Class overview
NameType-B submarines
Builders
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded byJunsen type submarine
Subclasses
Built1938-1944
In commission1940-1945

The Cruiser submarine Type-B (巡潜乙型潜水艦, Junsen Otsu-gata sensuikan) was a class of submarine in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) which served during World War II. The Type-B submarines were similar to the Type-A apart from not having the headquarters installation.

Class variants

The Type-B submarines were divided into four classes:

  • Type-B (乙型（伊十五型）, Otsu-gata, I-15-class)
  • Type-B Mod.1 (乙型改一（伊四十型）, Otsu-gata Kai-1, I-40-class)
  • Type-B Mod.2 (乙型改二（伊五十四型）, Otsu-gata Kai-2, I-54-class)
  • V22A Type (第5115号艦型, Dai-5115-Gō kan-gata, 5115th vessel-class). The 5115th vessel-class submarines were not built and remained a design only.

Type-B (I-15 class)

I-15 on 15 September 1940

Project number S37. Twenty boats were built between 1937 and 1944 under the Maru 3 Programme (Boats 37 - 42) and Maru 4 Programme (Boats 139 - 152).

Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
37 I-15 [note 1] Kure Naval Arsenal 25 January 1938 7 March 1939 30 September 1940 Sunk by USS Southard near San Cristóbal on 10 November 1942.
38 I-17 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 18 April 1938 19 July 1939 24 January 1941 Sunk by HMNZS Tui and maritime patrol aircraft at Nouméa 23°26′S 166°54′E / 23.433°S 166.900°E / -23.433; 166.900 on 19 August 1943.
39 I-19 Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard 15 March 1938 16 September 1939 28 April 1941 Sunk by USS Radford in the Gilbert Islands on 25 November 1943.
40 I-21 Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard 7 January 1939 24 February 1940 15 July 1941 Missing near Tarawa after 27 November 1943. Possibly sunk by aircraft from USS Chenango on 29 November 1943.
41 I-23 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 8 December 1938 24 November 1939 27 September 1941 Missing near the Hawaiian Islands after 24 February 1942, most likely due to a diving accident.
42 I-25 Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard 3 February 1939 8 June 1940 15 October 1941 Missing near Espiritu Santo after 23 August 1943. Possibly sunk by USS Patterson on 25 August 1943.
43 The dummy for the naval budget of the Yamato-class battleship.
139 I-26 Kure Naval Arsenal 7 June 1939 10 April 1940 6 November 1941 Missing east of the Philippines after 25 October 1944. Possibly sunk by USS Richard M. Rowell on 26 October 1944.
140 I-27 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 5 July 1939 6 June 1940 24 February 1942 Sunk by HMS Paladin and HMS Petard in the Maldives at 00°57′N 72°16′E / 0.950°N 72.267°E / 0.950; 72.267 on 12 February 1944.
141 I-28 Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard 25 September 1939 17 December 1940 6 February 1942 Sunk by USS Tautog north of Rabaul at 06°30′N 152°00′E / 6.500°N 152.000°E / 6.500; 152.000 on 17 May 1942.
142 I-29 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 20 September 1939 29 September 1940 27 February 1942 Sunk by USS Sawfish south of Sabtang Island at 20°10′N 121°50′E / 20.167°N 121.833°E / 20.167; 121.833 on 26 July 1944.
143 I-30 Kure Naval Arsenal 7 June 1939 17 September 1940 28 February 1942 Sunk by a British mine at Singapore on 13 October 1942. Raised and scrapped between August 1959 and February 1960.
144 I-31 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 6 December 1939 13 March 1941 30 May 1942 Sunk by USS Frazier at Attu Island on 13 May 1943.
145 I-32 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 20 January 1940 17 December 1940 26 April 1942 Sunk by USS Manlove and USS PC-1135 northeast of Wotje Atoll on 24 March 1943.
146 I-33 Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard 21 February 1940 1 May 1941 10 June 1942 Lost in an accident at Truk on 26 September 1942. Salvaged and repaired starting 29 December 1943. Later, lost in another accident at Iyo Nada on 13 June 1944. Salvaged and scrapped starting 28 June 1953.
147 I-34 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 9 January 1941 24 September 1941 31 August 1942 Sunk by HMS Taurus at Penang Island on 13 November 1943. Salvaged on 4 December 1962.
148 I-35 Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard 2 September 1940 24 September 1941 31 August 1942 Sunk by USS Meade and USS Frazier south of Tarawa on 22 November 1943.
149 I-36 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 4 December 1940 1 November 1941 30 September 1942 Converted to a Kaiten mother ship on 1 September 1944. Decommissioned on 30 November 1945, blown up (along with Ha-106) off the Gotō Islands on 1 April 1946 as part of Operation Road's End.
150 I-37 Kure Naval Arsenal 7 December 1940 22 October 1941 10 March 1943 Converted to a Kaiten mother ship on 9 September 1944. Sunk by USS Conklin and USS McCoy Reynolds north of Palau, on 19 November 1944.
151 I-38 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 19 June 1941 15 April 1942 31 January 1943 Sunk by USS Nicholas east of Luzon on 13 November 1944.
152 I-39 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 19 June 1941 15 April 1942 22 April 1943 Sunk by USS Boyd west of Makin at 03°10′N 171°55′E / 3.167°N 171.917°E / 3.167; 171.917 on 16 November 1943.
153 The dummy for the naval budget of the Yamato-class battleships

