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Type A submarine

{{Short description|Class of submarine in the Imperial Japanese Navy}}

{{Distinguish | Type A Kō-hyōteki-class submarine}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

|Name=Type-A submarines

|Builders=*Kure Naval Arsenal

|Operators={{navy|Empire of Japan}}

|Class before=Junsen type submarine

|Class after=

|Subclasses=*Type-A (I-9-class)

|Cost=

|Built range=1938–1945

|In service range=

|In commission range=1941–1945

|Total ships building=

|Total ships planned=

|Total ships completed=

|Total ships cancelled=

|Total ships active=

|Total ships laid up=

|Total ships lost=

|Total ships retired=

|Total ships preserved=

}}

The {{nihongo|Cruiser submarine Type-A|巡潜甲型潜水艦|Junsen Kō-gata sensuikan}} was a class of submarine in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), which served during the Second World War. The Type-A submarines were built to take a role of the command ships for submarine squadrons. For this reason they had equipment for a headquarters, better radio facilities and a floatplane.

Class variants

The Type-A submarines were divided into four classes:

  • {{nihongo|Type-A|甲型（伊九型）|Kō-gata, I-9-class}}
  • {{nihongo|Type-A Mod.1|甲型改一（伊十二型）|Kō-gata Kai-1, I-12-class}}
  • {{nihongo|Type-A Mod.2|甲型改二（伊十三型）|Kō-gata Kai-2, I-13-class}}
  • {{nihongo|V21 Type|第5094号艦型|Dai-5094-Gō kan-gata, 5094th vessel-class}}. The 5094th vessel class boats were not built and remained only a design.

=''Type-A'' (''I-9'' class)=

{{main|Type A1 submarine}}

File:Japanese submarine I-10 in 1942.jpg

Project number S35Ja. Their design was based on the Junsen III (I-7 class). Three boats were built in 1938-42 under the Maru 3 Programme (Boat # 35 - 36) and Maru 4 Programme (Boat # 138).

  • Boats in class

class="wikitable"

! width="4%" | Boat No.

! width="3%" | Boat

! width="10%" | Builder

! width="5%" | Laid down

! width="5%" | Launched

! width="5%" | Completed

! width="25%" | Results

! width="20%" | Fate

35

| {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-9

2}} {{nihongo|伊号第9潜水艦|I-Gō Dai-9 Sensuikan}}. The same shall apply hereinafter.

| Kure Naval Arsenal

| 25-01-1938

| 20-05-1939

| 13-02-1941

| Sank USS Lahaina 12-12-1941

| Sunk by {{ship|USS|Frazier|DD-607|6}} at Kiska {{coord|52|08|N|177|38|E|type:event|name=I-9}} 13-06-1943.

36

| {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-10

2}}

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 07-06-1938

| 20-09-1939

| 31-10-1941

| Sank Panamanian merchant ship Donerail 10-12-1941
Sank USS Melvin H. Baker 05-06-1942
Sank Panamanian merchant ship Atlantic Gulf 06-06-1942
Sank RMS King Lud 08-06-1942
Sank RMS Queen Victoria 28-06-1942
Sank USS Express 30-06-1942
Sank Greek merchantman Nymphe 06-07-1942
Sank RMS Hartismere 08-07-1942
Sank Dutch merchant ship Alchiba 09-07-1942
Sank USS Samuel Gompers 30-01-1943
Sank USS Gulfwave 01-03-1943
Sank Norwegian merchantman Alcides 22-07-1943
Sank Norwegian merchant ship Bramora 14-09-1943
Sank USS Elias Howe 24-09-1943
Sank Norwegian merchant ship Storvixen 01-10-1943
Sank Norwegian merchantman Anna Knudsen 02-10-1943
Sank RMS Congella 24-10-1943
Sank or damaged unknown warship 02-07-1944

| Sunk by {{ship|USS|David W. Taylor|DD-551|6}} and {{ship|USS|Riddle|DE-185|6}} east of Saipan {{coord|15|26|N|147|48|E|type:event|name=I-10}} 04-07-1944.

138

| {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-11

2}}

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 10-04-1940

| 28-02-1941

| 16-05-1942

| Sank Greek merchant ship George S. Livanos 20-07-1942
Sank USS Coast Farmer 21-07-1942
Sank USS William Dawes 22-07-1942
Damaged {{ship|HMAS|Hobart|1939|6}} 20-07-1943
Damaged USS Matthew Lyon 11-08-1943

| Lost in an accident or sunk by a mine near Funafuti January 1944.

=''Type-A Mod.1'' (''I-12'' class)=

Project number S35B. Five boats were planned under the Maru Tsui Programme (Boat # 620 - 621) and the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boat # 5091 - 5093). They were equipped with less powerful diesel engines which shortened the time needed to build them. Only one boat, {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-12||2}}, was completed to the original design. The I-13 and the later boats were converted to a new submarine class (I-13 class), because the number of I-400 class boats was reduced.

  • Boats in class

class="wikitable"

! width="4%" | Boat No.

! width="3%" | Boat

! width="10%" | Builder

! width="5%" | Laid down

! width="5%" | Launched

! width="5%" | Completed

! width="25%" | Results

! width="20%" | Fate

620

| {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-12

2}}

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 05-11-1942

| 03-08-1943

| 25-05-1944

| Sank USS John A. Johnson 30-10-1944

| Sunk by minesweeper USS Ardent on 13-11-1944.

621

| I-13

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 04-02-1943

|

|

|

| rowspan="4"| Converted to the I-13 class in October 1943.

5091

| I-14

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 18-05-1943

|

|

|

5092

| I-15

| Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard

| 30-04-1943

|

|

|

5093

| I-1

| Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard

| 24-06-1943

|

|

|

=''Type-A Mod.2'' (''I-13'' class)=

{{main|Type A Mod.2 submarine}}

File:Japanese submarine I-14 in 1945.jpg

Project number S35C. Four boats were planned under the Maru Tsui Programme (Boat # 621) and the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boat # 5091 - 5093). However, four boats were converted to new submarine class (I-13 class), because a number of submarines of the I-400 class were cancelled. They had a large hangar and were equipped with bulges to be able to operate 2 × special Aichi M6A1 Seiran attack bombers. The headquarters institutions were removed.

  • Boats in class

class="wikitable"

! width="4%" | Boat No.

! width="3%" | Boat

! width="10%" | Builder

! width="5%" | Laid down

! width="5%" | Launched

! width="5%" | Completed

! width="25%" | Results

! width="20%" | Fate

621

| {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-13

2}}

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 04-02-1943

| 30-11-1943

| 16-12-1944

|

| Sunk by {{ship|USS|Lawrence C. Taylor|DE-415|6}}, {{ship|USS|Robert F. Keller|DE-419|6}} and aircraft from {{ship|USS|Anzio|CVE-57|6}} northeast of the Ogasawara Islands 16-07-1945.

5091

| {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-14

2}}

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard

| 18-05-1943

| 14-03-1944

| 14-03-1945

|

| Captured by {{ship|USS|Murray|DD-576|6}} 27-08-1945, decommissioned 15-09-1945, sunk as a target off the Hawaiian Islands 28-05-1946.

5092

| I-15

| Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard
Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard (after launch)

| 30-04-1943

| 12-04-1944

|

|

| Converted to a tanker submarine in June 1945;Senshi Sōsho Vol.88 (1975), p.272 90% complete; scrapped in 1945.

5093

| I-1

| Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard
Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard (after launch)

| 24-06-1943

| 10-06-1944

|

|

| 70% complete; Sunk by a typhoon on 18-09-1945; later salvaged and scrapped.

=''V21 Type''=

Project number S48. Three boats were planned under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme. However, all boats were cancelled in late 1943, because the IJN turned its attention to the construction of {{nihongo|{{Interlanguage link|Type E submarine|ja|戊型潜水艦}}|戊型潜水艦|Bo-gata sensuikan}} in 1945.

  • Boats in class

class="wikitable"

! width="4%" | Boat No.

! width="3%" | Boat

! width="10%" | Builder

! width="5%" | Laid down

! width="5%" | Launched

! width="5%" | Completed

! width="20%" | Fate

5094 - 5096

|

|

|

|

|

| Cancelled in 1943.

