Akizuki-class destroyer (1942)

The Akizuki-class destroyers (秋月型駆逐艦) were one of the primary classes of new destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after 1942. The IJN called them Type-B Destroyer (乙型駆逐艦,) from their plan name. They were designed to fight larger ships, aircraft and submarines.

This is considered to have been the most useful class of destroyers Japan fielded during the war and was well regarded in the IJN. They mounted a 3.9" (100mm) dual-purpose gun in four twin mounts. They also were among the first Japanese vessels equipped with radar. The ships were lighter in their torpedo armament, compared to contemporary destroyers (a single mount of four tubes, plus reloads), but the ships compensated with stronger anti-aircraft armament.

Ships of the Fuyutsuki and Michitsuki subclasses were modified to simplify and speed-up construction.

Four ships were used for war reparation.

Akizuki class
Project number F51. General production type of the Akizuki-class. Seven vessels were built under the Maru 4 Programme (Ship # 104-109) and the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 360).

Fuyutsuki class
Project number F51. The Fuyutsuki subclass were originally going to be built to the same specifications as the Akizuki class but construction was more simplified. Four vessels were built under the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 361-364). Main differences from the Akizuki class were simplified bow design, removed rear deck house, and fitted two-dimensional air inlet for boilers. However, the IJN was not satisfied with the design. More modifications were ordered, leading to the Michitsuki subclass.

Michitsuki class
Project number F53. Final production model of the Akizuki-class. Simplified more than Fuyutsuki-class. Converted 5 vessels from the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 365-369) and 16 vessels from the Maru 5 Programme (Ship #770-785 were re-planned to #5061-5076). However, only 1 vessel was completed.

Super Akizuki class
Project number V7. High-speed model of the Akizuki-class. Only a project. 16 vessels were planned under the Maru 5 Programme (Ship # 770-785) and 7 vessels were converted from Super Shimakaze-class under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Ship #733-748 were re-planned to #5077-5083).