Japanese destroyer Kaede (1944)

History
Empire of Japan
Name:	Kaede
Builder:	Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Launched:	25 July 1944
Completed:	30 October 1944
General characteristics
Class and type:	Matsu-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,260 long tons (1,280 t) standard 1,505 long tons (1,529 t) trial
Length:	100 m (328 ft 1 in)
Beam:	9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draft:	3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:	2 × Kampon water tube boilers, 2 × Kanpon impulse turbines, 2 shafts, 19,000 shp
Speed:	27.8 knots (32.0 mph; 51.5 km/h)
Range:	3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement:	211
Armament:	3 × Type 89 127 mm (5.0 in) L/40 AA guns 20 × Type 96 25 mm AA guns 4 × Type 92 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes for Type 93 torpedoes 36 × Type 2 depth charges

Kaede (楓, "maple") was a Matsu-class destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Design and description

The Matsu-class ships were designed as a cheap escort destroyer optimized for mass production. The ships measured 100 meters (328 ft 1 in) overall, with a beam of 9.35 meters (30 ft 8 in) and a draft of 3.3 meters (10 ft 10 in).^[1] They displaced 1,282 metric tons (1,262 long tons) at standard load and 1,554 metric tons (1,529 long tons) at deep load.^[2]

The ships had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 19,000 shaft horsepower (14,000 kW) for a designed speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph). They had a range of 4,680 nautical miles (8,670 km; 5,390 mi) at a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Matsu class consisted of three Type 89 127-millimeter (5.0 in) dual purpose guns in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the superstructure. They carried a total of twenty-four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in four triple and a dozen single mounts. The ships were also armed with four 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a single quadruple traversing mount^[4] and 36 depth charges.^[1]

Construction and career

Kaede was launched by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on 25 July 1944 and completed on 30 October. She was badly damaged by American aircraft south of Taiwan on 31 January 1945. The ship was repaired and surrendered in August.^[5] After the war the ship was ceded to China.^[6][7]

Notes

1. Chesneau, p. 196
2. Whitley, p. 204
3. Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 151
4. Whitley, pp. 206–07
5. Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 152
6. http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/stc0432.htm
7. http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaede_t.htm

References

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• 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.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.