Kamishima-class minelayer
The Kamishima class minelayer (神島型敷設艇,, Kamishima-gata Fusetsutei) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after World War II. 9 vessels were planned under the Maru Sen Programme, however only 1 vessel was completed until the end of war.
 Kamishima in 1947 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kamishima class minelayer |
| Builders: |
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| Operators: | |
| Preceded by: | Ajiro class |
| Built: | 1945–1946 |
| In commission: | 1945–1947 |
| Planned: | 9 |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Cancelled: | 7 |
| Retired: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Minelayer |
| Displacement: | 766 long tons (778 t) standard |
| Length: | 74.50 m (244 ft 5 in) overall |
| Beam: | 7.85 m (25 ft 9 in) |
| Draught: | 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | |
| Range: |
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| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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Background
- End of 1944, Japanese sea lanes were cut apart by United States Navy. The IJN wanted to secure only the security of the Sea of Japan.
- Therefore, the IJN had to lay a naval mine in La Pérouse Strait, Tsugaru Strait and Tsushima Strait. However, the IJN already exhausted minelayers.
- The IJN planned two kinds of minelayers. One was the large-sized Minoo class, the other the small-sized Kamishima class.
Design
- The Navy Technical Department (Kampon) revised the Hirashima's drawings, and gave escort ship (Kaibōkan) armaments.
- Their Type 5 40 mm AA was the latest anti-aircraft gun in the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy. It was a Japanese version of the Bofors 40 mm.
Ships in class
| Ship # | Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| 1801 | Kamishima (神島) | Sasebo Naval Arsenal | 20 February 1945 | 12 June 1945 | 30 July 1945 | Decommissioned 5 September 1945. Surrendered to Soviet Union at Nakhodka, 3 October 1947. |
| 1802 | Awashima (粟島) | Sasebo Naval Arsenal[1] | 20 February 1945 | 26 July 1945 | 18 April 1946 | Incomplete until the end of the war (90%). Surrendered to United States on 1 October 1947. Sunk as target at 35°24′N 123°53′E on 7 October 1947. |
| 1803 - 1806 | Cancelled in May 1945. | |||||
| 1807 | Hikoshima (彦島) | Sasebo Naval Arsenal | ||||
| 1808 - 1809 | ||||||
Footnotes
- Kawanami Kōgyō Corporation undertook her postwar constructions.
Bibliography
- "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.51, The truth histories of the Imperial Japanese Vessels Part.2, Gakken (Japan), June 2002, ISBN 4-05-602780-3
- Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), February 1996
- The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.47, Japanese naval mine warfare crafts, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), January 1981
- Daiji Katagiri, Ship Name Chronicles of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet, Kōjinsha (Japan), June 1988, ISBN 4-7698-0386-9
Awashima in 1947
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