Momi Class Destroyer Information
The Momi class destroyers was a class of twenty one 2nd class destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. [1] All were named for plants. Obsolete by the beginning of the Pacific War, the Momi were relegated to mostly secondary roles, with some vessels serving throughout the war as patrol vessels or high speed transports.
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Background
Construction of the medium-sized Momi-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 8-4 Fleet Program from fiscal 1918-1920, as an accompaniment to the larger Minekaze-class with which they shared many common design characteristics. [2] These vessels were produced at a several shipyards around Japan, and when formed into attack squadrons of two to four vessels, made up the backbone of the inter-war Imperial Japanese Navy. [3]
The final seven vessels planned for this series were cancelled, and re-ordered as the new Wakatake class destroyers in 1919.
Initial Design
The Momi-class was a development of the Enoki second-class destroyers, relying on the same basic hull. They were quite small, comparable to Royal Navy corvettes. The design incorporated features discovered on German destroyers captured during World War I, including a lengthened forecastle with a break forming a well deck immediately forward of the bridge. This arrangement, apparently derived from contemporary torpedo boat practice, offered the advantage of a low, semi protected area for the forward torpedo tubes albeit at the cost of becoming awash in heavy seas. [4] Initial problems with stability during high speed turns were later corrected by widening the beam and bringing up the waterline.
When compared with the Minekaze-class, the smaller size necessitated a reduction from four boilers to three and the adoption of lighter-weight Parsons direct-drive turbines, resulting in a drop from 38500hp in Minekaze-class to 21,500 hp (16,000 kW) in Momi-class. In addition, bunkerage was lowered to 275 tons oil fuel.
As gear turbine technology was not yet perfected, the navy experimented with a variety of power plants on the Momi-class:
| Turbines | Equipment for |
|---|---|
| Brown-Curtis turbines | Kaya, Warabi and Tade |
| Parsons impulse turbines | Hishi and Hasu |
| Escher Wyss & Cie Zoelly turbines | Sumire |
| Mitsubishi Shipbuilding High-pressure impulse turbine and low-pressure reaction turbine | Kaki |
| Kampon turbines | all others |
As with the Minekaze-class, the Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval guns were mounted high, with the Q gun removed, and as opposed to the Minekaze, only one set of double of torpedo tubes fitted aft.
Early operational history
Due to their shallow draft, the Momi-class destroyers proved to be excellent for operation in coastal waters, and were used along the coast of China to support amphibious landings during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
A number of the Momi-class vessels were lost or disposed during the interwar period. Momi herself was turned over to trials in 1932, while Warabi was run down by Jintsu on August 27, 1927 off Maizuru, Kyoto. Kaya and Nashi were scrapped in 1939. Also in 1939, Aoi, Fuji, Hagi, Hishi, Kiku, Satsuki, Tade, Tsuta and Yomogi were removed from front line combat service and converted into patrol vessels.
In 1940, Ashi, Kaki, Nine, Sumire, and Take were disarmed, and re-rated as training ships.
The surviving Momi-class destroyers (Tsuga, Hasu and Kuri) had their amidships 4.7" (120 mm) gun replaced by two triple Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns from 1942 – 1943. Tsuga was sunk by air attack January 15, 1945. Hasu was surrendered and scrapped at the end of the war. Kuri was surrendered (but sank after striking a mine off Korea on October 8, 1945. [5][6]
As patrol boats
Beginning in 1939, nine Momi-class vessels were re-classified as patrol boats and converted for escort duty, having one boiler removed (dropping their power to 12,000 ihp (8,900 kW) and speed to just 18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h). and their torpedo tubes, minesweeping gear, and one gun mount replaced by six Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns, 36 depth charges, and depth charge throwers. As well, their names were dropped and they were simply numbered.
