The Japanese Destroyer Shimakaze

The Imperial Naval Staff demanded the development of a destroyer project with owerful weaponry and capable of reaching speed of 40 knots. The project was approved and marked with the symbol "F52", it was included in the financial plan of 1939 "Maru Yon". According to the project, the armament was to consist of three two-barrel 127 mm gun turrets, and two seven-tube torpedo launchers. Due to the heavy weight of the tubes and the inability of emergency manual control of the launchers, this idea was abandoned. In connection with this, a project was prepared and the construction of the Japanese destroyer with the number 125later nam, ed "Shimakaze" commenced.