Fubuki class destroyer

The Fubuki Class, originally only known as numbered destroyers 35 to 54 of the Imperial Japanese Navy "Special Type", were completed between 1928 and 1931. They were assigned names in 1928. One turret in the forward position and two turrets aft, each armed with 2 – 5 inch (127mm) 50cal. Type 3 dual purpose guns, 2 – 13mm Type 93 anti-aircraft machine guns, 9 torpedo tubes firing the "long lance" Type 93 torpedo, and 18 depth charges made these the most powerful destroyers in the world at the time of their completion. The fully enclosed turrets were the first to be mounted on any destroyer.

They were 115.3 meters (378.3 feet) long, had a beam of 10.4 meters (34 feet), and a draught of 3.2 meters (10.5 feet). They displaced 1750 tons standard and 2057 tons fully loaded. The ships were rebuilt between 1935 and 1937 to improve hull strength and stability. This increased the displacement to 2050 tons standard and 2400 tons fully loaded. The ships were powered by geared steam turbines with four boilers providing 50,000shp through two shafts and originally giving the ships a top speed of 38 knots. The rebuild reduced the top speed slightly. They had a range of roughly 5000 miles at 14 knots.

As was common with most ships during World War II, the anti-aircraft armament was steadily upgraded during the war as the extent of the aircraft threat was realized. The anti-submarine capability was also upgraded. By 1945, the surviving ships of the class had one aft turret removed to create space and lighten the top for the addition of 14 – 25mm anti-aircraft guns, 2 additional 13mm anti-aircraft machine guns, and 18 more depth charges.

Ships in this class were Akebono, Amagiri, Asagiri, Ayanami, Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, Isonami, Miyuki, Murakumo, Oboro, Sagiri, Sazanami, Shikinami, Shinonome, Shirakumo, Shirayuki, Uranami, Ushio, Usugumo, Yugiri

The Miyuki was lost in a collision in 1934. Eighteen other ships of the class were lost in combat, and the only survivor, the Ushio was scrapped in 1948.