The Hayabusa-class torpedo boats (Hayabusa-gata suiraitei) were a class of fifteen 1st class torpedo boats constructed for the Imperial Japanese Navy as part of the 1896 Ten Year Naval Expansion Programme. They were completed between 1900 and 1904. All of the vessels served in the Russo-Japanese war. They were notable for their attacks on the Russian fleet on the night of 27/28 May 1905 during the Battle of Tsushima, expending many torpedoes. They were able to inflict significant damage on a number of Russian ships, that were scuttled or sunk the next day. After serving in World War I, all fifteen vessels were decommissioned between 1919 and 1923; some were scrapped, others turned into auxiliaries. For example, Kiji was used at the Navy Torpedo School in Yokosuka from 15 December 1923 to 2 October 1926.

Ships

Under the 1897-98 Programme four torpedo boats were ordered from France as improved versions of the French Cyclone class torpedo boats built for the French Navy. These were all fabricated by Normand Shipyard, Le Havre in France and shipped dis-assembled to Japan, where they were re-assembled. Under the 1900-01 Programme another six torpedo boats were ordered to be built in Japan, with a further five vessels ordered under the 1901-02 Programme, also from Japanese yards. These were formally listed as the Aotaka Class, but were identical copies of the Hayabusa Class. All fifteen of these vessels took part in the Battle of Tsushima where they comprised the Ninth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Torpedo Boat Divisions. Kiji ran aground backward on 31st. March 1904 at the South-end of Tsushima on a mine laying mission after accidentally moving into a previously laid minefield. The hull was discarded, but parts were recovered and the ship was rebuilt at Kure Naval Arsenal under the resource/budget account 'Repair'. Construction was completed on 9 May 1905 in time for Battle of Tsushima.

Other torpedo boats of the Imperial Japanese Navy before and during the Russo-Japanese War

The Hayabusa-class were only 15 of the 64 torpedo boats the Imperial Japanese Navy possessed in the Russo-Japanese War. These were divided into three groups - the First, Second, and Third classes. The First-class torpedo boats were given names, while the Second and Third classes were only given numbers prefixed by a "No." (e.g No.28). The Ten Year Naval Expansion Programme passed in 1896 provided for the construction (along with 4 battleships, 6 armoured and 6 protected cruisers, and 4 other minor warships) of 23 torpedo boat destroyers and 63 torpedo boats; the latter comprised 16 First Class of 120 tons (the Hayabusa class plus the Shirataka), 37 Second Class of 80 tons and 10 Third Class of 54 tons; a further 26 Third Class boats were planned but never ordered.

First Class

Apart from the Hayabusa class, this group included three other (older) boats built in Britain and Germany: their armament consisted of three 360-mm torpedo tubes (except for the Kotaka, which had six) and with the exception of the Hayabusa class between two and four 37mm guns.

Second Class

These were armed with three torpedo tubes and two or three 37mm guns, with the exception of the No.39 and No.67 classes which instead of the 37mm guns had two 3pdr guns.

Third Class

These were essentially harbour defence boats of ca.54 tons, which were armed with two or three torpedo tubes and two 37mm guns.

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