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No.31-class patrol boat

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image= Japanese patrol boat No35.jpg

|Ship caption= No. 35 in 1940

}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

|Name=No. 31-class patrol boat

|Builders=*Kure Naval Arsenal

|Operators=*20px Imperial Japanese Navy

|Class before=

|Class after=*{{sclass|Matsu|destroyer}}

  • {{sclass|No.1|landing ship}}

|Subclasses=*No. 31 class (ex-{{sclass|Momi|destroyer|4}})

  • No. 46 class (ex-{{sclass|Wakatake|destroyer|4}})

|Cost=

|Built range=1940

|In service range=

|In commission range=1940 – 1946

|Total ships building=

|Total ships planned=6

|Total ships completed=10

|Total ships cancelled=

|Total ships active=

|Total ships laid up=

|Total ships lost=9

|Total ships retired=1

|Total ships preserved=

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=No. 31 class

|Ship class=

|Ship type=Patrol boat

|Ship tonnage=

|Ship displacement= {{convert|940|LT|t|0|lk=in|abbr=on}} standard

|Ship length=*April 1940

  • {{convert|88.39|m|ftin|abbr=on}} overall

|Ship beam= {{convert|7.93|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship height=

|Ship draught=

|Ship draft=

|Ship propulsion=*2 × geared turbines

  • 2 × Kampon water tube boilers
  • 2 shafts, 4,000 shp

|Ship power=

|Ship speed= {{convert|18.0|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}

|Ship range=

|Ship boats=

|Ship troops=

|Ship complement=

|Ship capacity=

|Ship crew=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=*April 1940

|Ship armour=

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=No. 46

|Ship class=

|Ship type=Patrol boat

|Ship tonnage=

|Ship displacement= {{convert|925|LT|t|0|lk=in|abbr=on}} standard

|Ship length= {{convert|88.39|m|ftin|abbr=on}} overall

|Ship beam= {{convert|8.08|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship height=

|Ship draught=

|Ship draft=

|Ship propulsion=*2 × Escher Wyss & Cie Zoelly geared turbines

  • 2 × Kampon water tube boilers
  • 2 shafts, 4,000 shp

|Ship power=

|Ship speed= {{convert|18.0|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}

|Ship range=

|Ship boats=

|Ship troops=

|Ship complement=

|Ship capacity=

|Ship crew=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=2 × 120 mm L/45 naval guns

|Ship armour=

}}

The {{nihongo|No. 31-class patrol boats|第三十一号型哨戒艇,|Dai Sanjūichi Gō-gata Shōkaitei}} were a class of patrol boats of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II. 9 vessels were converted from {{sclass|Momi|destroyer|2}}s and 1 vessel was converted from a {{sclass|Wakatake|destroyer|2}} in 1940. During WW2 all were lost except one.

Background

In 1939, the IJN was liberated from London Naval Treaty, and they built many {{sclass|Kagerō|destroyer|2}}s. On the other hand, aging of the Momi-class destroyers was serious. Their boilers were degraded due to the operating conditions present in destroyers. Some Momi-class destroyers were not able to show 30 knots speed. The Navy General Staff made the Confidential Document No. 456. It was an order to rebuild them into patrol boats - about four {{sclass|Minekaze|destroyer|2}}s and six Momi-class destroyers. The IJN chose nine Momi class and one Wakatake class. Three Momis and one Wakatake were increased, because two Minekazes were decreased.

Rebuilding

  • Ten vessels were sent to dockyards for rebuilding. "Q" turret, all of torpedo tubes and one boiler were removed in 1940.
  • In the second half of 1941, the IJN rebuilt them once again for war preparations.About the time of their entering a dock, correct historical materials were not left. They were rebuilt to the landing craft carrier. The Y turret was moved to a place of the "Q" turret. Furthermore, a slope for {{sclass2|Daihatsu|landing craft|2}} was installed to their stern, and added deck house for one company of Navy Landing Force. As for the No. 31 and the No. 46, those rebuilt were not done.

Service

  • 10 and 23 December 1941: Sortie for the Battle of Wake Island. (No. 32 and No. 33) (both were lost in Battle of Wake Island)
  • 12 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of Legazpi. (No. 34, No. 35 and No. 36)
  • 20 December 1941: Sortie for invasion of Davao. (No. 36 and No. 37)
  • 25 December 1941: Sortie for invasion of Jolo. (No. 36 and No. 37)
  • 11 January 1942: Sortie for the Battle of Tarakan. (No. 36, No. 37 and No. 38)
  • 11 January 1942: Sortie for the Battle of Manado. (No. 34, No. 1 and No. 2)
  • 31 January 1942: Sortie for the Battle of Ambon. (No. 34 and No. 39)
  • 20 February 1942: Sortie for invasion of Kupang. (No. 39, No. 1 and No. 2)
  • 1 March 1942: Sortie for invasion of Surabaya. (No. 34, No. 36, No. 37, No. 38 and No. 39)
  • 31 March 1942: Sortie for the Battle of Christmas Island. (No. 34 and No. 36)
  • (after): The IJN which finished First Phase Operations allotted them to the convoy escort operations. Only No. 36 was survived war.

No 36 was the only one to survive the WW2.

