IJN Ayanami
Contents
Description
The Fubuki class, IJN Ayanami, 1936 is a rank I Japanese destroyer with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy".
Overall it's a capable, well-rounded destroyer, trading secondary/anti-aircraft armament of most other destroyers for a better torpedo armament.
General info
Survivability and armour
Overall IJN Ayanami has average survivability and armour for its battle rating.
She has a 16 mm of steel armour on her hull, 4 mm on her superstructure, and 3 mm over her main firing tower, which is average for a destroyer in the same BR. Her guns carry 3.175 mm of anti-fragmentation armour that, unlike in the equivalents, provides protection from all directions. Her 221 crew count is also average.
Looking at the weak points of her layout, the primary gun turrets are very large and relatively easy to knock out, while hits amidship are very likely to knock out at least one torpedo mount and one of the engines. On the other hand bulk of the ammunition is stored underwater, making it a difficult ship to ammo-rack.
Mobility
| Mobility Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||
| AB | |||
| Upgraded | 77 | 28 | |
| RB/SB | |||
| Upgraded | 63 | 23 | |
50,000 IHP coming out of four Kampon boilers and two Kampon 'Ro' geared turbines give her a max speed of ~65 km/h, which is fairly middle of the road for comparable destroyers. She has a 5.4s rudder shift which is his is decent enough mobility, but won't win any prizes compared to other destroyers. When taking evasive action, the ship's turn rate is faster than the turret's targeting rate, requiring more steady course to re-adjust firing solution.
Modifications and economy
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Top two research priorities should be Tool Set and Fire Protection System. Beyond that its primarily sprint towards Torpedo Mode. Rudder Replacement is generally a must-have for arcade, due to the amount of torpedoes dropped during the battle, while in Realistic mode Propeller Replacement would be a higher priority. Beyond that Ventilation and Shrapnel Protection are always a good add-ons for destroyers. Least important modification in the tree is the Bomb mortar.
Armament
Primary armament
The Type 3 127 mm gun found on the Ayanami is mounted on a particular three, twin mount turrets that were historically called a "Model B" or "Type B" (B型砲を, B-gata-hō). They are located in a rear-heavy configuration, bearing one turret in the front and two rear turrets in a super-firing configuration. Guns have two types of shells available: HE and HE-DF. The shell speed of 910 m/s is the second-best among comparable destroyers, exceeded only by a modern Albatros-Klasse (143), firing shells at 914 to 925 m/s (depending on the type). She has a 7.5s (8 rounds/min) reload speed with a stock crew and a 5.5s (11 rounds/min) reload speed with a fully aced crew, which is one of the lowest fire rates, compensating it with a large number of shells fired in a broadside.
The HE shell has 54 mm (0° angle) of penetration at 1,000 m, dropping off to 27 mm at all angles at 10,000 m. It carries 2.2 kg of a Type 91 explosive filler (military name for the Trinitroanisole) that has an equivalent power of 2.31 kg of TNT. It's a significant upgrade from Mutsuki's 1.95 kg TNT equivalent 120mm HE shell, but relatively low comparing to 3.22 kg TNT equivalent onboard Farragut's 5 inch.
The HE-DF is delayed fuse ammunition, should be used only to engage enemy aircraft at a distance, supplementing relatively weak secondary armament. While hitting a small target is certainly a difficult challenge, it's much easier than on the predeceasing Mutsuki due to notably higher shell travel speed significantly better vertical guidance (+75° vs +33° on Mutsuki) and a higher targeting speed (5.1°/s horizontal and a whopping 23°/s vertical).
Secondary armament
The secondary weaponry on the Ayanami consists of two twin 13.2 mm Type 93 machine guns located amidship, on a platform attached to the rear smoke funnel. Practically speaking they are applicable primarily for anti-aircraft role, similarly to the machine guns on the Mutsuki, but they have notably higher firepower, even if overall they are the weakest secondaries among Ayanami's BR.
Firing 476 RPM with a magazine of 120 rounds of ammunition and a reload speed of two seconds gives them a decent uptime. These Type 93 machine guns can use Universal (T/AP/HEI/AP), HEI or AP belts of ammunition. The AP belts have 26 mm of penetration at 10 m, dropping off to 12 mm at 1,000 m; while the tracer round in the HEI belt has 10 mm of penetration at 10 m, dropping off to 6 mm at 1,000 m. Their traverse is very good, covering up to +80°, however overall these are just two dual machine guns of a relatively low calibre, which is the weakest secondary armament.
