Mikura class
 The Nōmi in 1944
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The Mikura class ( Japanese 御 蔵 型 海防 艦 , Mikura-gata kaibōkan ) was a class of escort ships ( Kaibōkan ) of the Imperial Japanese Navy , which were used in World War II . The Japanese Navy also referred to the ships as Type B class ( Japanese 乙型 海防 艦 , Otsu-gata kaibōkan ).
Development history
The Japanese Imperial Navy gave relatively little thought to how it could protect its rearward territories and lines of communication during a war . The reasons for this lie in strategic considerations and preferences. As the Russo-Japanese War of 1904/05 had shown, the victory was the result of a decisive battle - ideally, that victory would be achieved early in the conflict - which would not expose the Empire to a long war. In order to achieve victory in the desired short period of time, the navy would have to be able to wage an offensive war. Since fighting submarines did not carry the promise of decisive combat, it was therefore not a high priority for the Japanese Navy. Furthermore, if the conflict were brief, it would end before a threat to the Japanese sea routes became acute. Furthermore, the Japanese Admiralty saw their own submarines largely as support units of the Combined Fleet , which should carry out reconnaissance and attack enemy warships. Since you assumed that the American Navy , as a likely enemy, would use their submarines in the same way, they did not correctly assess the potential of the submarine trade war . Although she sent a destroyer unit to the Mediterranean during World War I to support the Allied powers in the fight against German and Austrian submarines.
At the beginning of the Pacific War, the Japanese had several older destroyers, patrol boats , torpedo boats and four kaibokans of the Shimushu class which were supposed to perform security tasks. What was considered too little. Therefore, thirty more Kaibōkan were ordered as part of the rapid construction program ( Maru Kyū Keikaku ) from 1941 . Since the production should start as soon as possible, the Shimusha class was taken as a basis and built with simplifications ( Etorofu class ). But the design remained too complex for mass production and the inherent weaknesses, such as insufficient speed and insufficient anti-submarine armament, were not remedied. Therefore it was decided to build 16 of the ordered units in a different design, which would be more suitable for anti-submarine combat. However, since the complete re-planning would have taken too long, the design of the Etorofu class was taken and simplified even further. These simplifications meant a 20 percent reduction in the construction time compared to the simultaneously built units of the Etorofu design. which was still considered too long.
The new design retained the two 4,200 PS (3,089 kW) strong diesel engines of the previous class as drive, which however slightly reduced the speed by 0.2 knots due to the 80 ts increased displacement. The bunker capacity was also reduced by 80 tons, which reduced the range to 5,000 nautical miles. The most visually striking features were a stepped bridge structure, a smaller aft deck house which was moved towards the stern to improve the location of the engine rooms. The armament was changed in such a way that the 12 cm Type 3 anti-aircraft guns, which were still from older destroyers, were replaced by three 12 cm Type 10 anti-aircraft guns. These were able to be used against both sea and air targets, but there was no reinforcement of the light air defense. Furthermore, the number of depth charges has been increased to 120.
Ukuru sub-class
Ukuru class ( Japanese 鵜 来 型 海防 艦 , Ukuru-gata kaibōkan ), or modified type B class. Although the construction time of the Mikura design could be reduced, it was still too long given the urgent need for escort vehicles. The internal layout was also changed, which meant that the habitability was impaired. The crew quarters were now communal spaces, and the reduction in equipment to reduce the risk of fire resulted in the accommodation becoming spartan. However, this had a negative impact on sea endurance and ultimately on effectiveness. Twenty units were completed and twenty more canceled. The construction time could be reduced to up to four months through the simplification of the hull and the use of modular construction. The construction was hampered by the shortage of diesel engines and the conversion of production to the types C and D later in the war.
Hiburi subclass
The Hiburi class ( Japanese 日 振 型 海防 艦 , Hiburi-gata kaibōkan ) is a hybrid of the Mikura and Ukuru designs . The hull of the Mikura was combined with the superstructure of the Ukura . Eleven units were at the shipyard of Hitachi in Sakurajima built, of which nine were completed.
List of ships
| Construction no. | Surname | Shipyard | Keel laying | Launch | Commissioning | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikura class | ||||||
| 320 | Mikura ( 御 蔵 ) | NKK shipyard, Tsurumi | October 1, 1942 | July 16, 1943 | October 31, 1943 | sunk on March 28, 1945 by americans USS Threadfin submarine (SS-410) |
| 322 | Miyake ( 三 宅 ) | February 12, 1943 | August 30, 1943 | November 30, 1943 | scrapped July 1948 | |
| 324 | Awaji ( 淡 路 ) | Hitachi , Sakurajima | June 1, 1943 | October 30, 1943 | January 25, 1944 | sunk on February 15, 1945 by americans Submarine USS Picuda (SS-382) |
| 326 | Nōmi ( 能 美 ) | August 10, 1943 | December 3, 1943 | February 28, 1944 | sunk on April 14, 1945 by americans USS Tirante submarine (SS-420) | |
| 327 | Kurahashi ( 倉橋 ) | NKK shipyard, Tsurumi | June 1, 1943 | October 15, 1943 | February 19, 1944 | Loot of war UK, broken up in 1948 |
| 329 | Chiburi ( 千 振 ) | July 20, 1943 | November 30, 1943 | April 3, 1944 | sunk by americ. Air raid on January 12, 1945 | |
| 331 | Yashiro ( 屋 代 ) | Hitachi, Sakurajima | November 18, 1943 | February 16, 1944 | May 10, 1944 | Spoils of war Republic of China 1947 |
| 334 | Kusagaki ( 草 垣 ) | NKK shipyard, Tsurumi | September 7, 1943 | January 12, 1944 | July 1, 1944 | sunk on April 14, 1945 by americans Submarine USS Guitarro (SS-363) |
| 328 333 339 |
ordered as a Mikura class, completed as a Hiburi class | |||||
| 332 335 336 337 338 |
ordered as a Mikura class, completed as a Ukuru class | |||||
| Hiburi subclass | ||||||
| 328 | Hiburi ( 日 振 ) | Hitachi, Sakurajima | January 3, 1944 | April 10, 1944 | June 27, 1944 | sunk on August 22nd by americ. USS Harder submarine , west of Manila |
| 333 | Daitō ( 大 東 ) | February 23, 1944 | May 19, 1944 | August 7, 1944 | sunk after being hit by a mine on November 16, 1945 | |
| 339 | Shōnan ( 昭南 ) | February 23, 1944 | June 24, 1944 | July 13, 1944 | sunk on February 25, 1945 by americans USS Hoe submarine | |
| 5252 | Kume ( 久 米 ) | May 26, 1944 | August 15, 1944 | September 25, 1944 | sunk on January 28, 1945 by americans USS Spadefish submarine | |
| 5254 | Ikuna ( 生 名 ) | June 30, 1944 | September 4, 1944 | October 15, 1944 | Decommissioned November 1945 | |
| 5257 | Shisaka ( 四 阪 ) | August 21, 1944 | October 31, 1944 | December 15, 1944 | Decommissioned September 1945, spoils of war Republic of China | |
| 5259 | Sakito ( 崎 戸 ) | September 7, 1944 | November 29, 1944 | January 10, 1945 | Decommissioned November 1945, scrapped January 1947. | |
| 5263 | Mokuto ( 目 斗 ) | November 5, 1944 | January 7, 1945 | February 19, 1945 | sunk after being hit by a mine on April 4, 1945 | |
| 5264 | Habuto ( 波 太 ) | December 3, 1944 | February 28, 1945 | April 7, 1945 | Decommissioned October 1945, spoils of war UK July 1947, later scrapped |
|
| 5265 | Ōtsu ( 大 津 ) | January 12, 1945 | May 10, 1945 | 95% completed, scrapped in March 1948 | ||
| 5266 | Tomoshiri ( 友 知 ) | March 5, 1945 | 20% completed, broken up in October 1947 | |||
| Ukuru sub-class | ||||||
| 332 | Ukuru ( 鵜 来 ) | NKK shipyard, Tsurumi | October 9, 1943 | May 15, 1944 | July 31, 1944 | |
| 335 | Okinawa ( 沖 縄 ) | December 10, 1943 | June 19, 1944 | August 16, 1944 | ||
| 336 | Amami ( 奄 美 ) | February 14, 1944 | November 30, 1944 | April 8, 1945 | ||
| 337 | Aguni ( 粟 国 ) | February 15, 1944 | September 21, 1944 | December 2, 1944 | ||
| 338 | Shinnan ( 新 南 ) | Uraga shipyard, Tokyo | June 30, 1944 | September 4, 1944 | October 21, 1944 | |
| 5251 | Yaku ( 屋 久 ) | June 30, 1944 | September 4, 1944 | October 23, 1944 | ||
