Tsubame-class minelayer

Tsubame in April 1929
Class overview
Name:	Tsubame class minelayer
Builders:	Yokohama Dock Company Ōsaka Iron Works
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by:	Sokuten-class
Succeeded by:	Natsushima-class
Built:	1928–1929
In commission:	1929–1945
Planned:	2
Completed:	2
Lost:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement:	450 long tons (457 t) standard
Length:	68.80 m (225 ft 9 in) overall
Beam:	7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Draught:	2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)
Propulsion:	2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers 2 shafts, 2,500 shp
Speed:	19.0 knots (21.9 mph; 35.2 km/h)
Range:	1,200 nmi (2,200 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement:	43
Armament:	• 1 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA gun • 1 × 13.2 mm machine guns • 80 × Mk.5 naval mines or 18 × depth charges or 6 × Type 14 502.5 m capture nets

The Tsubame class minelayer (燕型敷設艇,, Tsubame-gata Fusetsutei) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after 1929 through World War II.

Ships in class

Tsubame (燕)

• 17 September 1928: Laid down as the Capture netlayer (捕獲網艇, Hokakumōtei) at Yokohama Dock Company.
• 22 March 1929: Reclassified to 2nd class minelayer (二等敷設艇, Nitō-Fusetsutei).
• 24 April 1929: Launched.
• 10 July 1929: Completed.
• 30 May 1931: Reclassified to Special service ship (特務艇, Tokumutei).
• In 1936: Rebuilding by the Tomozuru Incident at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
• In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• 18 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf.
• (after): She spent all her time on convoy escort operations in East China Sea and Java Sea.
• 1 February 1944: Reclassified to Minelayer (敷設艇, Fusetsutei).
• 1 March 1945: Sunk by air raid from U.S. Navy aircraft carrier at Ishigaki Island.
• 10 May 1945: Removed from Navy List.

Kamome (鷗)

• 11 October 1928: Laid down as the Capture netlayer at Ōsaka Iron Works.
• 22 March 1929: Reclassified to 2nd class minelayer.
• 27 April 1929: Launched.
• 30 August 1929: Completed.
• 30 May 1931: Reclassified to Special service ship.
• In 1936: Rebuilding by the Tomozuru Incident at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
• In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• 18 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf.
• (after): She spent all her time on convoy escort operations in East China Sea, South China Sea and Java Sea.
• 1 February 1944: Reclassified to Minelayer.
• 27 April 1944: Sunk by USS Halibut at north off Naha 27°37′N 128°11′E / 27.617°N 128.183°E / 27.617; 128.183.
• 10 June 1944: Removed from Navy List.

Photos

• 

  Kamome in 1929

Bibliography

• 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