Akizuki-Class Destroyers: In the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II (Legends of Warfare: Naval, 23). Cet article n’est pas disponible.Akizuki-Class Destroyers: In the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II (Legends of Warfare: Naval, 23)

The destroyers of the Akizuki "Autumn Moon" class were very different from the standard fleet type of Imperial Japanese Navy destroyers inaugurated with the Fubuki class. They were designed for the protection of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s carrier task forces, and in order to achieve this they carried a particularly powerful antiaircraft armament and had an extremely long radius of action. However, only 12 out of a planned number of 39 entered service, and they arrived too late to play a crucial role in the decisive carrier battles of World War II. Despite this, their history is of particular interest since the Akizuki class foreshadowed the postwar fleet escort. This is the history of their design and construction, and it relies heavily on Japanese source material and includes numerous photos and drawings.

Lars Ahlberg is a retired army officer. Since his early youth he has been interested in naval history, and he is the coauthor of Taiho (Japanese aircraft carrier), Armourclad Fuso to Kongo Class Battle Cruisers, and Battleship Tosa Demolition Tests to the Modified Yamato Class, vols. I and III in the Capital Ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 18681945 series.<br /><br />Hans Lengerer was in the government service (executive) until retirement. After contacts with the late Erich Gröner, he was encouraged by the late Jürgen Rohwer to publish on the IJN. He has written over 50 articles and several books, including Die Flugzeugträger der Kaiserlichen Japanischen Marine und des Heeres, Band I. With Lars Ahlberg he privately publishes Contributions to the History of Imperial Japanese Warships.