Yanagi was one of four Momo-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I. She was converted to a training hulk in 1940 and was scrapped in 1947.

A Momo class destroyer, possibly Kashi
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Yanagi
Namesake	Willow tree
Builder	Sasebo Naval Arsenal, Sasebo, Japan
Launched	24 February 1917
Completed	5 May 1917
Decommissioned	1 May 1940
Reclassified	As a training hulk, 1 April 1940
Fate	Scrapped, 1947
General characteristics
Class and type	Momo-class destroyer
Displacement	835 long tons (848 t) (normal) 1,080 long tons (1,100 t) (full load)
Length	275 ft (83.8 m) (pp) 281 ft 8 in (85.9 m) (waterline)
Beam	25 ft 5 in (7.7 m)
Draught	7 ft 9 in (2.4 m)
Installed power	4 water-tube boilers 16,000 shp (12,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed	31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph)
Range	2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	110
Armament	3 × single 12 cm (4.7 in) guns 2 × triple 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Design and description

The Momo-class destroyers were enlarged and faster versions of the preceding Kaba class with a more powerful armament. They displaced 835 long tons (848 t) at normal load and 1,080 long tons (1,100 t) at deep load. The ships had a length between perpendiculars of 275 feet (83.8 m) and a waterline length of 281 feet 8 inches (85.9 m), a beam of 25 feet 4 inches (7.7 m) and a draught of 7 feet 9 inches (2.4 m). The Momos were powered by two Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft using steam produced by four Kampon water-tube boilers.[1] Two boilers burned a mixture of coal and fuel oil while the other pair only used oil.[2] The engines produced a total of 16,000 shaft horsepower (12,000 kW) that gave the ships a maximum speed of 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph).[3] They carried enough fuel to give them a range of 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Their crew consisted of 110 officers and ratings.[4]

The main armament of the Momo-class ships consisted of three quick-firing (QF) 12-centimetre (4.7 in) guns; one gun each was located at the bow and stern with the third gun positioned between the funnels. Their torpedo armament consisted of two triple rotating mounts[4] for 450-millimetre (17.7 in)[5] torpedoes located fore and aft of the funnels.[4]

Construction and career

Yanagi was launched on 24 February 1917 at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal[1] and completed on 5 May. The ship played a minor role in World War I and participated in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai that began the Second Sino-Japanese War. She was decommissioned on 1 April 1940,[2] converted into a stationary training ship and broken up in 1947.[6] The ship's hulk alongside the former destroyer Suzutsuki and Fuyuzuki were used as breakwaters in Kitakyushu. Currently, only Yanagi's hulk is visible above ground while the other two has been cemented underground in place.

References

Bibliography

• Friedman, Norman (1985). "Japan". In Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-907-3.
• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
• 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.
• Todaka, Kazushige; Fukui, Shizuo; Eldridge, Robert D. & Leonard, Graham B. (2020). Destroyers: Selected Photos from the Archives of the Kure Maritime Museum; the Best from the Collection of Shizuo Fukui's Photos of Japanese Warships. Japanese Naval Warship Photo Album. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-630-8.
• Watts, Anthony J. & Gordon, Brian G. (1971). The Imperial Japanese Navy. London: Macdonald. ISBN 0-35603-045-8.