Japanese destroyer Susuki (1921)
The Japanese destroyer Susuki (薄) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. In 1940, she was converted into a No.31-class patrol boat and renamed Patrol Boat No.34 (第三十四号哨戒艇, Dai-34-Gō shōkaitei). She was sunk by American aircraft in July 1944.
 Sister ship Kuri at anchor, 1937 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Susuki |
| Builder | Ishikawajima, Tokyo |
| Laid down | 3 May 1920 |
| Launched | 21 February 1921 |
| Completed | 5 May 1921 |
| Stricken | 10 January 1945 |
| Fate | Sunk by American aircraft, 3 July 1944 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Momi-class destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Draft | 8 ft (2.4 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
| Range | 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 110 |
| Armament |
|
Design and description
The Momi class was designed with higher speed and better seakeeping than the preceding Enoki-class second-class destroyers.[1] The ships had an overall length of 280 feet (85.3 m) and were 275 feet (83.8 m) between perpendiculars. They had a beam of 26 feet (7.9 m), and a mean draft of 8 feet (2.4 m). The Momi-class ships displaced 850 long tons (864 t) at standard load and 1,020 long tons (1,036 t) at deep load.[2] Susuki was powered by two Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers.[3] The turbines were designed to produce 21,500 shaft horsepower (16,000 kW) to give the ships a speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 275 long tons (279 t) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Their crew consisted of 110 officers and crewmen.[4]
The main armament of the Momi-class ships consisted of three 12-centimeter (4.7 in) Type 3 guns in single mounts; one gun forward of the well deck, one between the two funnels, and the last gun atop the aft superstructure. The guns were numbered '1' to '3' from front to rear. The ships carried two above-water twin sets of 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes; one mount was in the well deck between the forward superstructure and the bow gun and the other between the aft funnel and aft superstructure.[2]
In 1940, Susuki was converted into a patrol boat. Her torpedo tubes, minesweeping gear, and aft 12 cm gun were removed in exchange for two triple mounts for license-built 25 mm (1 in) Type 96 light AA guns and 60 depth charges. In addition one boiler was removed, which reduced her speed to 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) from 12,000 shp (8,900 kW). These changes made her top heavy and ballast had to be added which increased her displacement to 950 metric tons (935 long tons).[5]
Construction and career
Susuki, built at the Ishikawajima shipyard in Tokyo, was laid down on 3 May 1920, launched on 21 February 1921 and completed on 5 May 1921.[5] On 1 June 1921, she was assigned to Destroyer Division 15.[5]
Notes
- Watts & Gordon, p. 259
- Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 137
- Friedman, p. 244
- Watts & Gordon, p. 260
- Hackett, Kingsepp & Cundall
References
- 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.
- Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander & Cundall, Peter (25 May 2018). "IJN Patrol Boat No. 34: Tabular Record of Movement". SHOKAITEI! Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's Patrol Boats. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- 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.