To accomplish this, the size of the ship was reduced from the typical fleet destroyer, along with simplified hull lines utilizing fewer curved plates. The long forecastle aspect was retained, but the bow was straight, with less flare. Milder, thicker steel that was easier to produce was utilized for the hull plating, and fittings were simplified as much as possible. The superstructure was simplified by ignoring streamlining and using a box-like arrangement. It was also reduced in height from the usual three decks to two. 

The reduced emphasis on speed allowed for a deeper draft hull as well as a shorter length-to-width ratio than typical for a first-class destroyer. The hull was 100m/328ft. in overall length, with a maximum width of 9.35m/30’8” and a draft of 3.3m/10’10”. Standard and battle condition displacements were approximately 60% that of a Kagero or Yugumo class destroyer. 

The two turbine/shaft design of the Otori class large torpedo boats, powered by two Kampon boilers and producing a total of 19,000shp, was adopted as a matter of expediency and the lower speed requirements. The main reduction gear was redesigned to accommodate a slightly different RPM for the propeller shafts; otherwise, the powerplants were identical. As a result, a top speed of 28 knots was achieved. Their maximum range was 3,500 nautical miles at 18 knots. And, for the first time in an IJN ship, the boilers and turbines were arranged in alternating compartments in order to improve survivability in case of damage. Exhaust gases were channeled through two thin funnels 

Their main armament consisted of three 12.7cm/40cal Type 89 naval guns. This gun had a relatively high rate of fire, along with good elevation and training speeds, though a lower muzzle velocity then the standard 12.7cm/50cal gun used aboard the first-class destroyers. While used primarily as the main heavy AA weapon of the Imperial Japanese Navy, it was deemed sufficient to act as a dual-purpose gun aboard the Matsus. The forward mount was a single gun, semi-enclosed by a wave spray shield. The aft mount was a twin mount with minimal shielding, identical to most such mounts carried by most IJN capitol ships. Both mounts were controlled by a new, simplified, model fire control director, known as the Type 4 Model 2. 

Additional AA was provided for in the form of four triple and eight single 25mmAA mounts. The singles were mounted on permanent bases. Over time, additional single mounts were added, often totaling 12-13 of the single 25mmAA. No MG directors were provided for.

There was debate about what type, if any, torpedo armament should be included. Experience in the Solomons dictated that some sort of torpedo armament was desirable. It was recognized that only one mount could be provided for, with no reloads. Discussions examined variants of both the 53cm/21” and 61cm/24” type torpedoes; at one point, the feasibility of a sextuple 53cm mount was examined in order to increase the odds of a hit from a one mount salvo. Ultimately, it was decided to use the standard quadruple mount of four 61cm/24” Long Lance torpedoes with no reloads. 

ASW work was aided by the use of two Y-gun throwers, two roll-off racks at the stern and 36 depth charges. Over time, that number was increased to 48, and then to 60 depth charges. Sonars were provided in the form of a Type 93 active sonar and a Type 93 hydrophone. Other sensors included a Type 22 surface search radar mounted on the foremast. A Type 13 air search radar was added to the mainmast aft. 

Forty-two ships were initially authorized under the Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplemental Program of Fiscal Year 1943. Construction was split between the Maizuru NY, Yokosuka NY and the Fujinagata Shipyard. The lead ship was named “Matsu”, and that name was applied to the class as a whole. Eighteen of these ships were completed as designed, but the need for an even simpler, modular design that could be constructed in 3 months was mandated in March of 1944. The remaining 24 ships were revised to this simpler design, designated F 55B and known as the Tachibana batch, after the name of the lead ship of the subclass. 

