Murakumo-class destroyer facts for kids

Murakumo-class destroyer Kagerō at Kure, 1920
Quick facts for kids Class overview
Name:	Murakumo class
Builders:	John I. Thornycroft & Company Chiswick, England
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by:	Ikazuchi class
Succeeded by:	Akatsuki class
In commission:	December 1898 - June 1925
Planned:	6
Completed:	6
Lost:	1
Retired:	5
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	275 long tons (279 t) normal 360.5 long tons (366.3 t) full load
Length	208 ft (63 m) waterline, 210 ft (64 m) overall
Beam	19.5 ft (5.9 m)
Draught	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Depth	13.5 ft (4.1 m)
Propulsion	2-shaft reciprocating, 3 boilers, 5,800 ihp (4,300 kW)
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h)
Complement	50
Armament	1 × QF 12-pounder gun 5 × QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss guns 2 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedoes

The Murakumo-class destroyers (叢雲型駆逐艦, Murakumo-gata kuchikukan) ("Gathering Clouds") were a group of six fast warships. They were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in Britain between 1897 and 1899. These ships were also sometimes called the Shinonome-class destroyers (東雲駆逐艦, Shinonome-gata kuchikukan) ("Daybreak"). All of them were named after things you see in the sky, like clouds and mist.

Why Japan Needed These Ships

After the First Sino-Japanese War, Japan's navy learned a lot about fighting at sea. They saw that small, fast ships with torpedoes could be very effective. Torpedoes are underwater missiles that can sink much larger ships. They realized these small ships could be better than big, slow ships with old-fashioned naval artillery (large guns).

The Murakumo-class ships were the first group of destroyers bought by the Imperial Japanese Navy. They were ordered around the same time as another class of destroyers called the Ikazuchi-class. Four Murakumo ships were ordered in 1897, and two more in 1898. All six ships were built by John I. Thornycroft & Company in Chiswick, England. The last two ships were a tiny bit heavier than the first four.

How the Ships Were Designed

Ship Features and Layout

The design of the Murakumo-class destroyers was based on similar ships built for the British Royal Navy. They were built using the same plans as three British destroyers: Coquette, Cygnet, and Cynthia. Even though they were a little smaller than the Ikazuchi-class, they carried the same weapons.

All Murakumo-class ships had a flat top deck, called a flush deck. They also had a special "turtleback" forecastle at the front. This design was supposed to help water flow off the bow when the ship moved very fast. However, it didn't work well in big waves or bad weather. The ship's control area (the bridge) and the front gun platform were very low. This meant the crew got very wet when the seas were rough.

Engines and Weapons

More than half of the ship's small body was taken up by the engines and boilers. These ships were powered by triple expansion steam engines. They used coal-fired water-tube boilers to make steam. This gave them enough power to travel at high speeds.

For weapons, each ship had one 12-pounder gun at the front. They also had five smaller QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss guns. Two of these were near the control area, two were between the funnels, and one was at the back. Each ship also carried two tubes for firing 18-inch (460 mm) torpedoes.

What They Did in Service

Early Battles

All six Murakumo-class destroyers arrived in Japan in time to fight in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). They were involved in major naval battles, including the Battle of the Yellow Sea. They also played a part in the very important Battle of Tsushima.

Later Years and World War I

On August 28, 1912, these ships were reclassified as "third-class destroyers." This meant they were no longer used for front-line combat. Sadly, one ship, the Usugumo, was damaged in a Pacific typhoon in July 1913. It was later repaired and put back into service. Another ship, the Shinonome, was lost when it broke apart during a typhoon off Taiwan on July 23, 1913. It was never found.

The five remaining ships were used again when World War I started. They helped in the Siege of Tsingtao and in taking over German colonial possessions in the South Pacific.

After the Wars

After World War I, some of the ships were changed. The Murakumo and Yūgiri became support ships in 1919-1920. Then, in 1920, they were used as auxiliary minesweepers. Minesweepers are ships that clear underwater mines.

The Shiranui and Kagerō served as training ships for torpedo school in 1918. They were taken out of service in 1922 and broken up (scrapped) in 1923. The Usugumo was also taken out of service in 1922 and broken up in 1927.

List of Ships