I.J.N. DESTROYER HATSUHARU 1933

Hatsuharu was a Japanese destroyer whose keel was laid in 1931, launched in February 1933, and commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy in September 1933. The length of the ship at the time of launching was 109.5 m, width 10 m, and the actual full displacement - 1,800 tons. Destroyer Hatsuharu's top speed was up to 36 knots. The main armament at the time of the launch was 5 127 mm guns in two twin turrets and one single turret, and the secondary armament was 2 40 mm cannons, depth charge launchers and nine 610 mm torpedo tubes. Hatsuharu was the first destroyer of the type with the same name, ie Hatsuharu. Designing destroyers of this type was based on the very successful Fubuki class, but the provisions of the disarmament treaty of 1930 had to be respected, which forced the maximum displacement to be limited to 1,850 tons. The result was a ship with capabilities similar to the Fubuki class, but with weaker torpedo armament. What's more - also on the Hatsuharu type, the ship's stability and the overall strength of the structure had to be improved later. Finally, at the outbreak of the war, units of this type were as good as their Allied counterparts, but had less combat capabilities than the earlier chronological type of Fubuki! Destroyer Hatsuharu began its participation in World War II by supporting amphibious operations in the Dutch East Indies in January-February 1942. In May this year, he took part in an action against the Aleutian Islands. He served in the North Pacific until October. Then it underwent a thorough reconstruction, which lasted until September 1943 and mainly consisted in enhancing the anti-aircraft capabilities of the ship. After reconstruction and renovation, it served as a shield unit for aircraft carriers Unyo and Zuiho. The unit fought in the Battle of Leyte Bay (October 1944), but survived without major damage. The destroyer Hatsuharu was sunk on November 13, 1944.