The Tachibana design utilized an even simpler hull form by eliminating almost all of the flare to the hull sides, eliminating the camber of the forecastle and upper decks, utilizing a single bottom instead of a double bottom, and changing to a transom type stern and a straight bow. Mild steel was used throughout the ship, mostly to enable full block welding, though the plates were thickened slightly to compensate for the slight reduction in metal strength as compared to the Matsu design. Separate cruising turbine machinery was deemed unnecessary and eliminated, a circumstance likely prompted by issues with the general state of engine production at that stage of the war. Dimensionally and operationally, the two designs were identical, save for a slight increase in weight and draft for the Tachibanas due to the heavier steel used in construction. 

Externally, the separate column supporting the Type 22 radar was eliminated, and the radar mounted directly on the foremast. A Type 13 radar was fitted to the mainmast. Several additional single 25mm AA mounts were added, but the number of additional mounts and locations varied between ships. Additional depth charges were usually carried as well. 

Ultimately, a total of fourteen vessels of this simplified design were completed by war’s end. However, only eight of these came from the remaining ships of the original batch that was revised in mid-production. The balance of this initial batch of ships, sixteen in number, were either incomplete by war’s end or cancelled.

Another thirty-two Tachibana types were authorized under a subsequent program. Of these, six were completed, four laid down but canceled, and the remainder never ordered. A further eighty vessels of a modified Tachibana design were eventually authorized, but none were ever ordered.

Named after trees, they were considered a good design for their role. Sometimes termed destroyer escorts by Western sources because of their smaller size, they were not so considered by the Japanese. Eighteen of these ships were operational at war’s end and used for the repatriation of Japanese military and civilian personnel back to Japan. Eventually, all were scrapped or used as breakwaters.

One Tachibana class ship, Nashi, was raised after the war in 1954, refurbished, and commissioned into the JMSDF in 1956 as Wakaba. She served as a radar trials ship until 1971, and was scrapped the following year. She was the only Imperial Japanese Navy ship to serve in the subsequent JMSDF.

In early May, Tachibana was operationally assigned to the Ominato Guard District on northern Honshu for escort and patrol duty. She and sister Yanagi arrived in Ominato on May 21st. The next several weeks were spent on ASW patrol in the Tsugaru Straits, using Hakodate Bay as her base.

She was sunk on July 14 by aircraft from Task Force 38 during raids on Hakodate Bay. According to eyewitness accounts, she put up quite a fight for almost two hours while trying to protect some smaller craft within the bay. Apparently, while being strafed constantly, she managed to evade more serious damage until late in the fight, while possibly shooting down several aircraft. Finally, a near miss on the starboard side from a bomb rendered her engines inoperative. Tachibana was then hit in rapid succession by several bombs. She listed to starboard and sank, with a loss of 156 men. 

A memorial monument for Tachibana was erected near the bay after the war as part of a shrine memorializing the “Battle of Hokodate”. 

Fujimi 1972

Fujimi released a Matsu class kit as part of the Waterline Consortium’s initial batch of 1/700 IJN vessels. Nominally a Matsu class vessel, the kit was an unsatisfying mashup of Matsu and Tachibana class details that better represented the Tachibana class. The hull had simplistic lines, flat sides, a transom stern, and a boxy cross-section that was more typical of the Tachibana’s simplified hull structure. Superstructure details were also sparse, though the bridge was molded with the separate structural column to support the Type 22 radar sported on the earlier, Matsu type ships. The armament was simplistically shaped. However, the main deck was more detailed than might be expected, with anchor chains and treaded deck plate on the forecastle, main battery base rings, a molded on rear deckhouse, depth charge racks and, surprisingly, linoleum tiedown strips.

There were boxings of two sisters, that of Matsu class ships, Matsu and Sakura. Surprisingly, this kit is still available for sale.
 

Pit-Road 2004

Though released 10 years after the Tamiya 2nd generation Matsu class kits, Pit-Road clearly sensed an opportunity and issued a Tachibana class kit to round out the second round of offerings. I’ve always thought this molding to be as good as any of their IJN destroyer kits. The hull is accurately shaped and sized, though it does show some slight sink-hole depressions toward the bow and has the typical Pit-Road semi—recessed portholes. There’s also some flash on some small pieces. The main decks have plenty of details and some molded-on equipment like small K-gun depth charge racks and single 25mm AA bases. Aside from the rear deckhouse, the deck is clear of obstructions, which aids in painting. 

