Japanese destroyer Kusunoki (1945)
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 Sister ship Nire in January or February 1945 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Kusunoki |
| Namesake | Camphor |
| Ordered | 1943 |
| Builder | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal |
| Laid down | 9 November 1944 |
| Launched | 18 January 1945 |
| Completed | 28 April 1945 |
| Stricken | 5 October 1945 |
| Fate | Turned over to the Royal Navy, 16 July 1947, and scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Tachibana sub-class of the Matsu-class escort destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,309 t (1,288 long tons) (standard) |
| Length | 100 m (328 ft 1 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in) |
| Draft | 3.37 m (11 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power | 2 × water-tube boilers; 19,000 shp (14,000 kW) |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 27.8 knots (51.5 km/h; 32.0 mph) |
| Range | 4,680 nmi (8,670 km; 5,390 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Armament |
|
Kusunoki (楠; "Camphor") was one of 23 escort destroyers of the Tachibana sub-class of the Matsu class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the final stages of World War II. She was used to repatriate Japanese personnel after the war until 1947. Mid-year, the destroyer was turned over to Great Britain and subsequently scrapped.
The Tachibana sub-class was a simplified version of the preceding Matsu class to make them even more suited 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 3.37 meters (11 ft 1 in).[1] They displaced 1,309 metric tons (1,288 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 speed of 27.8 knots (51.5 km/h; 32.0 mph). The Tachibanas had a range of 4,680 nautical miles (8,670 km; 5,390 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[3]
The main armament of the Tachibana sub-class consisted of three 127-millimeter (5 in) Type 89 dual-purpose guns in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the superstructure. The single mount was partially protected against spray by a gun shield. The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery director was fitted. The ships carried a total of 25 Type 96 25-millimeter (1 in) anti-aircraft guns in 4 triple and 13 single mounts. The Tachibanas were equipped with Type 13 early-warning and Type 22 surface-search radars.[4] The ships were also armed with a single rotating quadruple mount amidships for 610-millimeter (24 in) torpedoes. They could deliver their 60 depth charges via two stern rails and two throwers.[1][4]