Additional armament
The Fubuki-class has three triple torpedo mounts of a 610 mm caliber. They can carry an onboard reload so total amount of torpedoes are 18. Spare torpedo storage are placed on side of funnel and 2nd turret. These torpedoes are the Type 90, which have good speed - 85 km/h or 52 MP/H - and 7 or 15 km range respectively (Torpedo Mode modification off/on). The Type 90 carries 480 kg of TNT equivalent explosives, which is only beaten out by the Type 93s found, between others, in subsequent Yugumo. Overall, they are strong torpedoes for their 4.0 BR, given their good range, fast speed and large explosive filler. Torpedo Mode modification is a tier IV, making it a time-taking unlock.
Unlike on the IJN Mutsuki, launchers on the Ayanami have a much more intuitive setup, with the first, front launcher covering the widest firing arc (80°), but also being the first one to fire when manoeuvring bow-first towards the enemy. Second, middle launcher having relatively decent 66° firing arc and oriented towards rear of the ship is also fairly usable. The tricky one is the third launcher, aiming exactly perpendicular to the ship, and having a very narrow field of fire. It plays more of a support role, forcing the ship to expose its entire length to the enemy. Overall though, it's a very practical setup, making Fubuki-class an extremely dangerous enemy, able to release torpedoes without you knowing it, or cover an entire strait with a wall of torpedoes.
The Ayanami can mount eight Type 95 depth charges, located near the rear of the vessel. They have a 100 kg TNT equivalent filler but are less effective at this point without submarines in the game at this time.
Usage in battles
Fubuki-class is a good long-range combatant. Fast shell travel speed of her guns enables effective engagement at ranges where enemies would struggle with a response, which is further aided by a relatively fast and long-range torpedoes (that can trade speed for a significant increase in range with the Torpedo Mode modification).
The ship can also be effectively used as a kiter, owning it to a rear-heavy primary armament and an ability to deploy a significant number of a powerful, long-range torpedoes. However, an average speed for the BR makes it far more challenging to choose the engagements when compared to faster Mutsuki.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Exceptionally high shell speed
- Effective torpedoes for its battle rating
Cons:
- Inadequate secondary armament
- Poses very little threat to the aircraft
- Outgunned within the range of secondaries by any other destroyer in the same BR
History
The Special-Type Destroyers represented in-game as IJN Ayanami were designed in 1922 due to the Washington Naval Treaty. Under the criteria of a speed of 39 knots (72 km/h), a 4,000 nautical mile range and a strong torpedo armament, the class were ordered in 1923. Their armament and size were very good for their time and remained a fair enemy up to the end of WW II. They were designed to 'cruise' in the Pacific, as the bow was shaped to provide protection against the weather. Built between June 1928 and March 1933, they fall into three main groups: The Fubuki class, using the Type 3 'A' mount, the Ayanami class, using the Type 3 'B' mount and with other changes, and the Akatsuki class, which had three boilers and a torpedo launcher/turret. However, their heavyweight caused stability issues and after the Fourth Fleet Incident, they were rebuilt in 1935-1937 with more ballast, a slightly different bridge, and less gun and torpedo ammunition. Eight Ayanamis also were retrofitted with Type 3 'C' guns. These rebuilds increased their weight further to 2,000 tons, and over 2,400 with a full load. The Ayanami we have in-game was sunk in November 1942; USN battleship Washington shelled her and causing heavy damage resulting in its scuttling by fellow Ayanami-class ship, Uranami.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the ship;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Japan destroyers | |
|---|---|
| IJN | |
| Momi-class | IJN Momi |
| Mutsuki-class | IJN Mutsuki · IJN Satsuki |
| Fubuki-class | IJN Ayanami |
| Hatsuharu-class | IJN Hatsuharu · IJN Nenohi |
| Shiratsuyu-class | IJN Yuudachi |
| Yugumo-class | IJN Yugumo · IJN Hayanami · IJN Kiyoshimo |
| Shimakaze-class | IJN Shimakaze |
| Akizuki-class | IJN Akizuki · IJN Hatsuzuki |
| JMSDF | |
| Ariake-class* | JDS Yūgure (DD-184) |
| Harukaze-class | JDS Harukaze (DD-101) |
| Murasame-class | JDS Murasame (DD-107) |
| * Modified Fletcher-class destroyers | |
