Japanese submarine I-55 (1925)
 I-55 in harbor | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan
| |
| Name: | I-55 |
| Builder: | Kure Naval Arsenal |
| Laid down: | 1 April 1924, as Submarine No. 78 |
| Launched: | 2 September 1925 |
| Completed: | 5 September 1927 |
| Renamed: | 20 May 1942, as I-155 |
| Struck: | 20 November 1945 |
| Fate: | Scuttled, May 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Kaidai-class submarine (KD3A Type) |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 100 m (328 ft 1 in) |
| Beam: | 8 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draft: | 4.82 m (15 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Complement: | 60 |
| Armament: |
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The Japanese submarine I-55 was a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine of the KD3A sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s.
Design and description
The submarines of the KD3A sub-class were the first Japanese-designed cruiser submarines, based on experience with earlier designs based on British and German cruiser submarines.[1] They displaced 1,829 metric tons (1,800 long tons) surfaced and 2,337 metric tons (2,300 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 100 meters (328 ft 1 in) long, had a beam of 8 meters (26 ft 3 in) and a draft of 4.82 meters (15 ft 10 in). The boats had a diving depth of 60 m (200 ft) and a complement of 60 officers and crewmen.[2]
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 KD3As had a range of 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).[3]
The boats were armed with eight internal 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, six in the bow and two in the stern. They carried one reload for each tube; a total of 16 torpedoes. They were also armed with one 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun for combat on the surface.[4]
Construction and career
Built by the Kure Naval Arsenal, I-55 was laid down on 1 April 1924 as Submarine No. 78 and renamed I-55 on 1 November.[5] The boat was launched on 2 September 1925 and completed on 5 September 1927.[2] During a training exercise on 11 July 1929, she accidentally collided with her target, the heavy cruiser Kinugasa, and damaged her bow plating. On 10 February 1932, she was slightly damaged when she was accidentally rammed by her sister ship, I-54.[5]
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 (2013). "IJN Submarine I-155: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 6 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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