| 5253 | Chikubu ( 竹 生 ) | September 8, 1944 | November 24, 1944 | December 31, 1944 | ||
| 5255 | Kōzu ( 神 津 ) | October 20, 1944 | December 31, 1944 | February 7, 1945 | ||
| 5256 | Hodaka ( 保 高 ) | November 27, 1944 | January 28, 1945 | March 30, 1945 | ||
| 5258 | Ikara ( 伊唐 ) | December 26, 1944 | February 22, 1945 | April 30, 1945 | ||
| 5260 | Ikino ( 生 野 ) | January 3, 1945 | March 1, 1945 | July 17, 1945 | ||
| Inagi ( 稲 木 ) | Mitsui, Tamano | May 15, 1944 | September 25, 1944 | December 16, 1944 | ||
| Uku ( 宇 久 ) | Sasebo naval shipyard | August 1, 1944 | November 12, 1944 | December 30, 1944 | ||
| Habushi ( 羽 節 ) | Mitsui, Tamano | August 20, 1944 | November 20, 1944 | January 10, 1945 | ||
| Kuga ( 久 賀 ) | Sasebo naval shipyard | August 1, 1944 | November 19, 1944 | January 25, 1945 | ||
| Ojika ( 男 鹿 ) | Mitsui, Tamano | September 7, 1944 | December 30, 1944 | February 21, 1945 | ||
| Kanawa ( 金輪 ) | Mitsui, Tamano | November 15, 1944 | March 25, 1945 | |||
| Shiga ( 志 賀 ) | Sasebo naval shipyard | November 25, 1944 | February 9, 1945 | March 20, 1945 | ||
| Iwo ( 伊 王 ) | Maizuru naval shipyard | November 25, 1944 | February 12, 1945 | March 24, 1945 | ||
| Takane ( 高根 ) | Mitsui, Tamano | December 15, 1944 | February 13, 1945 | April 26, 1945 | ||
| 5252 5254 5257 5259 5263 5264 5265 5266 |
ordered as Ukuru class, built as Hiburi class | |||||
| 5261 5262 5267 5268 5269 5270 5271 5272 5273 5274 5275 5276 5277 5278 5279 5280 5281 5282 5283 5284 |
canceled | |||||
technology
hull
The hull of a Mikura- class boat was 77.7 meters long, 9.1 meters wide and with a standard displacement of 955 tons had a draft of 3.05 meters.
drive
The drive was carried out by two diesel engines with which a total output of 4,400 hp (3,236 kW ) was achieved. This power was delivered to a shaft with a screw . The top speed was 19.5 knots (36 km / h ). 40 tons of diesel fuel could be bunkered, which led to a maximum driving distance of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 15 knots.
crew
The crew had a strength of 150 men.
Armament
Artillery and air defense
When commissioned, the armament consisted of three 12 cm anti-aircraft guns with a caliber length of 45 Type 10 in a single turret and an open double mount, which were set up in the boat center line, the turret, on the foredeck and the double mount aft. For air defense were four 2.5-cm automatic cannon of the type 96 in double carriage is available, which were placed on platforms on both sides of the bridge. Due to the strong Allied air forces during the Pacific War, there was an increase in anti-aircraft armament with 2.5 cm guns to 14 to 18 pieces.
Submarine hunting equipment
The anti-submarine armament consisted of an 81-mm type 3 mortar on the bridge and two depth charge launchers on the aft deck for up to depth charges .
sonar
To search for submarines one was echolocation system of the type 93 and a hydrophone -Set the Type 93 scaffolded. This hydrophone set consisted of two groups of eight sensors each, one group on each side of the ship.
literature
- Hansgeorg Jentschura, Dieter Jung, Peter Mickel: Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1869-1945 . US Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 1977, ISBN 0-87021-893-X , pp. 187-189 (English).
- Mark Stille: Imperial Japanese Navy Antisubmarine Escorts 1941–45 . Osprey Publishing , Oxford 2017, ISBN 978-1-4728-1816-4 (English).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Japanese Sonar and Asdic (USNTMJ E-10). (PDF) US Navy Technical Mission to Japan, December 14, 1945, pp. 7 and 11 , accessed on June 26, 2020 .
