Japanese destroyer Nara (1944)
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 Nara in Moji, 1947 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | Nara |
| Namesake | Oak |
| Builder | Fujinagata Shipyards, Osaka |
| Laid down | 10 June 1944 |
| Launched | 12 October 1944 |
| Completed | 26 November 1944 |
| Stricken | 30 November 1945 |
| Fate | Scrapped, July 1948 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Matsu-class escort destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,282 t (1,262 long tons) (standard) |
| Length | 100 m (328 ft 1 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in) |
| Draft | 3.3 m (10 ft 10 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) |
| Complement | 210 |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Armament |
|
Nara (楢; "Oak") was one of 18 Matsu-class escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Completed in November 1944, the ship was badly damaged when she struck a naval mine in June 1945. She was not repaired before the end of the war and was scrapped in 1948.
Designed for ease of production, the Matsu class was smaller, slower, and more lightly armed than previous destroyers, as the IJN intended them for second-line duties like escorting convoys, releasing the larger ships for missions with the fleet.[1] The ships measured 100 meters (328 ft 1 in) long overall, with a beam of 9.35 meters (30 ft 8 in) and a draft of 3.3 meters (10 ft 10 in).[2] Their crew numbered 210 officers and enlisted men.[3] 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.[4] 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 Matsus had a range of 4,680 nautical miles (8,670 km; 5,390 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[5]
The main armament of the Matsu-class ships 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 twenty-five 25-millimeter (1 in) Type 96 anti-aircraft guns in 4 triple and 13 single mounts. The Matsus were equipped with Type 13 early-warning and Type 22 surface-search radars.[6] The ships were also armed with a single rotating quadruple mount amidships for 610-millimeter (24 in) torpedoes. They could deliver their 36 depth charges via two stern rails and two throwers.[2][6]
