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IJN Yubari:The Sensei

The premium light cruiser Yubari, used to test technological solutions for the Japanese fleet, will become one of the newcomers in the upcoming War Thunder update.

IJN Yubari, light cruiser, Japan, rank III. Premium (available for GE).

Pros

  • Premium status
  • Excellent AA protection

Cons

  • Low number of main calibre guns
History

The experimental light cruiser Yubari was designed as a ship that would combine powerful weapons,  good defense with the speed of a destroyer leader. The main feature in the project was the inclusion of armor for the ship's powertrain - the armor of the hull and deck itself became a supporting structure, both freeing up space for placing equipment and significantly reducing the ship's displacement. The ambitious project, which was proposed and personally overseen by the leading designer of the Japanese Navy, Yuzuru Hiraga, was completed in record time - just 9 months after the start of construction, the ship was launched, and after another 5 months, the cruiser was enlisted into the Imperial Navy. The experimental cruiser was named Yubari, after one of the rivers on the island of Hokkaido.

Since the beginning of her service in 1921, the Yubari was actively used in maneuvers and exercises, the ship was decommissioned and returned to service several times. Yubari received her baptism of fire during the First Shanghai Incident, when the ship's artillery suppressed the Chinese fortifications on shore. Immediately after Japan's entry into World War II, Yubari participated in the attempt to capture Wake Island in December 1941, and then took part in all significant naval battles in the Pacific.

In the spring of 1944, during a mission to transport troops and military supplies from Palau to Sonsorol Island, the cruiser entered the sights of the American submarine Bluegill (SS-242), but the attack was aborted as the Yubari managed to hide behind the island. Lieutenant Commander Eric L. Barr ambushed the light cruiser on its return course. One of 6 torpedoes launched at the cruiser reached the target. As a result of the hit, the bow boiler rooms were instantly filled with water, and a fire started on the cruiser. After an unsuccessful attempt to tow the sinking ship, the Yubari crew began an evacuation. The next morning, the light cruiser Yubari sank.

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The light cruiser Yubari will appear in War Thunder with the next major update and will become a premium ship in the Japanese bluewater fleet at rank III. Yubari was a landmark ship for the Japanese navy, it was she who laid down distinctive technical features for Japanese cruisers: armor as part of the hull powertrain, twin funnels and an S-shaped stem. By the time the Second World War began, Yubari was noticeably outdated, but it continued to serve and was actively modernized. The main calibre on this "mini-cruiser" is four 140mm guns housed in two turrets.

This is a good weapon for those battles in which Yubari participates: the commander has a choice of HE, two types of semi-armor-piercing shells and time fuse shells. The disadvantage of the cruiser's main calibre is the small number of guns and a rather slow turn rate of the gun turrets. An auxiliary 120mm gun is located in the bow of the ship and able to fire at smaller ships with the help of the AI. The Yubari's air defense battery consists of highly efficient 25mm rapid-fire auto guns - a total of 25 barrels in single, double and triple mounts.

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Despite the very low displacement, comparable to some destroyers, Yubari has all the attributes of a light cruiser - a 38 mm armor belt and an armored deck, good speed and a crew of 368 men.

The legendary Yubari, a Japanese "destroyer on steroids", is truly a must-have for all fans of the Japanese navy. This small, fast enough light cruiser will do well in the bluewater battles at ranks III and IV. At the same time, the Yubari, thanks to its premium status, will not only bring increased income to its owners, but will also accelerate the research of any Japanese ocean ships from ranks I to IV.

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