JAPANESE DESTROYER FUBUKI

Fubuki was a Japanese destroyer whose keel was laid in 1926, launched in November 1927, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in August 1928. The length of the ship at the time of launching was 118.4 m, width 10.4 m, and the actual full displacement - 2,050 tons. The maximum speed of destroyer Fubuki was up to 38 knots! The main armament at the time of the launch was 6 127 mm guns in three twin turrets, and the secondary armament were 25 mm cannons, depth charges, and nine 610 mm torpedo tubes with nine spare torpedoes. The Fubuki was the first destroyer of the type with the same name - ie the Fubuki. When designing destroyers of this type, the focus was on the most powerful armament - especially torpedo ones - and high maximum speed, at the expense of e.g. armor and, in particular, the living conditions of the crew. As a result, a series of ships was created that aroused the admiration of Western experts and the concern of US and British naval intelligence services! In the course of the service, however, some design shortcomings were revealed: first of all, the wrong center of gravity, which resulted in poor stability of these destroyers, as well as insufficient overall strength of the structure. However, all Fubuki-class ships underwent repairs and modernizations in the period 1935-1938, which eliminated the above-mentioned disadvantages. Undoubtedly, destroyers of this type were among the best destroyers in the world at the turn of the 1930s and 1940s, maintaining their combat value throughout the entire war in the Pacific. Destroyer Fubuki began its service in World War II by escorting convoys in the area of today's Vietnam. Later, he was delegated to serve in the Malaya region, and from February 1942 he served in the waters surrounding the Dutch East Indies, including: supporting landings in Java and Sumatra. In June 1942, it took part in the Battle of Midway as a cover for the Japanese main forces. From August of the same year - 1942 - he served in the area of the Solomon Islands and protected convoys heading towards the Guadalcanal island, being part of the so-called Tokyo Express. The destroyer Fubuki was sunk on October 11, 1942 during the battle near Cape Esperance.