Japanese destroyer Shimakaze (1942)

	Shimakaze on sea trials at Miyazu Bay, 5 May 1943
Class overview
Name	Shimakaze class
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Kagerō class
Succeeded by	Super Shimakaze class
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Shimakaze
Namesake	(島風) (Island Wind)
Builder	Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Laid down	8 August 1941
Launched	18 July 1942
Commissioned	10 May 1943
Stricken	10 January 1945
Fate	Sunk in the Battle of Ormoc Bay, 11 November 1944
General characteristics
Type	Experimental Destroyer
Displacement	2,570 long tons (2,611 t) (standard); 3,300 long tons (3,353 t) (full load);
Length	129.5 m (424 ft 10 in) o/a; 126 m (413 ft 5 in) w/l;
Beam	11.2 m (36 ft 9 in)
Draft	4.15 m (13 ft 7 in)
Installed power	3 × water-tube boilers; 75,000 kW);
Propulsion	2 × shafts; 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed	40.9 knots (75.7 km/h; 47.1 mph)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	267 (May 1943)
Armament	As Built: 6 × 12.7 cm Type 3 dual-purpose guns (3x2); 6 × 25 mm (1 in) Type 96 25mm anti-aircraft guns (2x3); 2 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) anti-aircraft machine guns (1x2); 15 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes (3x5); 18 depth charges; Early 1944 Refit: 6 × 12.7 cm Type 3 dual-purpose guns (3x2); 16 × Type 96 anti-aircraft guns (4x3, 2x2) (increased in June to 28); 15 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes (3x5); 36 depth charges;

Shimakaze (島風) (Island Wind) was an experimental destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, and intended as the lead ship in a projected new "Type C" of destroyers. She was the only destroyer to be armed with 15 torpedo tubes, each capable of firing the deadly 610 mm (24 in) Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedo. The ship also served as a testbed for an enormously powerful, high-temperature, high-pressure steam turbine that was able to develop 79,240 shp (59,090 kW). This made her one of the fastest destroyers in the world: her design speed was 39 knots (72 km/h; 45 mph), but on trials she made 40.9 knots (75.7 km/h; 47.1 mph).

Background

Ordered in 1939 under the

4th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme, Shimakaze was laid down at Maizuru Naval Arsenal in August 1941 and completed on 10 May 1943. Under the 1941 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Programme, a total of 16 Shimakaze-class destroyers were budgeted, with long term plans to build a total of 32 vessels to equip four destroyer squadrons. However, the complexity of the design, coupled with the lack of industrial capacity and resources during the Pacific War prevented these plans from being realized.^[2]

Design

Shimakaze was based on a lengthened version of the

Yugumo design, with an additional 25 feet of length to mount an additional quintuple torpedo launcher amidships. The additional weight caused the design to be top-heavy, so no torpedo reloads were carried; however, with a broadside of three quintuple mounts which could be trained to either port or starboard, Shimakaze had one of the largest torpedo capacities of any World War II destroyer.^[2]

The

Type 96 AA guns, and anti-submarine capability of 18 depth charges. She was also equipped with a Type 22 radar.^[2]

Her new experimental high temperature and pressure

Kampon boilers developed 79,240 shaft horsepower (59,090 kW), powering a new type of turbine, which generated 50 percent more power than typical turbines used in previous destroyers. She was expected to reach a speed of 39 kn. However, during her trials on 7 April 1943, she was clocked at 40.90 knots (75.75 km/h; 47.07 mph),^[2]

faster than initially planned.

In June 1944, during repairs and refit in Japan, her anti-aircraft capacity was enhanced with the additional set of triple Type 96 guns, seven single Type 96 guns, and one single

Type 93 13mm machine gun, together with a Type 13 radar.^[2]

Service history

On completion at Maizuru on 10 May 1943, Shimakaze was assigned to the

Lingga, arriving in Brunei on 20 October.^[3]

She was present at the 23–25 October Battle of Leyte Gulf, although she played no role in the battle except for picking up survivors from the sunken battleship Musashi and cruiser Maya. Overloaded with survivors, she stayed at the rear of the fleet during the Battle off Samar and was unable to use her vaunted torpedo broadside. However, she did suffer minor damage due to air attacks and a minor collision with Akishimo. She returned to Manila on 31 October.^[3]

On 4 November, Shimakaze was appointed flagship of Destroyer Squadron 2 under the command of

navy list on 10 January 1945.^[3]

Wreck

Shimakaze was discovered by a Paul Allen-led expedition aboard RV Petrel in Ormoc Bay on 1 December 2017, 715 ft (218 m) below the surface. She was a mangled wreck but the three quintuple torpedo tube launchers confirmed her identity.^[4] Photographs from the wreck also debunked the assertion that she had had one of her turrets removed in an early 1944 refit.^[4]

Ships in class

Ship	Ship No.	Fate
Shimakaze (島風)	125	Exploded on 11 November 1944 after being attacked by American aircraft. Struck from record on 10 January 1945
16 destroyers (Super Shimakaze)	733-748	Cancelled and re-planned on 30 June 1942 to: 8 × Yūgumo class (Ship # 5041-5048) 7 × Super Akizuki class (Ship # 5077-5083)