Type-B Mod.1 (I-40 class)

I-45 in 1943

Project number S37B. Six boats were planned under the Maru Kyū Programme (Boats 370 - 375), all boats were completed. On the outside this class looked the same as the I-15 class; however, they were built from high-tensile strength steel and equipped with diesel engines of a simpler design.

Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
370 I-40 Kure Naval Arsenal 18 March 1942 10 November 1942 31 July 1943 Missing after 22 November 1943.
371 I-41 Kure Naval Arsenal 18 March 1942 10 November 1942 18 September 1943 Sunk by USS Lawrence C. Taylor east of the Philippines at 12°44′N 130°42′E / 12.733°N 130.700°E / 12.733; 130.700 on 18 November 1944.
372 I-42 Kure Naval Arsenal 18 March 1942 10 November 1942 3 November 1943 Sunk by USS Tunny southwest of Palau at 06°40′N 134°03′E / 6.667°N 134.050°E / 6.667; 134.050 on 23 March 1944.
373 I-43 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 27 April 1942 25 October 1942 5 November 1943 After completion, converted to a carrier for a Daihatsu-class landing barge. Sunk by USS Aspro north of Truk at 12°42′N 149°17′E / 12.700°N 149.283°E / 12.700; 149.283 on 15 February 1944.
374 I-44 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 11 June 1942 5 March 1943 31 January 1944 Converted to a Kaiten mother ship on 22 October 1944. Sunk by an aircraft from USS Tulagi southeast of Okinawa at 24°15′N 131°16′E / 24.250°N 131.267°E / 24.250; 131.267 on 29 April 1945.
375 I-45 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 15 July 1942 6 March 1943 28 December 1943 Sunk by USS Whitehurst east of the Philippines on 29 October 1944.

Type-B Mod.2 (I-54 class)

I-54 in 1944

Project number S37C. Twenty-one boats were planned under the Maru Kyū Programme (Boats 627 - 636) and Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boats 5101 - 5114). Eighteen boats were cancelled in late 1943, because the IJN was setting the Type E submarine (戊型潜水艦, Bo-gata sensuikan) as 1945's main submarines.

  • Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Results Fate
627 I-54 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 1 July 1942 4 May 1943 31 March 1944 Damaged USS Santee on 25-10-1944 (?)[note 2] Sunk east of Leyte by USS Helm and USS Gridley on 28 October 1944.[note 3]
629 I-56 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 29 September 1942 30 June 1943 8 June 1944 Damaged USS LST-695 on 24 October 1944.
Damaged USS Santee on 25 October 1944 (?).[note 2]		 Conversion to a Kaiten mother ship began in early October 1943 and completed in November 1944. Sunk by USS Heermann, USS Uhlmann, USS Mertz, USS Collett and aircraft from USS Bataan east of Okinawa at 26°42′N 130°38′E / 26.700°N 130.633°E / 26.700; 130.633 on 18 April 1945.
631 I-58 Yokosuka Naval Arsenal 26 December 1942 9 October 1943 7 September 1944 Sank SS Wild Hunter on 28 July 1945, possibly by Kaiten
Sank USS Indianapolis on 30 July 1945
Damaged USS Thomas F. Nickel on 12 August 1945 by Kaiten (?)		 Converted to a Kaiten mother ship before completion. Decommissioned on 30 November 1945, scuttled off the Gotō Islands on 1 April 1946 as part of Operation Road's End. Wreck found in 2017.
633 - 636 Cancelled in 1943
5101 - 5114

V22A Type

Project number S49A. Eighteen boats were planned under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boats 5115 - 5132). However, all boats were cancelled in late 1943, because the IJN concentrated on production of Type-E submarine (戊型潜水艦, Bo-gata sensuikan) from 1945.

  • Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
5115 - 5132 Cancelled in 1943

Characteristics

Type Type-B (I-15) Type-B Mod. 1 (I-40) Type-B Mod. 2 (I-54) V22A Type
Displacement Surfaced 2,198 long tons (2,233 t) 2,230 long tons (2,266 t) 2,140 long tons (2,174 t) 2,330 long tons (2,367 t)
Submerged 3,654 long tons (3,713 t) 3,700 long tons (3,759 t) 3,688 long tons (3,747 t) No data
Length (overall) 108.70 m (356 ft 8 in) 108.70 m (356 ft 8 in) 108.70 m (356 ft 8 in) 106.50 m (349 ft 5 in) (waterline)
Beam 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in) 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in) 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in) 9.64 m (31 ft 8 in)
Draft 5.14 m (16 ft 10 in) 5.20 m (17 ft 1 in) 5.19 m (17 ft 0 in) 5.32 m (17 ft 5 in)
Depth 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in) 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in) 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in) No data
Power plant and shaft 2 × Kampon Mk. 2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts		 2 × Kampon Mk. 1A Model 10 diesels
2 shafts		 2 × Kampon Mk. 22 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts		 2 × Kampon Mk. 2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts
Power Surfaced 12,400 bhp 11,000 bhp 4,700 bhp 11,000 bhp
Submerged 2,000 shp 2,000 shp 1,200 shp 2,400 shp
Speed Surfaced 23.6 knots (43.7 km/h) 23.5 knots (43.5 km/h) 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h) 22.4 knots (41.5 km/h)
Submerged 8.0 knots (14.8 km/h) 8.0 knots (14.8 km/h) 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h) 8.0 knots (14.8 km/h)
Range Surfaced 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 21,000 nmi (39,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
Submerged 96 nmi (178 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) 96 nmi (178 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) 105 nmi (194 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) 80 nmi (150 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h)
Test depth 100 m (330 ft) 100 m (330 ft) 100 m (330 ft) 100 m (330 ft)
Fuel 774 tons 814 tons 842.8 tons 735 tons
Complement 94 94 94 No data
Armament (initial) • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) Torpedo tubes
(6 × front)
• 17 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/40 11th Year Type naval gun[3]
• 2 × Type 96 25mm AA guns		 • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (6 × front)
• 17 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[3]
• 2 × Type 96 25mm AA guns		 • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (6 × front)
• 19 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[3]
• 2 × Type 96 25mm AA guns		 • 8 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (8 × front)
• 16 × torpedoes
• 1 × 14 cm/40 11th Year Type naval gun[3]
• 4 × 25mm AA guns
• 8 × naval mines
Aircraft and facilities • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × Watanabe E9W1 Slim seaplane		 • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × Yokosuka E14Y2 Glen seaplane		 • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × Yokosuka E14Y2 Glen seaplane		 • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × floatplane

References

  1. ↑ Stille, Mark. Imperial Japanese Navy Submarines 1941-45 (Osprey, 2007), p.33;
  2. ↑ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Vol. 13, p.1409, "I54".
  3. 1 2 3 4 Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 p.191

Notes

  1. ↑ 伊号第15潜水艦 (I-Gō Dai-15 Sensuikan).
  2. 1 2 This result is estimated with a 'thing' by I-56 in many Japanese documents
  3. ↑ Although several sources credit Richard M. Rowell with sinking I-54 on 26 October 1944,[1][2] her target was most likely I-56, which survived the encounter.

Bibliography

  • Milanovich, Kathrin (2021). "The IJN Submarines of the I 15 Class". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2021. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 29–43. ISBN 978-1-4728-4779-9.
  • "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.17 I-Gō Submarines, Gakken (Japan), January 1998, ISBN 4-05-601767-0
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.35 Kō-hyōteki and Kōryū, Gakken (Japan), April 2002, ISBN 4-05-602741-2
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.36 Kairyū and Kaiten, Gakken (Japan), May 2002, ISBN 4-05-602693-9
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Extra, "Perfect guide, The submarines of the Imperial Japanese Forces", Gakken (Japan), March 2005, ISBN 4-05-603890-2
  • Model Art Extra No.537, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-3, Model Art Co. Ltd. (Japan), May 1999, Book code 08734-5
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.31 Japanese Submarines I, Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1979, Book code 68343-31
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