During 1941-42, these vessels were modified again, to carry and launch a Toku Daihatsu class landing craft, by having the aft smoke stack removed and the stern modified with a sloping deck to the waterline, as well as providing accommodation for 150 naval infantry troops. All of these vessels except ex-Fuji (as Patrol Boat #36) were sunk during the course of the Pacific War.
| |Patrol Boat No. 33 (ex-Hagi) at Wake Island |
List of Ships
| Kanji | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 樅 | Momi | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, Japan | 23 January 1918 | 10 June 1919 | 27 December 1919 | Decommissioned 1 April 1932; renamed Disposal destroyer No.2 (廃駆二号, Haiku 2-Gō?); used for trials to 1936. |
| 榧 | Kaya | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, Japan | 23 December 1918 | 10 June 1919 | 28 March 1920 | Decommissioned 1 February 1940 and scrapped. |
| 梨 | Nashi | Kawasaki Shipyards, Kobe, Japan | 2 February 1918 | 26 August 1919 | 10 December 1919 | Decommissioned 1 February 1940 and scrapped |
| 竹 | Take | Kawasaki Shipyards, Kobe, Japan | 2 December 1918 | 26 August 1919 | 25 December 1919 | Decommissioned 1 February 1940; converted to training ship; scuttled as breakwater at Akita port in 1948. |
| 柿 | Kaki | Uraga Dock Company, Japan | 27 February 1919 | 20 October 1919 | 2 August 1920 | Decommissioned 1 April 1940; converted to training ship; re-converted to auxiliary ship Ōsu (大須?) 23 February 1945; scrapped 1948. |
| 栂 | Tsuga | Ishikawajima Shipyards, Japan | 5 March 1919 | 17 April 1920 | 20 June 1920 | Sunk off Taiwan [23.33N, 119.33E] 15 January 1945 in air attack; struck 10 March 1945 |
| 楡 | Nire | Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan | 5 September 1919 | 22 December 1919 | 31 March 1920 | Decommissioned 1 February 1940; converted to training ship, re-converted to auxiliary ship No.1 Tomariura (第一泊浦, Dai-1 Tomariura?) 15 December 1944; scrapped 1948. |
| 栗 | Kuri | Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan | 5 December 1919 | 19 March 1920 | 30 April 1920 | mined off Pusan 8 October 1945; struck 25 October 1945 |
| 菊 | Kiku | Kawasaki Shipyards, Kobe, Japan | 20 January 1920 | 13 October 1920 | 10 December 1920 | Converted to Patrol boat No.31 (第三十一号哨戒艇, Dai-31-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; sunk at Palau [07.30N, 134.30E] 30 March 1944 by air attack; struck 10 May 1944 |
| 葵 | Aoi | Kawasaki Shipyards, Kobe, Japan | 1 April 1920 | 9 November 1920 | 10 December 1920 | Converted to Patrol boat No.32 (第三十二号哨戒艇, Dai-32-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; grounded 23 December 1941 at Wake Island [19.17N, 166.37E]; struck 15 January 1942 |
| 萩 | Hagi | Uraga Dock Company, Japan | 28 February 1920 | 29 October 1920 | 20 April 1921 | Converted to Patrol boat No.33 (第三十三号哨戒艇, Dai-33-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; grounded 23 December 1941 at Wake Island [19.17N, 166.37E]; struck 15 January 1942 |
| 藤 | Fuji | Fujinagata Shipyards, Japan | 6 December 1919 | 27 November 1920 | 31 May 1921 | Converted to Patrol boat No.36 (第三十六号哨戒艇, Dai-36-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; surrendered to Netherlands on July 1946 at Surabaya; scrapped 10-August 1946. |
| 薄 | Susuki | Ishikawajima Shipyards, Japan | 3 May 1920 | 21 February 1921 | 25 May 1921 | Converted to Patrol boat No.34 (第三十四号哨戒艇, Dai-34-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; sunk 6 March 1943 in collision with Yakaze off Kavien; written off 10 January 1945 |
| 菱 | Hishi | Uraga Dock Company, Japan | 10 November 1920 | 9 May 1921 | 23 March 1922 | Converted to Patrol boat No.37 (第三十七号哨戒艇, Dai-37-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; sunk off Borneo [01.24S, 117.02E] by USS Pope 24 January 1942; struck 10 April 1942 |
