Chidori-class torpedo boat

Chidori after refit 1934
Class overview
Name:	Chidori-class torpedo boat
Builders:	Maizuru Naval Construction Department Fujinagata Shipbuilding Yard
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by:	Hayabusa class
Succeeded by:	Ōtori class
Built:	1931—34
In service:	1933—45
In commission:	1933—47
Planned:	20
Completed:	4
Cancelled:	16 (replaced by Ōtori-class)
Lost:	3
Retired:	1
General characteristics as built
Class and type:	Chidori-class
Type:	Torpedo Boat
Displacement:	535 long tons (544 t) for standard 738 long tons (750 t) full load
Length:	82.0 m (269 ft 0 in) overall 79.0 m (259 ft 2 in) waterline
Beam:	7.40 m (24 ft 3 in) 8.10 m (26 ft 7 in) w/ bulges
Draft:	2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) (average)
Propulsion:	2 × Kampon water tube boilers, 2 × Kampon impulse turbines, 2 shafts, 11,000 shp (8,200 kW)
Speed:	30.0 knots (34.5 mph; 55.6 km/h)
Range:	3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement:	120
Armament:	3 × 127 mm (5.0 in) Type 3 guns (1 × 2, 1 × 1) 1 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine gun 4 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes (2 × 2) 8 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedoes 9 × depth charges
General characteristics after rebuilding
Displacement:	600 long tons (610 t) (standard) 815 long tons (828 t) (full load)
Draft:	2.38 m (7 ft 10 in)
Speed:	28.0 knots (32.2 mph; 51.9 km/h)
Range:	1,600 nmi (3,000 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Armament:	Chidori, November 1934 3 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 guns (3 × 1) 1 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine gun 2 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes (2 × 1) 9 × depth charges Hatsukari, December 1944 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 guns (2 × 1) 10 Type 96 25mm AA guns (10 × 1) 2 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes (2 × 1) 48 × depth charges

The Chidori-class torpedo boat (千鳥型水雷艇, Chidori-gata suiraitei^?) was an Imperial Japanese Navy class of torpedo boats that served during the Second World War. They proved to have too much armament for the hull and Tomozuru (友鶴^?) capsized shortly after completion in heavy weather. The entire class had to be rebuilt before they became satisfactory sea-boats. They saw service in the Battle of the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies campaign as escorts and continued in that role for the rest of the war. Three were sunk during the war and the fourth was seized by the British at Hong Kong after the end of the war where it was scrapped later.

In 1930, the London Naval Treaty was concluded in which the IJN received a heavy limit on the destroyers. The IJN planned to build the under 600 tons class destroyer which were not limited by the treaty, and the category Torpedo boat was revived for them. The aim for these ships was to have half the armament of the Fubuki-class destroyer. Initially, four boats were constructed for evaluation, out of a planned twenty, in the Circle 1 Programme. After Chidori was completed, the IJN discovered on her trials that her center of gravity was too high and that she was 92 tonnes (91 long tons; 101 short tons) overweight. The IJN ordered 250 millimetres (9.8 in) bulges fitted to the rest of the class. However, this proved to be insufficient.