The bridge is very nicely detailed, as are its bulkheads. For some reason, the aft deck house is a bit sparser on details. Equipment and weapon are also nicely detailed, and the kit comes with one E-10 DD equipment sprue. The kit also comes with parts of a post-war bridge included, meant for another boxing of the kit as the aforementioned JMSDF Wakaba, which was ex-IJN Nashi. The kit is still available today and has been reboxed to represent other sisters Sumire, Kaki, and Hatsuzakura. Some versions are offered with either a class specific photo etch fret or a full hull option. 

In tandem with its Matsu kit of Take, Yamashita Hobby released a Tachibana subclass kit, namely Tachibana herself. It comes in the typical Yamashita Hobby boxing, with artwork depicting Tachibana at action stations steaming close to shore, probably in Hakodate Bay. The kit is molded in a medium grey plastic, without sinkholes or flash. There are eleven sprues containing 148 parts, not all of which are used. 

The fit is as-built in 1945. This is pretty much the sole and final fit for all of the Tachibana subgroup sisters. 

The bow profile is a simple incline, with the bullnose molded separately. The inside of the hull halves has an inset lip to hold a hidden bottom plate. These have also been engineered to accept a more rigid bottom plate with a “T” cross section in order to combat any inadvertent bending of the hull and to keep it flat. There is a separate piece, #6 on the sprue, which is an extension of the bottom waterline plate, and it also acts as the transom portion of the stern.

Other pieces on the sprue include the bullnose, the roof deck of the compass bridge deck, and two sections of the bridge. 

The kit hull dimensions scale out particularly well:

Overall Length: 100m/328’1” 1/700 OA length: 142.86mm Kit OA length: 142.75mm

Waterline Length: 98m/321’6” 1/700 WL length: 140mm Kit WL length: 140.5mm

Beam: 9.35m/30’8” 1/700 Beam: 13.36mm Kit Beam: 13.46mm*

*Width is an estimate based on the measurement of components, as the kit hull is in halves. 

The only nitpick is a pair of Aztec stairs that lead from the forecastle down to the main deck, but they are very thin and nicely done. The underside of the deck has slots that align with the top of the “T” runner from the waterline plate. I suspect that, all glued together, the hull is a flat and rigid structure. 

As with most everything else, all these parts are very sharp and properly scaled in appearance. The torpedo tubes come with the warhead portion of the torpedo exposed on the underside, and the shield is particularly well done. Plus, you end up with an extra mount. 

Like the main deck sprue, every detail is sharp, clean, and properly scaled. The funnels are particularly noteworthy. They are one-piece units, with subtle but sharp grab rails molded-on. More impressive are the vertical auxiliary pipes that are also molded on but attached only at three locations. So, there’s plenty of clear space between the funnel and the piping. The funnel caps are tiny, and could benefit from photo etched versions. 

Unfortunately, and quite surprisingly, I don’t care for the these 25mm AA mounts at all. The bases seem oversized and misshapen, and the barrels set too far apart. Nor do they show the recoil tube detail often seen on other makes. These are a rare mis-step for Yamashita Hobby. 

On the other hand, the ammo boxes are sharp, as is the Type 22 radar. 

The sprue marking system continues to a little confusing, as some sprues are marked by similar letters or numbers. Yamashita did take care to list the sprue number next to every part number, which helps greatly to eliminate confusion. Cross-checking the sprues with the sprue/parts list in the instructions will be helpful in keeping things straight. 

Highly Recommended

This kit comes courtesy of Hobbylink Japan, where it's priced for approximately US$11.48, plus shipping.