Characteristics

class="wikitable"

| width="15%" colspan="2"| Type

| width="16%" | Type-A (I-9)

| width="16%" | Type-A Mod.1 (I-12)

| width="16%" | Type-A Mod.2 (I-13)

| width="16%" | V21 Type

rowspan="2"|Displacement

| Surfaced

| {{convert|2434|LT|t|0}}

| {{convert|2390|LT|t|0}}

| {{convert|2620|LT|t|0}}

| {{convert|2330|LT|t|0}}

Submerged

| {{convert|4150|LT|t|0}}

| {{convert|4172|LT|t|0}}

| {{convert|4762|LT|t|0}}

| No data

colspan="2"| Length (overall)

| {{convert|113.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|113.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|113.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|111.00|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (waterline)

colspan="2"| Beam

| {{convert|9.55|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|9.55|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|11.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|9.82|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

colspan="2"| Draft

| {{convert|5.36|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|5.36|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|5.89|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|5.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

colspan="2"| Depth

| {{convert|8.30|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|8.30|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|8.30|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| No data

colspan="2"| Power plant and shaft

| 2 × Kampon Mk.2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts

| 2 × Kampon Mk.22 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts

| 2 × Kampon Mk.22 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts

| 2 × Kampon Mk.2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts

rowspan="2"|Power

| Surfaced

| 12,400 bhp

| 4,700 bhp

| 4,700 bhp

| 11,000 bhp

Submerged

| 2,400 shp

| 1,200 shp

| 600 shp

| 2,400 shp

rowspan="2"|Speed

| Surfaced

| {{convert|23.5|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

| {{convert|17.7|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

| {{convert|16.7|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

| {{convert|22.4|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

Submerged

| {{convert|8.0|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

| {{convert|6.2|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

| {{convert|5.5|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

| {{convert|8.0|kn|km/h|lk=in}}

rowspan="2"|Range

| Surfaced

| {{convert|16000|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|16|kn|km/h}}

| {{convert|22000|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|16|kn|km/h}}

| {{convert|21000|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|16|kn|km/h}}

| {{convert|16000|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|16|kn|km/h}}

Submerged

| {{convert|90|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|3|kn|km/h}}

| {{convert|75|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|3|kn|km/h}}

| {{convert|60|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|3|kn|km/h}}

| {{convert|80|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|3|kn|km/h}}

colspan="2"| Test depth

| {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}}

colspan="2"| Fuel

| 878 tons

| 917 tons

| 917 tons

| 880 tons

colspan="2"| Complement

| 104

| 112

| 108

| No data

colspan="2"| Armament (initial)

| • 6 × {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} Torpedo tubes
(6 × front)
• 18 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × {{convert|140|mm|in|abbr=on}} L/40 11th Year Type Naval gunCampbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two {{ISBN|0-87021-459-4}} p.191
• 4 × Type 96 25mm AA guns

| • 6 × {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} TTs (6 × front)
• 18 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × {{convert|140|mm|in|abbr=on}} L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun
• 4 × Type 96 25mm AA guns

| • 6 × {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} TTs (6 × front)
• 12 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × {{convert|140|mm|in|abbr=on}} L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun
• 10 × Type 96 25mm AA guns

| • 6 × {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} TTs (6 × front)
• 18 × torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm Naval gun
• 4 × 25mm AA guns

colspan="2"| Aircraft and facilities

| • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × Watanabe E9W1 Slim seaplane

| • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × Yokosuka E14Y2 Glen seaplane

| • Catapult and hangar
• 2 × Aichi M6A1 Seiran floatplane

| • Catapult and hangar
• 1 × floatplane

Footnotes

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite web |url=http://rekigun.net/ |title=Rekishi Gunzō}}, History of Pacific War Vol.17 "I-Gō Submarines", Gakken (Japan), January 1998, {{ISBN|4-05-601767-0}}
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.63 "Documents of IJN submarines and USN submarines", Gakken (Japan), January 2008, {{ISBN|978-4-05-605004-2}}
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Extra, "Perfect guide, The submarines of the Imperial Japanese Forces", Gakken (Japan), March 2005, {{ISBN|4-05-603890-2}}
  • Model Art Extra No.537, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-3, Model Art Co. Ltd. (Japan), May 1999, Book code 08734-5
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.13, "Japanese submarines I-13 class and I-400 class", Ushio Shobō (Japan), July 1977, Book code 8343-7
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.31, "Japanese Submarines I", Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1979, Book code 68343-31
  • Senshi Sōsho Vol.88 Naval armaments and war preparation (2), "And after the outbreak of war", Asagumo Simbun (Japan), October 1975

See also

{{Type A submarine}}

{{WWII Japanese ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:A submarine}}

Category:Submarine classes

Category:Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy