Umikaze tests the limits of turbine destroyers

Inspired by Britain's pre-war Tribal class, Umikaze combined two 120 mm guns with oil-fired boilers, steam turbines, and a projected speed of 33 knots. Maizuru and Mitsubishi were being asked to build ships that pushed beyond their recent experience, making the class another deliberate technical experiment. Umikaze and Yamakaze were completed in 1911. Maintenance problems and very high fuel consumption led to mixed coal-and-oil firing and largely coastal patrol duties. The ships offered interesting exercise experience and later served as minelayers until 1936, but their performance did not justify ordering a large number.