Japanese submarine I-67

I-67 was a Kaidai-type cruiser submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy. A KD5 sub-class boat, she sank in a training accident in 1940.

History
Empire of Japan
Name:	I-67
Builder:	Mitsubishi Kobe Yard, Kobe, Japan
Laid down:	14 October 1929
Launched:	7 April 1931
Completed:	8 August 1932
Commissioned:	8 August 1932
Decommissioned:	1 December 1937
Recommissioned:	?
Fate:	Sank 29 August 1940
Stricken:	1 November 1940
General characteristics
Class and type:	Kaidai-class submarine (KD5 Type)
Displacement:	1,732 tonnes (1,705 long tons) surfaced 2,367 tonnes (2,330 long tons) submerged
Length:	97.7 m (320 ft 6 in)
Beam:	8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)
Draft:	4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:	6,000 bhp (4,500 kW) (diesels) 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) surfaced 8.25 knots (15.28 km/h; 9.49 mph) submerged
Range:	10,800 nmi (20,000 km; 12,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged
Test depth:	70 m (230 ft)
Complement:	75
Armament:	6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 1 × 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun 1 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) anti-aircraft machinegun

Design and description

The submarines of the KD5 sub-class were improved versions of the preceding KD4 sub-class. They displaced 1,732 tonnes (1,705 long tons) surfaced and 2,367 tonnes (2,330 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 97.7 meters (320 ft 6 in) long, had a beam of 8.2 meters (26 ft 11 in) and a draft of 4.7 meters (15 ft 5 in). The boats had a diving depth of 75 m (246 ft)[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 3,400-brake-horsepower (2,535 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 900-horsepower (671 kW) electric motor. They could reach 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the KD5s had a range of 10,800 nautical miles (20,000 km; 12,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).[2]

The boats were armed with six internal 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern. They carried a total of 14 torpedoes. They were also armed with one 100 mm (3.9 in) deck gun for combat on the surface,[2] as well as a 13.2 mm (0.52 in) anti-aircraft machinegun.[1]

Construction and commissioning

I-67 was built by Mitsubishi at Kobe, Japan. Her keel was laid on 14 October 1929 and she was launched on 7 April 1931. She was completed and commissioned on 8 August 1932.

Service history

Upon commissioning, I-67 was assigned to the Kure Naval District. When the submarine I-66 was commissioned on 10 November 1932, I-67 and I-66 combined to form Submarine Division 30.[3][4] I-67 was decommissioned and placed in reserve on 1 December 1937.[4]

Later reactivated, I-67 on 29 August 1940 was in the Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of Minamitorishima taking part in a Combined Fleet exercise with the commander of Submarine Division 30 and an exercise judge on board in addition to her crew of 89. When a seaplane from the seaplane carrier Mizuho approached, I-67 practiced a crash dive to avoid a mock attack by the plane. She never resurfaced, and sank with the loss of all 91 men on board.[3][4] On 25 September 1940, the Imperial Japanese Navy officially declared all on board to be dead,[3] and I-67 was stricken from the Navy list on 1 November 1940.

The cause of I-67′s loss remains unknown. During the post-accident investigation, the crew of Mizuho′s seaplane said they believed that they saw I-67 submerge with a rear hatch still open. Investigators concluded that if she had submerged with the hatch open, rapid flooding would have occurred and caused her to sink quickly by the stern.[4][5]

Notes

1. Carpenter & Polmar, p. 93
2. Bagnasco, p. 183
3. 『ハンディ版 日本海軍艦艇写真集19巻』73頁。この脚注はこのページ上で3回使用されています。(in Japanese)
4. 『艦長たちの軍艦史』432頁。この脚注はこのページ上で3回使用されています。(in Japanese)
5. 『日本海軍の潜水艦 - その系譜と戦歴全記録』107頁。(in Japanese)

References

• 雑誌「丸」編集部『ハンディ版 日本海軍艦艇写真集19巻』潜水艦伊号、光人社、1997年。(in Japanese)
• 勝目純也『日本海軍の潜水艦 - その系譜と戦歴全記録』大日本絵画、2010年。(in Japanese)
• 海軍歴史保存会『日本海軍史』第7巻、第9巻、第10巻、第一法規出版、1995年。(in Japanese)
• 外山操『艦長たちの軍艦史』光人社、2005年。 ISBN 4-7698-1246-9 (in Japanese)
• Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
• Carpenter, Dorr B. & Polmar, Norman (1986). Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1904–1945. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-396-6.
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.