Landing Ship No. 4 on 22 June 1944
Class overview
NameNo.1-class landing ship
Builders
Operators
Preceded byNo.1-class patrol boat
Cost
  • 6,912,000 JPY as first ordered 22 vessels
  • 7,126,000 JPY as second ordered 12 vessels
Built1943–1945
In commission1944–1950
Planned34
Completed21
Cancelled13
Lost16
Retired5
General characteristics
TypeLanding assault ship
Displacement
Length
  • 96.0 m (315 ft 0 in) overall
  • 94.0 m (308 ft 5 in) waterline
Beam10.2 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)Error: has synonymous parameter (help)
Draft6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)Error: has synonymous parameter (help)
Propulsion
  • 1 × Kampon geared turbine
  • 2 × Kampon water tube boilers
  • single shaft, 9,500 shp
Speed22 knots (25 mph; 41 km/h)
Range3,700 nmi (6,900 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Capacity
Complement148
Sensors and
processing systems
  • as built
  • 1 × Type 22 radar
  • 1 × Type 93 hydrophone
  • 1 × Type 93 active sonar
  • later fitted
  • 1 × Type 13 radar
Armament

The No.1-class landing ship (第一号型輸送艦,, Dai 1 Gō-gata Yusōkan) was a class of amphibious assault ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after World War II. The IJN also called them 1st class transporter (一等輸送艦,, 1-Tō Yusōkan).

Background

The IJN lost too many destroyers while employed as transporters ("Tokyo Express") in the Guadalcanal Campaign. Therefore, the IJN wanted a transporter which could penetrate the front line. It was realized rapidly after Operation Ke.

Design

In April 1943, the General Staff requested a high-speed military transporter to the Technical Department. The requirements were as follows:

  • Displacement: 1,250 long tons (1,270 t) standard
  • Propulsion: 1 × geared turbine, 2 × boilers, single shaft
  • Speed: 23 knots (26 mph; 43 km/h)
  • Range: 3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
  • Capacity: 2 × Landing craft (Daihatsu) and 200 tons freight
  • Armament: 2 × 127 mm (5.0 in) or 120 mm (4.7 in) AA guns, 9 × 25 mm AA guns and 36 × depth charges

The General Staff thought it was possible to use a variant of the Matsu-class destroyer for this plan, because they aimed to utilise mass production. In this original plan, the requirement for a slope was not considered. They thought about a Japanese version of the High speed transport (APD). The Technical Department, however, did not agree with this plan. They submitted a more aggressive plan to the General Staff. They increased the number of landing craft carried and with the effect of reducing the time for landing operations. In addition, about the mass production effect, they intended to deal with this by reducing the shipyards being used for production. At that time, the stern slope and operating ability of the amphibious tanks were added. In September 1943, the Kure Naval Arsenal finished the detailed design. Her project number was J37.

Construction

The IJN nominated Kure Naval Arsenal as the main builder and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as support builder.

Lead ship (Landing ship No.1) was constructed at Mitsubishi, laid down on 5 November 1943, launched on 8 February 1944, and completed on 10 May 1944. The Kure Naval Arsenal completed 15 vessels, Mitsubishi completed 6 vessels. The Kure Naval Arsenal was earnest. They made the original sized wooden samples, and learned a work procedure. They used the Yamato's dock and repeated build 2 vessels at the same time. Therefore, most of Kure's vessels were completed within 80 days from being laid down. The completed vessels were sent one by one to the front.

Service

Their primary role was that of a transporter, however since their armaments were strong they were useful as multi-purpose ships at the front, functioning as transporters, as minelayers and as escort ships. Most of these vessels were sent to the Battle of Leyte and transportation duty of the Bonin Islands. By that time, the IJN already lost air superiority and thalassocracy (naval superiority) in those areas and these vessels suffered heavy losses. 5 vessels survived war and were surrendered to the Allies.

