View source for Japanese destroyer Hagi (1944)

{{short description|WWII-era Japanese escort destroyer}}
{{other ships|Japanese destroyer Hagi}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Japanese destroyer Hagi 1945.jpg
|Ship caption=''Hagi'', March 1945
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Empire of Japan]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Empire of Japan|naval}}
|Ship name=''Hagi''
|Ship ordered=1943
|Ship laid down=11 September 1944
|Ship launched=27 November 1944
|Ship completed=1 March 1945
|Ship namesake=[[Bush Clover]]
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship builder=[[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]]
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=5 October 1945
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Turned over to the [[Royal Navy]], 12 April 1947, and [[ship breaking|scrapped]]
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=''Tachibana'' sub-class of the {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|0}} [[escort destroyer]]
|Ship displacement={{cvt|1309|t|LT|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length={{convert|100|m|ftin|abbr=on}} ([[o/a]])
|Ship beam={{convert|9.35|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|3.37|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*2 × [[water-tube boiler]]s
*{{cvt|19000|shp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 × geared [[steam turbines]]
|Ship speed={{convert|27.8|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|4680|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|16|kn}}
|Ship complement=
|Ship sensors=
*1 × [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Shipborne Radar|Type 22]] [[search radar]]
*1 × [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Land-based Radar|Type 13]] [[early-warning radar]]
|Ship armament=*1 × twin, 1 × single [[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|{{convert|127|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}]] [[DP gun]]s
*4 × triple, 13 × single [[Type 96 25&nbsp;mm AT/AA Gun|{{convert|25|mm|in|abbr=on|0}}]] [[AA gun]]s
*1 × quadruple {{convert|610|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*2 × rails, 2 × throwers for 60 [[depth charge]]s
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''''Hagi''''' was one of 23 [[Destroyer#Later combat|escort destroyer]]s of the ''Tachibana'' [[ship class|sub-class]] of the {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|4}} built for the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] during the final stages of [[World War II]]. Completed in March 1945, the ship was slightly damaged in July by American aircraft. She was used to [[repatriate]] Japanese personnel after the war until 1947. Mid-year the destroyer was turned over to Great Britain and subsequently [[ship breaking|scrapped]].

==Design and description==
The ''Tachibana'' sub-class was a simplified version of the preceding {{sclass|Matsu|destroyer|4}} to make the ''Tachibana''s even more suited for mass production. The ships measured {{convert|100|m|ftin|sp=us}} long [[Length overall|overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|9.35|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|3.37|m|ftin|sp=us}}.<ref name=g6>Sturton, p. 196</ref> They displaced {{convert|1309|t|LT|sp=us|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]] load and {{convert|1554|t|LT|sp=us}} at deep load.<ref>Whitley, p. 208</ref> The ships had two [[Kampon]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by two Kampon [[water-tube boiler]]s. The turbines were rated at a total of {{convert|19000|shp|lk=on}} for a speed of {{convert|27.8|kn|lk=in}}. The ''Tachibana''s had a range of {{convert|4680|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|16|kn}}.<ref name=j3>Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 153</ref>

The main armament of the ''Tachibana'' sub-class consisted of three [[12.7 cm/40 Type 89 naval gun|Type 89 {{convert|127|mm|adj=on|0|sp=us}}]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s in one twin-gun mount aft and one single mount forward of the [[superstructure]]. The single mount was partially protected against [[spray (liquid drop)|spray]] by a [[gun shield]]. The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery [[director (military)|director]] was fitted. They carried a total of 25 [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 {{convert|25|mm|adj=on|0|sp=us}}]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s in 4 triple and 13 single mounts. The ''Tachibana''s were equipped with [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Land-based Radar|Type 13]] [[early-warning radar|early-warning]] and [[List of Japanese World War II radar#Shipborne Radar|Type 22]] surface-[[search radar]]s.<ref name=s1>Stille, p. 41</ref> The ships were also armed with a single rotating quadruple mount [[amidships]] for {{convert|610|mm|in|adj=on|0|sp=us}} [[torpedo]]es. They could deliver their 60 [[depth charge]]s via two stern rails and two throwers.<ref name=g6/><ref name=s1/>

==Construction and service== 
''Hagi'' ([[Bush Clover]])<ref name=ne>Nevitt</ref> was ordered in Fiscal Year 1943 under the [[Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Program]] as part of the ''Matsu'' class, but the design was simplified to facilitate production and the ship was one of those built to the modified design.<ref name=j3/> She was [[laid down]] on 11 September 1944 by [[Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]], [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 27 November and completed on 1 March 1945.<ref>Stille, p. 40</ref> ''Hagi'' was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 11 of the [[2nd Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|Second Fleet]] on 1 April for [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#working up|working up]] and the squadron was reassigned to the [[Combined Fleet]] on 20 April. She became part of Destroyer Division 52 on 25 April together with {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Sugi|1944|2}}, {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Kashi|1944|2}}, {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Kaede|1944|2}}, {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Nire|1944|2}} and {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Nashi|1945|2}} which was assigned to Escort Squadron 31 of the Combined Fleet.<ref name=ne/>

The ship was lightly damaged by American carrier aircraft during the [[Attacks on Kure and the Inland Sea (July 1945)|airstrike on Kure]] on 24 July. The ship was turned over to Allied forces at Kure at the time of the [[surrender of Japan]] on 2 September and was stricken from the [[navy list]] on 5 October.<ref name=ne/> The destroyer was disarmed and used to repatriate Japanese personnel in 1945–1947. ''Hagi'' was turned over to Great Britain on 16 July of the latter year and subsequently broken up.<ref name=j3/>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book| last = Jentschura| first = Hansgeorg| first2 = Dieter |last2=Jung|first3=Peter |last3=Mickel| year = 1977| title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945| publisher = United States Naval Institute| location = Annapolis, Maryland| isbn = 0-87021-893-X|name-list-style=amp}}
*{{cite web |last1=Nevitt |first1=Allyn D. |title=IJN Hagi: Tabular Record of Movement |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/hagi_t.htm |website=www.combinedfleet.com |access-date=22 June 2020 |date=1998}}
*{{cite book |last1=Stille |first1=Mark |title=Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919–45 (2): Asahio to Tachibana Classes |date=2013 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Botley, UK |isbn=978-1-84908-987-6}}
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7|chapter=Japan|author-first=Ian|author-last=Sturton}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1 |location=Annapolis, Maryland |authorlink=Michael J. Whitley}}

{{Tachibana-class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hagi (1944), Japanese destroyer}}
[[Category:Tachibana-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Ships built by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of Japan]]