Uranami underway in September 1931
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History | |
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Empire of Japan | |
Name: | Uranami |
Namesake: | Japanese destroyer Uranami (1907) |
Ordered: | 1923 Fiscal Year |
Builder: | Uraga Dock Company |
Yard number: | Destroyer No.44 |
Laid down: | 28 April 1927 |
Launched: | 29 November 1928 |
Commissioned: | 30 June 1929 |
Fate: | Sunk on 26 October 1944 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Fubuki-class destroyer |
Displacement: | |
Length: |
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Beam: | 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) |
Draft: | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
Propulsion: | |
Speed: | 38 knots (44 mph; 70 km/h) |
Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h) |
Complement: | 219 |
Armament: |
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Uranami (浦波? ”Shore Wave”) was the tenth of twenty-four Fubuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world. They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War.
Construction of the advanced Fubuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships. The Fubuki class had performance that was a quantum leap over previous destroyer designs, so much so that they were designated Special Type destroyers (特型? Tokugata). The large size, powerful engines, high speed, large radius of action and unprecedented armament gave these destroyers the firepower similar to many light cruisers in other navies.Uranami, built at the Uraga Dock Company was laid down on 28 April 1927, launched on 29 November 1928 and commissioned on 30 June 1929. Originally assigned hull designation “Destroyer No. 44”, she was renamed Uranami in 1935.
On completion, Uranami was assigned to Destroyer Division 11 under the IJN 2nd Fleet. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Uranami helped cover landings of Japanese forces during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, and subsequent landings of Japanese forces at Hangzhou in northern China.