Japanese submarine I-181
 Sister ship I-176 at sea, 1942 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan
| |
| Name: | I-181 |
| Builder: | Kure Naval Arsenal |
| Laid down: | 1941?, as I-81 |
| Launched: | 2 May 1942 |
| Completed: | 24 May 1943 |
| Renamed: | 1942, as I-181 |
| Struck: | 30 April 1944 |
| Fate: | Ran aground and wrecked, 16 January 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Kaidai-class submarine (KD7 Type) |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 105.5 m (346 ft 2 in) |
| Beam: | 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in) |
| Draft: | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement: | 86 |
| Armament: |
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The Japanese submarine I-181 was a Kaidai-class attack submarine of the KD7 sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1940s. She was lost with all hands when she was ran aground in New Guinea after a battle with American ships in early 1944.
Design and description
The submarines of the KD7 sub-class were medium-range attack submarines developed from the preceding KD6 sub-class. They displaced 1,862 metric tons (1,833 long tons) surfaced and 2,644 metric tons (2,602 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 105.5 meters (346 ft 2 in) long, had a beam of 8.25 meters (27 ft 1 in) and a draft of 4.6 meters (15 ft 1 in). The boats had a diving depth of 80 m (260 ft) and a complement of 86 officers and crewmen.[1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 4,000-brake-horsepower (2,983 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 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the KD7s had a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph); submerged, they had a range of 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).[2]
The boats were armed with six internal 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, all in the bow. They carried one reload for each tube; a total of a dozen torpedoes. They were originally intended to be armed with two twin-gun mounts for the 25 mm (1.0 in) Type 96 anti-aircraft gun, but a 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun for combat on the surface was substituted for one 25 mm mount during construction.[3]
Construction and career
Built by the Kure Naval Arsenal, the boat was laid down as I-81 and renamed I-181 in 1942. She was launched on 2 May 1942 and completed on 24 May 1943.[1] I-181 ran aground in Kelanoa Harbour, New Guinea, and wrecked after a battle with an American destroyer and a PT boat with the loss of all 89 officers and crewmen. She was struck from the Navy List on 30 April 1944.[4]
Notes
References
- 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.
- Hackett, Bob & Kingsepp, Sander (2010). "IJN Submarine I-181: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 0-87021-893-X.
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