IJN Submarines All Classes

[Brian James]

Kaidai Class Cruiser Submarine, KD4 Sub Class I-64 pictured on sea trials off Kure Naval Arsenal on August 30th 1930.....On May 17th 1942, Tambor Class Submarine USS Triton sighted I-64 on the surface in the Pacific Ocean 250 nautical miles south-southeast of Cape Ashizuri, Shikoku, at 18:03. At 18:17 Triton fired the last remaining Mark 14 torpedo in her forward torpedo room at I-64 at a range of 6,200 yards,the torpedo struck I-64, the explosion blowing parts of her 100 feet into the air. I-64 sank by the stern in two minutes, Triton′s crew heard a series of 42 smaller explosions beginning at 18:27.

[Brian James]

Surrendered Submarines, I-400, I-401 and I-14 at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on September 1st 1945.

[Brian James]

Kaichū-Type Submarine, Kaichū I Subclass Submarine No 20 pictured under construction and commissioning at Kure Naval Arsenal on September 18th 1919...She and her sister ship Ro-11 were the first Submarines built to a fully Japanese design.

[Brian James]

Submarine Depot Ship Toyohashi pictured 'mothering' two Holland Class Submarines at Yokusuka on September 25th 1905.The Holland Class were the first Japanese Submarines, ordered from the Fore River Co (Holland company design) in 1902, after a Japanese naval mission visited Britain, France, and the United States. Built in great secrecy, they were sent disassembled by rail to Seattle, thence onboard to Yokosuka, where they arrived on December 12th 1904. Assembly was delayed; they were launched only in March and May 1905, the first being ready in June 1905. They differ from contemporary boats in greater hull strength, reinforced by a broad strip of bronze plating. Two bilge keels, 7.5x2.9m, also stiffened the hull to resist pressure at a maximum diving depth of 38m.

[Brian James]

Kaichū-Type Submarine, Kaichū II Subclass.....Submarine No 23, later re-named Ro-13, pictured fitting out at Kure Naval Arsenal in September 1920..Ro-13 was stricken from the Navy list on April 1st 1932.

[Brian James]

Ha-7 Class Submarine I-6 pictured on sea trials off Kure Naval Arsenal on October 4th 1916....One of the final two vessels of the British C-class Submarine design (Ha-7 and Ha-8) were built completely in Japan at Kure Naval Arsenal as part of the emergency expansion of the Imperial Japanese Navy due to World War I. Although the design was considered obsolete by this time, these vessels were felt necessary to meet the perceived threat of German Submarine activity in Japanese coastal waters. Physically almost identical to the Ha-3 class, the two vessels incorporated a number of improvements, including a change in the location of the rudder for better control, and the addition of two externally mounted torpedo tubes to double the attack capability from previous designs. Commissioning during the closing stages of the war, neither vessel was ever used in combat... Ha-7 (波号第七潜水艦, Ha-go Dai-nana sensuikan), laid down August 1st 1916; launched March 15th 1916; commissioned November 1st 1916 as 2nd Class Submersible No.16; reclassified as 3rd class submarine on April 1st 1919; renamed Ha-7 on June 15th 1923, Ha-7 and Ha-8 decommissioned December 1st 1929.

[Brian James]

Kaichū-Type Submarines, Kaichū III subclass No 39 (foreground) and No 38 pictured under construction at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on October 20th 1920... Both were stricken from the Navy list on April 1st 1934.Their engines were removed at Uraga Shipyard, and on July 6th 1935 were was sold to the Fisheries Association of Miura District in Kanagawa Prefecture for use as an artificial reef. They were subsequently scuttled to serve as a breeding ground for fish and fishing reef.

[Brian James]

Type C Cruiser Submarine, C1 Sub Class, I-22 pictured departing Kobe Naval Arsenal on completion on October 28th 1927...She operated as the Mother Ship for Midget Submarines during the attack on Pearl Harbor and the attack on Sydney Harbour, supported Japanese forces during the Battle of the Coral Sea, and served in the Guadalcanal campaign. On October 6th 1942, a U.S. Navy PBY-5A Catalina flying boat flying southwest from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal sighted I-22 submerging in the Coral Sea.The plane dropped four depth charges. Oil and bubbles appeared on the surface, marking the end of I-22 with the loss of all 100 men on board.

[Brian James]

Kaichū-Type Submarine, Kaichū III Subclass Ro-21 pictured on engine trials off Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on October 28th 1921. Ro-21 was stricken from the Navy list on April 1st 1934. Her engines were removed at Uraga Shipyard, and on July 6th 1935 she was sold to the Fisheries Association of Miura District in Kanagawa Prefecture for use as an artificial reef. She subsequently was scuttled to serve as a breeding ground for fish and fishing reef.

[Brian James]

Light Carrier Ibuki pictured with Ro-100 Class Submarine 1-106 and Ha-101 Class Submarines I-105 and I-109 at Emisu Bay near Sasebo on November 2nd 1945.