Ships in classes

=<small>''No. 31'' class</small>=

class="wikitable"

| width="8%" | Ship

| width="8%" bgcolor= | Completed as destroyer

| width="15%" bgcolor= | Rebuilt completed

| width="25%" bgcolor= | Fate

Patrol Boat No. 31 {{nihongo|第三十一号哨戒艇|Dai 31 Gō Shōkaitei}}. The same shall apply hereinafter.
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Kiku		2}}

| 10 December 1920

| First quarter of 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 31 on 31 April 1940.1 April 1940, Notice No. 72, Reclassified old destroyers to auxiliary boat. (昭和十五年四月一日 海軍大臣官房達第七十二号 舊驅逐艦ヲ特務艇籍ニ編入シ左ノ通命名ス 海軍大臣 吉田善吾), Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of the Navy. The same shall apply hereinafter.

| Sunk during the Operation Desecrate One at Palau on 30 March 1944; removed from naval ship list on 10 May 1944.

Patrol Boat No. 32
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Aoi		2}}

| 20 December 1920

| First quarter of 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 32 on 1 April 1940.

| Aground during the Battle of Wake Island on 23 December 1941, later scuttled; removed from naval ship list on 10 January 1942.

Patrol Boat No. 33
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Hagi|1920|2}}

| 20 April 1921

| First quarter of 1940 at Hakodate Dock.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 33 on 1 April 1940.

| Aground during the Battle of Wake Island on 23 December 1941, later scuttled; removed from naval ship list on 10 January 1942.

Patrol Boat No. 34
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Susuki|1921|2}}

| 25 May 1921

| First quarter of 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 34 on 1 April 1940.

| Collided with target ship Yakaze and sunk off Kavieng on 6 March 1943; removed from naval ship list on 10 January 1945.

Patrol Boat No. 35
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Tsuta|1921|2}}

| 30 June 1921

| First quarter of 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 35 on 1 April 1940.

| Sunk by air raid off Lae on 2 September 1942; removed from naval ship list on 10 February 1943.

Patrol Boat No. 36
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Fuji		2}}

| 31 May 1921

| First quarter of 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 36 on 1 April 1940.

| Survived war at Surabaya. Seized by Indonesian People's Security Army in June 1946, recaptured by Royal Netherlands Navy in July 1946. Decommissioned on 10 August 1946; scrapped in 1947.

Patrol Boat No. 37
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Hishi|1921|2}}

| 23 March 1922

| First quarter of 1940 at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 37 on 1 April 1940.

| Heavily damaged during the Battle of Balikpapan on 24 January 1942, later scuttled removed from naval ship list on 10 April 1942.

Patrol Boat No. 38
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Yomogi		2}}

| 19 August 1922

| First quarter of 1940 at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 38 on 1 April 1940.

| Sunk by {{USS|Atule|SS-403|6}} at Bashi Channel {{coord|20|12|N|121|51|E}} on 25 November 1944; removed from naval ship list on 10 March 1945.

Patrol Boat No. 39
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Tade		2}}

| 31 July 1922

| First quarter of 1940 at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 39 on 1 April 1940.

| Sunk by {{USS|Seawolf|SS-197|6}} off Yonaguni {{coord|23|45|N|122|45|E}} on 23 April 1943; removed from naval ship list on 1 July 1943.

=<small>''No. 46'' class</small>=

No. 40 to No. 45 were a space to the vessels numbers. These numbers were going to be given to all of Wakatakes.

class="wikitable"

| width="8%" | Ship

| width="8%" bgcolor= | Completed as destroyer

| width="15%" bgcolor= | Rebuilt completed

| width="25%" bgcolor= | Fate

Patrol Boat No. 46
ex-{{ship|Japanese destroyer|Yūgao		2}}

| 31 May 1924

| First quarter of 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal.
Renamed Patrol Boat No. 46 on 1 April 1940.

| Sunk by {{USS|Greenling|SS-213|6}} off Minamiizu {{coord|34|30|N|138|34|E}} on 10 November 1944; removed from naval ship list on 10 January 1945.

Photos

Image:Japanese No31-class patrol boat.jpg|No. 31-class in September 1942

Image:Japanese patrol boat PB31.jpg|No. 31 on 30 March 1944 at Palau

Image:Japanese patrol boats 32 and 33.jpg|No. 32 and No. 33 at Wake Island (left to right)

Image:USMC-M-Wake-17.PNG|No. 33 at Wake Island

Image:Japanese Patrol Boat No.39 sinking after being torpedoed on 23 April 1943.jpg|No. 39 on 23 April 1943

Image:IJN No46 patrol boat in 1940.jpg|No. 46 in 1940 at Kure Naval Arsenal

See also

Footnotes

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite web |url=http://rekigun.net/ |title=Rekishi Gunzō}}, History of Pacific War Vol.62 Ships of the Imperial Japanese Forces, Gakken (Japan), January 2008, {{ISBN|978-4-05-605008-0}}
  • Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, {{cite web |url=http://www.ships-net.co.jp/ |title=Kaijinsha}}, (Japan), February 1996
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.49, Japanese submarine chasers and patrol boats, {{cite web |url=http://www.kojinsha.co.jp/ |title=Ushio Shobō}} (Japan), March 1981

{{Momi class destroyer}}

{{WWII Japanese auxiliary ships}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:31-class patrol boat}}

Category:World War II naval ships of Japan

Category:Momi-class destroyers

Category:Wakatake-class destroyers

Category:Landing craft

Category:Patrol vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy