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Minekaze (DD-1)

Japanese Destroyer of World War Two

The Minekaze class destroyers were a pivotal design between early foreign built ships and later innovative Kagero/Fubuki "Special Type" destroyers.

Prior to the First World War the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) depended on foreign, especially British, warship builders. Destroyers were purchased mainly from Yarrows and Thonnycroft, leaders in destroyer design at the time. Later, some ships were built in Japan through licensing agreements. As Japanese shipbuilders expanded and gained more experience, original designs were built, initially based on British concepts. The break from British designs occurred in 1916 when the Navy issued specifications for new destroyers. These vessels, the Minekaze class, departed from traditional British layout, adopting a design incoporating many German ideas. The Minekaze was ordered in 1917.

When compared with previous destroyers, the Minekaze class forecastle was longer with a break forward of the bridge forming a well deck for the forward torpedoes. This well deck was inspired by German torpedo boats. A forecastle was retained but the bow was flared for better seakeeping qualities. The four 4.7" guns were evenly spaced and mounted high so they could fire in heavy seas. Six 21" torpedo tubes in three twin mountings were provided. Both the main guns and torpedoes were mounted on the centerline so that they could fire to either side. Parsons geared turbines delivered 38,000 shaft horsepower for a speed of 39 knots on trials. The new destroyers were fast and powerful ships, equal to any of their foreign contemporaries.

The Minekaze (and similar Kamikaze and Mutsuki) class ships formed the backbone of the Japanese destroyer force between the wars, until replaced by the "Special Types". As the Fubuki class and improved successors became available in the late 1930's, the Minekaze and Kamikaze ships were withdrawn from first line service and reassigned to secondary duties. The still useful hulls were then converted to secondary roles such as patrol boats, escorts, and high speed transports.

HMS

Specifications

Displacement   1345t normal, 1650t full load
Length   97.5m
Width   9.0m
Draught   2.9m
Machinery   2-shaft geared turbine, 4 boilers, 38,500shp
Speed   39kt
Range   3600nm/14kt

Armament 4-12cm/45cal gun, 2-7.7mm MG, 6-53cm TT (2x3), 20 mines
Complement 148

Minekaze performed patrol and convoy escort duties until being sunk on 10 February 1944, off Taiwan by the submarine USS Pogy (SS-266).