

All units of the WAKATAKE type were lost during the war except ASAGAO. She was mined and bottomed, (unmovable), in shallow water at Yoshimi. She was scrapped in 1947.

IJN Type 13 Subchaser

Early Japanese subchasers built before the war were hampered by poor seakeeping qualities. The Type 13 subchaser was an attempt to remedy this problem. Based on the experimental Type 1 and Type 4 designs, the Type 13 had a shorter length, a wider beam, and a clipper style bow. The result was an improved sea boat, and the new design was approved for production. The Type 13 was considered successful, but even with the improvements, (perhaps because of their small size), these vessels were still very wet ships in any sort of a sea.

Fifty vessels were built and saw extensive service, both in home waters and in outlying combat areas of Japan's new island empire. Their success rate against American submarines was greatly exaggerated, and their sensor equipment was not very effective. Many fell victim to General Kinneys low flying B-25 bombers, as the numerous strike photos bear witness. As the war progressed, surviving units were upgrades with additional single 25mm AA guns and radar sets. Upgrading was progressive as the equipment became available. Radar sets were in short supply and the subchasers had a low priority. Some units probably never received them.

The recent Tamiya kit, WL-519, Auxiliary Vessels, contains a Type 13 subchaser. The old Skywave GATO kit had one also, but the Tamiya version is much better. It is to scale, which the Skywave was not. (Skywave's is too small.) The kit depicts the class as first built, before the addition of single 25mm guns and radar sets. As the radar sets and guns arrived piecemeal, there are at least three distinct appearance variations within the class, which makes for interesting conversion possibilities. Making the intermediate version means adding a catwalk and gun tub with supporting structure between the mast and funnel. Another gun rub and supports is added to the front of the bridge. From looking at photographs, it appears that not all of the ships had the midships catwalks. In one photo, it appears that the area between the bridge and 25mm position is enclosed. Thus you could consider this a fourth or fifth variant.

The last version is arrived at by adding the radar. The searchlight is moved forward and the radar and support are installed in its place. The gun tubs can be scratch built from plastic card. The guns and radar parts are from Skywave's E-7 UN Equipment set. This is an excellent little kit and an easy evening's work even as a conversion. The other two kits included in the box are also very nicely done. They are the Type 19 minesweeper, and the HIRASHIMA class minelayer.

IJN Yubari Detailing the Tamiya 1/700 kit

In early 1943 US Navy intelligence was receiving numerous sighting reports of the light cruiser Yubari from several different areas. As the Yubari was a single ship class, ONI was puzzled how the ship could be in several places at the same time. Soon new aerial photography solved the mystery. The sightings were of the new Akitsuki class destroyers, a new class that bore a strong similarity in size and layout to Yubari. The mistake was understandable as, prior to the appearance of the Akitsuki the silhouette of Yubari was unique and the ship was one of the best known of IJN warships.

The Yubari was an experimental design laid down in 1922 under the 1917 building program. Designed to test the ideas of Naval Constructor Hiraga, the ship mounted the same broadside as the 5,000 ton cruisers (Nagara type) and had the same speed performance but on a displacement of only 2,500 tons. All of the armament was placed on the centerline and four of the six guns were in twin turrets. The hull design was also a radical departure from previous practice. The design was a success and the techniques used led directly to the design of the Kako class cruisers. Many of the features pioneered in Yubari were repeated in all subsequent Japanese cruisers.

In 1984 Tamiya issued an excellent kit of the Yubari as in 1944 at the time of her loss. The kit can be constructed straight from the box with excellent results but even the best kits can be improved upon. Tamiya's Yubari has a couple of minor errors and simplifications.

There were two types of boat davits in common use in the Japanese Navy. For Yubari, Tamiya has provided the wrong one. The kit shows the radial type davit whereas Yubari was equipped with the goose necked davit that was tilted outward by a crank activated worm gear. In appearance, the davits are mounted in the same places but are tilted inboard and the boats are mounted outboard of the davit arms. They are suspended with a bracing bar for quick launching and the forward pair of boats have supports underneath. They are NOT mounted on the deck as shown in the kit but are suspended at the same level as the motorboats. See drawings for clarification of this. Replace the davits from Skywave weapons sets and save Tamiya's parts for another project. Shave off the molded on boat chocks.

Under the forward triple 25mm gun tubs you will note a circular bulge in the side of the deck house (part 22). This is meant to simulate the support under the mount... remove it and replace with a piece of plastic rod centered under the overhang. Match the pattern of the aft triple 25mm tubs supports. The vertical supports under the bridge wings (part A12) can be thinned down and cross braces (x pattern) added behind the openings from either photo etch or sprue. The depth charge racks at the stern are plain and will benefit from either detailing or replacement with better parts from Skywave or scratch built items. The Tamiya 25mm guns are good but I prefer the ones from Skywave's E-7 weapons set. The Yubari was equipped with spare torpedoes located under the anti-aircraft platform amidships. These may have been replaced with quick reload gear but there is no solid evidence. Using the kit parts as a pattern, the masts should be replaced with sprue or wire for a more delicate appearance. If railings are desired, Tom's Model Works 2-bar style are best. Part A2 can be replaced by a Skywave USN director tub and a separate searchlight from any of the weapons sets. These are minor little improvements but collectively they make a big difference in the final result.

Tamiya omitted one other detail that must be added. Yubari was fitted with a degaussing cable and retained this up to the time of her loss. This must be added to the hull from brass or copper wire or from sprue. I opted for sprue, building it in sections for easier control. The cable encircles the hull just below deck level as shown in the drawings.

The box art is an excellent painting guide except for the following points. The forward triple 25mm mounts are shown with white canvas covered railings. These platforms were the standard Japanese pattern with metal splinter shields, painted dark gray (hull color). The bridge wings in most photos are open railings, not covered with white canvas as shown in the art, but this could be optional. The same goes for the AA platform amidships, usually open railings without covers. Lifeboat covers in wartime were not white as shown but would be a gray, perhaps slightly lighter than the hull color, or brown canvas.

As lost and molded by Tamiya

Modifications to kit