| 蓮 | Hasu | Uraga Dock Company, Japan | 2 March 1921 | 8 December 1921 | 31 July 1922 | retired 12 October 1945; scuttled as breakwater in Fukui, 1946 |
| 蕨 | Warabi | Fujinagata Shipyards, Japan | 12 October 1920 | 28 September 1921 | 19 December 1921 | Sunk 24 August 1927 in collision with Jintsu off Cape Miho; struck 15 September 1927 |
| 蓼 | Tade | Fujinagata Shipyards, Japan | 20 December 1920 | 15 March 1920 | 31 July 1922 | Converted to Patrol boat No.39 (第三十九号哨戒艇, Dai-39-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; torpedoed S of Yonaguni [23.45N, 122.45E] by USS Seawolf (SS-197) 23 April 1943; struck 1 July 1943 |
| 菫 | Sumire | Ishikawajima Shipyards, Japan | 24 November 1920 | 14 December 1921 | 31 March 1923 | Decommissioned 1 February 1940; converted to training ship, re-converted to auxiliary ship Mitaka (三高?) 23 February 1945; scrapped 1948. |
| 蔦 | Tsuta | Kawasaki Shipyards, Kobe, Japan | 16 October 1920 | 9 May 1921 | 30 June 1921 | Converted to Patrol boat No.35 (第三十五号哨戒艇, Dai-35-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940; sunk at Lae [06.45S, 147E] by air attack 2 September 1942; struck 10 February 1943 |
| 葦 | Ashi | Kawasaki Shipyards, Kobe, Japan | 15 November 1920 | 3 September 1921 | 29 October 1921 | Decommissioned 1 February 1940; converted to training ship, re-converted to auxiliary ship No.2 Tomariura (第二泊浦, Dai-2 Tomariura?) 15 December 1944; modified to Shinyo (suicide boat) mother ship 1945, scrapped 1947. |
| 蓬 | Yomogi | Ishikawajima Shipyards, Japan | 26 February 1921 | 14 March 1922 | 19 August 1922 | Converted to Patrol boat No.38 (第三十八号哨戒艇, Dai-38-Gō shōkaitei?) 1 April 1940: torpedoed Bashi Strait [20.12N, 121.51E] by USS Atule 25 November 1944; struck 10 March 1945 |
See also
Notes
- ^ Jentsura, Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945
- ^ Howarth, The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun
- ^ Globalsecurity.org, IJN Momi class destroyers
- ^ Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. pp.188/189
- ^ Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy
- ^ Nishida, Hiroshi. "Materials of IJN: Momi class destroyer". Imperial Japanese Navy. http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0419.htm.
References
Books
- Evans, David (1979). Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0870211927.
- Howarth, Stephen (1983). The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum. ISBN 0689114028.
- Jentsura, Hansgeorg (1976). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 087021893X.
- Watts, A. J. Japanese Warships of World War II, Ian Allen, London, 1967.
- Whitley, M J (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
- Fitzsimons, Bernard, editor. "Momi", Volume 18, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Weapons and Warfare. London: Phoebus Publishing Company, 1978.
External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Momi class destroyer |
- Nishida, Hiroshi. "Materials of IJN: Momi class destroyer". Imperial Japanese Navy. http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0419.htm.
- Globalsecurity.org. "IJN Momi class destroyers". http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/momi-dd.htm.
- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/bullhead262/ijn/dd/momi.htm&date=2009-10-25+16:43:04
- http://www.combinedfleet.com/Kuchikukan.htm
- Model Art Extra No.340, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-1, Model Art Co. Ltd. (Japan), October 1989, Book code 08734-10
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Categories: Destroyer classes | Momi class destroyers | World War II destroyers of Japan
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