Isokaze-class destroyer

The Isokaze-class destroyers (磯風型駆逐艦, Isokazegata kuchikukan) was a class of four destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I.

Amatsukaze on patrol, Yangzi River, 1927
Class overview
Name	Isokaze class
Builders	Kure Naval Arsenal Mitsubishi-Nagasaki Kawasaki-Kobe
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Kaba class
Succeeded by	Momo class
In commission	1 April 1916 – 1 April 1935
Completed	4
Retired	4
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	1,227 long tons (1,247 t) (normal) 1,570 long tons (1,595 t) (deep load)
Length	310 ft (94.5 m) (pp) 326 ft (99.4 m) (o/a)
Beam	27 ft 11 in (8.5 m)
Draft	9 ft 3 in (2.8 m)
Installed power	5 × Kampon water-tube boilers 27,000 shp (20,000 kW)
Propulsion	3 shafts; 3 × geared steam turbines
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range	4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	128
Armament	4 × single 12 cm (4.7 in) guns 3 × twin 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes

Background

The Isokaze-class destroyers were designed as part of the first phase of the Hachi-hachi Kantai program of the Imperial Japanese Navy. With the commissioning of the new high speed battleships Yamashiro and Ise, escort vessels with equally high speed and blue ocean capabilities were required.

Four vessels were built, with the order split between Kure Naval Arsenal, Kawasaki Shipyards in Kobe and Mitsubishi Shipyards in Nagasaki.

Design

The Isokaze-class ships were a slightly larger and updated version of the previous Umikaze class. Externally, the design went to a three smokestack profile, with a curved, rather than straight bow.

Internally, the engines were replaced with heavy fuel oil-fired steam turbine engines. Two vessels (Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze) used Brown-Curtis turbine engines, and the other two (Isokaze, Hamakaze) used Parsons turbine engines. Advances in turbine design and construction permitted more reliable operation than previously with the Umikaze. The rated power of 27,000 shp (20,000 kW) gave the vessels a high speed of 34 knots (63 km/h), and a range of 3,360 nautical miles (6,220 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h); however, the engines could not be run continuously at over 7,000 shp (5,200 kW), which still considerably limited performance.

Armament was increased over the previous classes, with four QF 4.7 inch Gun Mk I - IV, pedestal-mounted along the centerline of the vessel, two in front of the smokestacks and two to the stern. The number of torpedoes was increased to three launchers, each with a pair of 533 mm torpedoes. Anti-aircraft protection was provided by four machine guns.

Operational history

The Isokaze-class destroyers were completed in time to serve in the very final stages of World War I. Tokitsukaze broke in two and sank off of Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyūshū in 1918. The wreck was raised and repaired at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal, and although re-commissioned as a first class destroyer, was used thereafter as a training vessel at the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy at Etajima.

All Isokaze-class ships were retired on 1 April 1935.

Ships

Construction data

Kanji	Name	Translation	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
磯風	Isokaze	Sea Breeze	Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan	5 April 1916	5 October 1916	28 February 1917	Retired, 1 April 1935
天津風	Amatsukaze	Heavenly Breeze	Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan	1 April 1916	5 October 1916	14 April 1917
浜風	Hamakaze	Beach Wind	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, Japan	1 April 1916	30 October 1916	28 March 1917
時津風	Tokitsukaze	Favorable Wind	Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation, Kobe, Japan	10 March 1916	27 December 1916	31 May 1917	Wrecked off Miyazaki coast, 30 March 1918, repaired 17 February 1920; retired, 1 April 1935

References

Books

• Evans, David (1979). Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-192-7.
• Friedman, Norman (1985). "Japan". In Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-907-3.
• Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0-689-11402-8.
• 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.
• Watts, Anthony J. & Gordon, Brian G. (1971). The Imperial Japanese Navy. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-35603-045-8.