Chidori

Description

The Chidori-class, Chidori (千鳥, namesake: Plover) was a 600-ton Chidori-class vessel that was designed to avoid the restrictions of the London Navy Treaty on destroyer tonnage. It was classified as a torpedo boat instead of a destroyer, even though it had half the firepower of the Fubuki-class destroyer. However, the Chidori class had problems with stability and weight due to its excessive armament. The 3rd ship of the class, Tomozuru, capsized during a naval exercise and raised doubts about the quality of Japanese ships. The Chidori class was modified by reducing and changing its weapons (from 12.7 cm to 12 cm guns and removing one torpedo mount) and adding bulges. The remaining 16 ships out of 20 planned were canceled and the funds were redirected to a new Ōtori-class torpedo boat, which had better balance.

The Chidori was introduced in Update "Raining Fire". Designed as a lighter vessel carrying destroyer armament to evade the Naval Treaty, in War Thunder as her final 1944 refit she hasn't escaped, and instead faces the destroyers she was designed to mimic with weaker firepower. Only offering a single dual 533 mm torpedo mount and three 12 cm cannons, she plays like a weaker and more vulnerable Mutsuki-class, but at the end of the tree resulting in a lengthier grind for the same destroyer introductory gameplay. One of the redeeming factors Chidori has as a 1944 refit is her array of 25 mm anti-air which is far superior to her opponents and will leave pilots surprised to face heavy AA resistance at this tier.

General info

Survivability and armour

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Mobility

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Modifications and economy

Armament

Primary armament

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Secondary armament

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Additional armament

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Usage in battles

The Chidori in playstyle is closer to a BR (AB) anti-air destroyer than to a motor gun boat. It features just half the main guns and torpedoes of the IJN Mutsuki (at BR ), but a much, much more potent secondary, 25 mm battery. Unlike other nations top-tier coastal vessels, it does not have access to the HE-VT shells which puts it in a significant disadvantage comparing to its peers. However, it's still one of the best anti-air options in this BR range for the Japanese fleet, leaving it only to the JDS Ayanami (DD-103) for providing a more efficient anti-air cover.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Main and secondary guns are able to quickly destroy enemy boats
• Numerous 25 mm guns all throughout the ship offer excellent anti-air cover
• Relatively manoeuvrable

Cons:

• Large size, no armour, below-average crew count contribute to a low survivability
• Low maximum speed and unable to sail through the shallow waters
• Very slow turret rotation
• Primary cannons have blind spot on back of the ship
• Lacklustre primary guns comparing to any fully-fledged destroyer in the BR range cause the ship to struggle against frigates, sub-chasers or any bluewater ships
• No access to the HE-VT shells
• No access to the shell chase camera for the primary armament

History

Design

The Chidori (Japanese for plover bird) was the first boat of the Chidori-class torpedo boats (Torpedo boat here has a different meaning than a small motor boat, closer to the meaning of destroyer). She was laid down in 1931 at the Maizuru Naval Construction Department.

Service

In December 1936, the Torpedo flotilla 21 was formed with the four boats of the same class and advanced toward China, engaged in landing support and blockade operations. After the start of the Pacific War, they supported the strategy of the Japanese Southern expansion. After that, the flotilla was disbanded and Chidori was engaged in convoy escort. Although she was active until the end of the war, the Chidori was sunk by a torpedo of the US submarine "Tilefish" off the coast of Omaezaki in Southern Japan on December 22, 1944.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Chidori from live.warthunder.com.

See also

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• reference to the series of the ship;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

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• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.