The Fubuki-class destroyers are successor of the Mutsuki-class destroyers, they were considered as the world's very first modern destroyers, because they are bigger, faster, and possessed more firepower compared to the early destroyers of each country's navies. They served as the backbone of the IJN during the outbreak of the war in the Pacific. The budget for the Fubuki-class destroyer came from the 1923 fiscal year budget. The only class of destroyers were close enough to rival the Fubuki-class were the USN Porter-class and Somers-class destroyers which were built in small numbers since they were designated to lead destroyer squadrons.
Fubuki-class Type I displacement is 2,050 tons, they were equipped with 2 Kampon type shaft geared turbines and 4 Kampon type boilers with 2 funnels that are capable of generating 50,000 horsepower, they carry 500 tons of fuel, their speed can go up to 38 knots. They were the first IJN destroyers to be armed with twin 12.7 cm (5 inch)/50 cal. Type 3 'Type A' naval turrets, three twin turrets were installed, these turrets are considered weather-proof, splinter-proof and gas-tight structures. Aside of their main armaments, they were also armed with two 13mm Type 96 machine-guns, and three triple 24 inch torpedo tubes which were first equipped by the Mutsuki-class destroyers. They also carry 18 depth charge for anti-submarine warfare. Their bridge design was enlarge and enclosed to increase combat potential during any kind of weather in the Pacific. Fubuki-class has two subclasses the Ayanami-class 'Type II' destroyers and the Akatsuki-class 'Type III' destroyer.
Fubuki-class Type I destroyers consisted of 10 ships, Fubuki, the lead-ship of the class, was laid down on June 19, 1926 in Maizuru Naval Arsenal, her construction took 514 days, she was launched on launched on November 15, 1927 and another 269 days of trial before she was commissioned on August 10, 1928. The last destroyer to be laid down was Miyuki, she laid down on April 30, 1927 on Uraga Dock Company, her construction took 423 days, she was launched on June 26, 1928 and undergoes trial for 368 days until she was commissioned on June 29, 1929 as the fourth ship of the Fubuki-class destroyer. The last ship to be commissioned was Uranami, she was laid down on April 28, 1927 in Sasebo Naval Arsenal, her construction took 581 days, she was launched on November 29, 1928 and undergoes trial for 213 days until she was commissioned on June 30, 1929.
The first ship to sink among the Type I Fubuki-class destroyers was Miyuki, she sunk due to a collision with Inazuma on June 29, 1934 within Strait of Korea. The first ship to be sunk in action was Shinonome, she was under attacked by enemy aircraft when she was struck by a naval mine which sunk her on December 17, 1941. The first ship of the class to be sunk by gunfire was Fubuki, she was smothered by enemy gunfire during the Battle of Cape Esperance on October 11, 1942, Murakumo sunk on the next day. The first ship of the class to be sunk by enemy aircraft was Shirayuki, she was sunk during the Battle of Bismarck Sea on March 3, 1943. The first ship in the class to be sunk by a submarine was Isonami, she was torpedoed by USS Tautog SS-199 on April 9, 1943, southwest of Celebes Sea. And the last ship to sunk was Uranami, she was attacked by aircraft from 4 escort carriers from the Task Force 77.4.2 while off Panay Island, she was sunk during the attack on October 26, 1944.
Fubuki-class destroyers were succeeded by Hatsuharu-class destroyers.