Ships in class

Ship No. Ship Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
2901 No. 1 Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard 5 November 1943 8 February 1944 10 May 1944 Sunk by aircraft at Palau on 29 June 1944.
2902 No. 2 Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard 10 February 1944 6 May 1944 25 June 1944 Sunk by aircraft at Chichi-jima on 5 August 1944.
2903 No. 3 Kure Naval Arsenal 1 February 1944 20 March 1944 29 June 1944 Sunk by USS Guavina at Mindanao on 15 September 1944.
2904 No. 4 Kure Naval Arsenal 1 February 1944 20 March 1944 15 June 1944 Sunk by aircraft off Chichi-jima on 4 August 1944.
2905 No. 5 Kure Naval Arsenal 22 March 1944 25 May 1944 5 August 1944 Sunk by aircraft off Davao on 14 September 1944.
2906 No. 6 Kure Naval Arsenal 22 March 1944 25 May 1944 19 August 1944 Sunk by aircraft at Marinduque on 25 November 1944.
2907 No. 7 Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard 1 April 1944 3 July 1944 15 September 1944 Sunk by USN destroyer at east of Iwo Jima on 27 December 1944.
2908 No. 8 Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard 8 May 1944 11 August 1944 13 September 1944 Sunk by USS Case SSW of Chichi-jima on 24 December 1944.
2909 No. 9 Kure Naval Arsenal 28 May 1944 15 July 1944 20 September 1944 Survived war; decommissioned on 15 September 1945. Surrendered to United States 1947. Scrapped between 26 June 1948–1 October 1948.
2910 No. 10 Kure Naval Arsenal 28 May 1944 15 July 1944 25 September 1944 Sunk by aircraft at Marinduque on 25 November 1944.
2911 No. 11 Kure Naval Arsenal 18 July 1944 25 August 1944 5 November 1944 Heavy damaged by aircraft at Ormoc Bay on 7 December 1944; later sunk in shallow water.
2912 No. 12 Kure Naval Arsenal 18 July 1944 25 August 1944 11 November 1944 Sunk by USS Pintado at southeast of Kaohsiung on 12 December 1944.
2913 No. 13 Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard 5 July 1944 30 September 1944 1 November 1944 Survived war; decommissioned on 20 November 1945. Surrendered to Soviet Union on 8 August 1947.
2914 No. 14 Kure Naval Arsenal 28 August 1944 24 October 1944 18 December 1944 Sunk by aircraft at near of Kaohsiung on 15 January 1945 during the South China Sea raid
2915 No. 15 Kure Naval Arsenal 28 August 1944 24 October 1944 20 December 1944 Sunk by USS Tautog north of Amami Ōshima on 17 January 1945.
2916 No. 16 Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard 12 August 1944 10 October 1944 31 December 1944 Survived war; decommissioned on 15 September 1945. Surrendered to Republic of China at Qingdao on 29 August 1947; renamed Wu Yi. Decommissioned on 1 February 1950.
2917 No. 17 Kure Naval Arsenal 27 October 1944 30 December 1944 8 February 1945 Sunk by USN aircraft in the East China Sea on 2 April 1945.[1]
2918 No. 18 Kure Naval Arsenal 27 October 1944 30 December 1944 12 February 1945 Sunk by USS Springer at near of Nago on 18 March 1945.
2919 No. 19 Kure Naval Arsenal 4 January 1945 24 February 1945 16 May 1945 Survived war; decommissioned on 15 October 1945. Surrendered to United Kingdom on 20 November 1947 at Uraga. Scrapped between October–December 1948.
2920 No. 20 Kure Naval Arsenal 4 January 1945 24 February 1945 23 April 1945 Survived war; decommissioned on 15 October 1945. Grounded at Penghu on 15 September 1946. Later scuttled.
2921 No. 21 Kure Naval Arsenal 27 February 1945 25 April 1945 15 July 1945 Sunk by aircraft at Kutsuna Islands on 10 August 1945.
2922 No. 22 Kure Naval Arsenal 27 February 1945 25 April 1945 80% complete; construction stopped on 23 June 1945. Scrapped in June 1948.
12 vessels They were cancelled before being named.

Photos

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Japanese Escorts". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 2 April 2013.

Bibliography

  • "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.37, "Support vessels of the Imperial Japanese Forces", Gakken (Japan), June 2002, ISBN 4-05-602780-3
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.51, "The truth histories of the Imperial Japanese Vessels Part.2", Gakken (Japan), August 2005, ISBN 4-05-604083-4
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.50, "Japanese minesweepers and landing ships", Ushio Shobō (Japan), April 1981
  • Ships of the World special issue Vol.47, Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), March 1997
  • Senshi Sōsho Vol.88, Naval armaments and war preparation (2), "And after the outbreak of war", Asagumo Simbun (Japan), October 1975
  • Shizuo Fukui, FUKUI SHIZUO COLLECTION "Japanese Naval Vessels 1869–1945", KK Bestsellers (Japan), December 1994
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