Type D submarine#I-373 class

After the Battle of Midway the IJN immediately planned a transport submarine. The type was based on the U 155 Deutschland. Her duties were transportation of troops (110 men, 10 tons freight and two landing craft) in the areas where the enemy had air superiority. Later the demands for her were changed in sequence. The final demands were 65 tons in the hull and 25 tons on the upper deck (freight only). In the beginning the IJN did not intend to arm these boats with torpedoes. Later, after strong demands from the front commanders, it was decided to arm them with torpedoes for self-defense. The I-372 class was designed as a tanker submarine based on the I-361 class. They were not allowed to be loaded with torpedoes.

In 1944, the submarines were tasked with transport missions between from mainland Japan to remote islands. They had little success and suffered great losses. Of the 13 submarines, only four survived the war.

In 1945, several submarines were converted to be Kaiten mother ships and assigned to the suicide attack operations for the {{nihongo|Shinchō Tokubetsu Kōgekitai|神潮特別攻撃隊|Sinchō Special Attack Force}}. Their deck guns were removed and fittings for five Kaitens were installed on their decks.

• {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-361||2}}
• Assigned to the {{nihongo|Todoroki group|轟隊}} on 24 May 1945, no success.
• {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-363||2}}
• Assigned to the Todoroki group on 28 May 1945, sank (or damaged) one motor ship on 15 June 1945.
• Assigned to the {{nihongo|Tamon group|多聞隊}} on 8 August 1945, no success.
• {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-366||2}}
• Assigned to the Tamon group on 1 August 1945, no success.
• {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-367||2}}
• Assigned to the {{nihongo|Shinbu group|振武隊}} on 5 May 1945, damaged USS Gilligan on 27 May 1945.
• Assigned to the Tamon group on 19 July 1945, no success.
• {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-368||2}}
• Assigned to the {{nihongo|Chihaya group|千早隊}} on 20 February 1945, no success.
• {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-370||2}}
• Assigned to the Chihaya group on 20 February 1945, no success.

Image:Japanese submarine I-363.jpg|I-363 in May or August 1945

Image:Japanese submarine I-367.jpg|I-367 on 19 July 1945

Image:Japanese submarine I-370.jpg|I-370 on 21 February 1945

The Type-D submarines were divided into four classes:

• {{nihongo|Type-D/Sen'yu|丁型/潜輸（伊三百六十一型）|Tei-gata/Sen'yu, I-361-class}}
• {{nihongo|Type-D/Sen'yu Mod.|丁型/潜輸改（伊三百七十二型）|Tei-gata/Sen'yu-Kai, I-372-class}}
• {{nihongo|Type D Mod.|丁型改（伊三百七十三型）|Tei-gata Kai, I-373-class}}
• {{nihongo|Type D Mod.2/Type D 2 (S60 Type)|丁型改2/潜丁2型（第2968号艦型）|Tei-gata Kai-2/Sen-Tei-2-gata, 2968th vessel-class (Dai-2968-Gō kan-gata)}}. The 2968th vessel class boats were not built and remained only a design.

Project number S51B. She was going to become a lead ship of the Modified Type D submarines (I-373 class), at first. However, the IJN wanted a submarine as soon as possible. She was built as a tanker submarine according to revised I-361 drawings.

Project number S51C. Improved model of the I-361 class. Furthermore, the IJN was planned reinforced model of the I-373 class,Project Number S60, {{nihongo|Type D II submarine|潜丁2型|Sen Tei Ni-Gata}} also. However all of them were cancelled.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Bagnasco |first=Erminio |title=Submarines of World War Two |year=1977 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=0-87021-962-6}}
• {{cite book|last1=Carpenter|first1=Dorr B.|last2=Polmar|first2=Norman|title=Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1904–1945|year=1986|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-396-6|name-list-style=amp}}
• {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
• {{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}}
• {{cite web |url=http://rekigun.net/ |title=Rekishi Gunzō}}, History of Pacific War Vol.36 Kairyū and Kaiten, Gakken (Japan), May 2002, {{ISBN|4-05-602693-9}}
• {{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|4-05-605008-2}}
• {{cite web |url=http://rekigun.net/ |title=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}}
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.43 Japanese Submarines III, Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1980, Book code 68343-43
• Senshi Sōsho Vol.88, Naval armaments and war preparation (2), "And after the outbreak of war", Asagumo Simbun (Japan), October 1975

• Type 4 Ka-Tsu
• {{sclass|Ha-101|submarine|1}}

{{D type submarine}}

{{WWII Japanese ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:D0 submarines}}

Category:Submarine classes

Category:Merchant submarines

Category:Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy