Hatsutaka-class minelayer
 Hatsutaka in 1939 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: |
Hatsutaka-class minelayers Hatsutaka-class Wakataka-class Asadori-class (only a project) |
| Builders: | Harima Zōsen Corporation |
| Operators: |
 Imperial Japanese Navy Royal Malaysian Navy Republic of Singapore Navy |
| Preceded by: | Shirataka |
| Cost: |
4,733,000 JPY (Hatsutaka) 4,900,000 JPY (Wakataka) |
| Built: | 1938 – 1941 |
| In commission: | 1939 – 1946 (IJN) |
| Planned: | 4 |
| Completed: | 3 |
| Cancelled: | 1 |
| Lost: | 2 |
| Retired: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Minelayer/Netlayer |
| Displacement: | 1,600 long tons (1,626 t) standard |
| Length: | 91.00 m (298 ft 7 in) overall 86.50 m (283 ft 10 in) waterline |
| Beam: | 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in) |
| Draught: | 4.0 m (13 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Kampon geared turbines 3 × Kampon coal/oil-fired boilers 2 shafts, 6,000 shp |
| Speed: | 20.0 knots (23.0 mph; 37.0 km/h) |
| Range: | 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h) |
| Complement: | Hatsutaka and Aotaka 199 Wakataka 202 |
| Armament: | Hatsutaka, 1939 4 × 40 mm heavy machine guns 18 × Type 95 depth charges 1 × Type 94 depth charge projector 4 × depth charge throwers 1 × Type 93 active sonar 1 × Type 93 hydrophone 24 × Type 96 510 m (1,673 ft 3 in) anti-submarine nets or 100 × Type 93 naval mines Wakataka, 1941 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns 4 × Type 93 13 mm AA guns 18 × Type 95 depth charges 1 × Type 94 depth charge projector 4 × depth charge throwers 1 × Type 93 active sonar 1 × Type 93 hydrophone 24 × Type 96 510 m (1,673 ft 3 in) anti-submarine nets or 100 × Type 93 naval mines |
The Hatsutaka-class minelayer (初鷹型敷設艦, Hatsutaka-gata Fusetsukan) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II. They have three sub classes, this article handles them collectively.
Design
- The Hastutaka-class minelayer was reinforced model of the Shirataka. The Harima Zōsen Corporation dealt with all of the Hatsutaka-class.
Ships in classes
Hatsutaka-class
- Project number was H12. First production model of the Hatsutaka-class. 2 vessels were built in 1938-40 under the Maru 3 Programme (Ship # 7 - 8). They were equipped with 4 × 40 mm quick-firing guns for anti-submarine warfare.
| Ship # | Ship | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| 7 | Hatsutaka (初鷹) [1] | 29 March 1938 | 28 April 1939 | 31 October 1939 | Sunk by USS Hawkbill at South China Sea 04°54′N 103°28′E / 4.900°N 103.467°E on 16 May 1945. |
| 8 | Aotaka (蒼鷹) [2] | 10 May 1939 | 3 February 1940 | 30 June 1940 | Sunk by USS Pargo at north of Jesselton 07°00′N 116°00′E / 7.000°N 116.000°E on 26 September 1944. |
Wakataka-class
- Project number was H12B. Second production model of the Hatsutaka-class. Only 1 vessel was built under the Maru 4 Programme (Ship # 102). She was equipped with 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) anti-aircraft cannons. The Wakataka was classed in the Hatsutaka-class in the IJN official documents. The IJN called her the Modified Hatsutaka-class (改初鷹型, Kai Hatsutaka-gata) unofficially.
| Ship # | Ship | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| 102 | Wakataka (若鷹) [3] | 15 November 1940 | 12 July 1941 | 30 November 1941 | Decommissioned on 1 March 1946. Surrendered to United Kingdom on 17 October 1947. Transferred to Federation of Malaya, and renamed Laburnum. Surrendered to Republic of Singapore in 1968. Later, nothing more was heard. |
Asadori-class
- Project number was H12C. The Navy Technical Department revised the Wakataka drawings. Only 1 vessel was planned under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Ship # 5039). The IJN called her the Modified Wakataka-class (改若鷹型, Kai Wakataka-gata) unofficially.
| Ship # | Ship | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| 5039 | Asadori (朝鳥) [4] | Cancelled on 5 May 1944. | |||
Photos
-
Aotaka in June 1940 at Harima Zōsen.
-
Wakataka as repatriation transport in Spring 1947 at Sasebo Naval Base.
Footnotes
- ↑ Free translation: Hawk in early fall.
- ↑ Blue hawk.
- ↑ Free translation: The 1 year old hawk.
- ↑ Free translation: Bird(s) Flying away from a nest in morning.
See also
Bibliography
- Ships of the World special issue Vol.47, Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), March 1997
- Model Art Extra No.360, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-2, "Model Art Co. Ltd.". (Japan), October 1989
- The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.42, Japanese minelayers, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), August 1980
- Daiji Katagiri, Ship Name Chronicles of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet, Kōjinsha (Japan), June 1988, ISBN 4-7698-0386-9
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