Type C submarine

For other ships with the same name, see C-class submarine.
Class overview
NameType-C submarines
Builders
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded byJunsen type submarine
Subclasses
Built1937-1944
In commission1940-1945

The Cruiser submarine Type-C (巡潜丙型潜水艦, Junsen Hei-gata sensuikan) was one of the first classes of submarine in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) to serve during the Second World War. Type-C submarines were better armed than the Type-A and Type-B. The Type-Cs were also utilized as Kō-hyōteki or Kaiten mother ships, for this reason they were not equipped with aviation facilities.

Class variants

The Type-C submarines were divided into three classes:

  • Type-C (丙型（伊十六型）, Hei-gata, I-16-class)
  • Type-C Mod. (丙型改（伊五十二型）, Hei-gata Kai, I-52-class)
  • Type V22B (第379号艦型, Dai-379-Gō kan-gata, Vessel number 379-class). However, the Vessel number 379-class was never built.

Type-C (I-16 class)

I-18 in 1941

Project number S38 and S38B (Latter batch). They were based on the I-7 class. Eight boats were built between 1937 and 1944 under the Maru 3 Programme (Boats 44 - 48) and the Maru Kyū Programme (Boats 376 - 378).

  • Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Results Fate
44 I-16 [1] Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard
Kure Naval Arsenal (after launch) 		15-09-1937 28-07-1938 20-03-1940 Sank Yugoslav merchant ship Susak on 06-06-1942.
Sank Greek merchant vessel Aghios Georgios IV on 07-06-1942.
Sank Yugoslav merchant ship Supetar on 12-06-1942.
Sank Swedish merchantman Eknaren on 01-07-1942. 		Sunk by USS England northeast of Buin at 05°10′S 158°10′E / 5.167°S 158.167°E / -5.167; 158.167 on 19-05-1944.
45 I-18 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 25-08-1937 12-11-1938 31-01-1941 Sank Norwegian merchant ship Wilford on 08-06-1942.
Sank Dutch merchant vessel De Weert on 01-07-1942.
Sank RMS Mundra on 08-07-1942. 		Sunk by USS Fletcher southeast of Guadalcanal at 14°15′S 161°53′E / 14.250°S 161.883°E / -14.250; 161.883 on 11-02-1943.
46 I-20 Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard 16-11-1937 25-01-1939 26-09-1940 Damaged HMS Ramillies on 09-05-1942 by Kō-hyōteki.
Damaged RMS British Loyalty on 09-05-1942 by Kō-hyōteki.
Sank Panamanian merchant ship Johnstown on 05-06-1942.
Sank Greek merchant vessel Christos Markettos on 08-06-1942.
Sank RMS Mahronda 11-06-1942.
Sank Panamanian merchantman Hellenic Trader on 12-06-1942.
Sank RMS Clifton Hall on 12-06-1942.
Sank Norwegian merchant ship Goviken on 30-06-1942.
Sank RMS Steaua Romana on 30-06-1942.
Damaged unknown merchant ship on 03-12-1942 by Kō-hyōteki. 		(1). Sunk by USS Ellet at New Hebrides on 03-09-1943.[2]
(2). Sunk by USS Eaton at Vella Lavella on 01-10-1943.
47 I-22 Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard 25-11-1937 23-12-1938 10-03-1941 Sunk by a PBY-5A Catalina flying boat near Malaita in the Solomon Islands at 11°22′S 162°20′E / 11.367°S 162.333°E / -11.367; 162.333 on 6-10-1942.
48 I-24 Sasebo Naval Arsenal 05-12-1938 12-11-1939 31-10-1941 Sank HMAS Kuttabul on 31-05-1942 by Kō-hyōteki.
Sank Australian merchant ship Iron Chieftain on 03-06-1942.
Damaged RMS Orestes on 09-06-1942.
Damaged USS Alchiba on 07-12-1942 by Kō-hyōteki. 		Rammed and sunk by USS PC-487 at Kiska 53°16′N 174°24′E / 53.267°N 174.400°E / 53.267; 174.400 on 11-06-1943.
376 I-46
(Latter batch) 		Sasebo Naval Arsenal 21-11-1942 03-06-1943 29-02-1944 Probably lost in an accident or sunk by enemy attack east of Leyte Gulf, after 26-10-1944.[3][4]: 567 : 585 
377 I-47
(Latter batch) 		Sasebo Naval Arsenal 21-11-1942 29-09-1943 10-07-1944 Sank USS Mississinewa on 20-11-1944 by Kaiten. Converted to a Kaiten mother ship, at the end of 1944, decommissioned on 30-11-1945, sunk as a target off the Gotō Islands on 01-04-1946.
378 I-48
(Latter batch) 		Sasebo Naval Arsenal 19-06-1943 12-12-1943 05-09-1944 Converted to a Kaiten mother ship, end of 1944, sunk by USS Corbesier and USS Conklin at Ulithi 09°45′N 138°20′E / 9.750°N 138.333°E / 9.750; 138.333 on 23-01-1945.[5]

Type-C Mod. (I-52 class)

Main article: I-52-class submarine
I-53 in 1945

Project number S37D. Twenty boats were planned under the Maru Tsui Programme (Boats 625 - 632) and the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boats 5141 - 5155). According to their Project number, they were one of the variants of the Type-B submarine. Seventeen boats were cancelled in late 1943, because the IJN was planning to build the Type E submarine [ja] (戊型潜水艦, Bo-gata sensuikan) which was to become the primary submarine in 1945.

  • Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Results Fate
625 I-52 Kure Naval Arsenal 18-03-1942 10-11-1942 28-12-1943 Sunk by aircraft from USS Bogue west of Cap-Vert at 15°16′N 39°55′W / 15.267°N 39.917°W / 15.267; -39.917 on 24-06-1944.
626 I-53 Kure Naval Arsenal 15-05-1942 24-12-1942 20-02-1944 Damaged USS Marathon 21-07-1945 by Kaiten.
Sank USS Underhill on 24-07-1945 by Kaiten.
Damaged USS Earl V. Johnson on 04-08-1945 by Kaiten. 		Converted to a Kaiten mother ship in July 1944. Decommissioned on 30-11-1945, sunk as a target off the Gotō Islands on 01-04-1946.
628 I-55 Kure Naval Arsenal 15-06-1942 20-04-1943 20-04-1944 Sunk by USS Wyman, USS Reynolds and aircraft from USS Hoggatt Bay east of the Mariana Islands on 28-07-1944.[6]
630
632 		I-57
I-59 		Cancelled in 1943.
5141 - 5155

Type V22B

Project number S49B. Twenty eight boats were planned under the Maru Kyū Programme (Boats 379 - 381) and the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boats 5156 - 5180). All boats were cancelled in late 1943, because the IJN was planning to build the Type E submarine [ja] (戊型潜水艦, Bo-gata sensuikan).

  • Boats in class
Boat No. Boat Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
379 - 381 Cancelled in 1943.
5156 - 5180

Characteristics

Type Type-C (I-16) Type-C Latter batch (I-46) Type-C Mod. (I-52) Type V22B
Displacement Surfaced 2,184 long tons (2,219 t) 2,184 long tons (2,219 t) 2,095 long tons (2,129 t) 2,285 long tons (2,322 t)
Submerged 3,561 long tons (3,618 t) 3,564 long tons (3,621 t) 3,644 long tons (3,702 t) No data
Length (overall) 109.30 m (358 ft 7 in) 109.30 m (358 ft 7 in) 108.70 m (356 ft 8 in) 106.50 m (349 ft 5 in) (waterline)
Beam 9.10 m (29 ft 10 in) 9.10 m (29 ft 10 in) 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in) 9.64 m (31 ft 8 in)
Draft 5.34 m (17 ft 6 in) 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in) 5.12 m (16 ft 10 in) 5.26 m (17 ft 3 in)
Depth 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in) 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in) 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in) No data
Power plant and shaft 2 × Kampon Mk.2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts 		2 × Kampon Mk. 2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts 		2 × Kampon Mk. 22 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts 		2 × Kampon Mk. 2 Model 10 diesels
2 shafts
Power Surfaced 12,400 bhp 12,400 bhp 4,700 bhp 11,000 bhp
Submerged 2,000 shp 2,000 shp 1,200 shp 2,400 shp
Speed Surfaced 23.6 knots (43.7 km/h) 23.6 knots (43.7 km/h) 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h) 22.4 knots (41.5 km/h)
Submerged 8.0 knots (14.8 km/h) 8.0 knots (14.8 km/h) 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h) 8.0 knots (14.8 km/h)
Range Surfaced 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 21,000 nmi (39,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) 14,000 nmi (26,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
Submerged 60 nmi (110 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) 60 nmi (110 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) 105 nmi (194 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) 80 nmi (150 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h)
Test depth 100 m (330 ft) 100 m (330 ft) 100 m (330 ft) 100 m (330 ft)
Fuel 816 tons 751 tons 842.8 tons 735 tons
Complement 95 94 94 No data
Armament (initial) • 8 × 533 mm (21 in) Torpedo tubes
(8 × front)
• 20 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[7]
• 2 × Type 96 25mm AA guns 		• 8 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (8 × front)
• 20 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[7]
• 2 × Type 96 25mm AA guns 		• 6 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (6 × front)
• 17 × Type 95 torpedoes
• 2 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[7]
• 2 × Type 96 25mm AA guns 		• 8 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (8 × front)
• 18 × torpedoes
• 1 × 140 mm Naval gun
• 4 × 25mm AA guns
• 8 × naval mines

Footnotes

  1. ^ 伊号第16潜水艦 (I-Gō Dai-16 Sensuikan). The same shall apply hereinafter.
  2. ^ Other opinion for the I-182.
  3. ^ She contacted the 6th Fleet HQ on 26-10-1944. Therefore, the US Navy's record assuming that she was sunk by USS Richard M. Rowell on 24-10-1944 is an error. Reported sunk two different times by different U.S. Navy ships in The official chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II – Chapter VI: 1944 p.567 & p.585
  4. ^ Cressman, Robert (2000). "Chapter VI: 1944". The official chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-149-3. OCLC 41977179. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  5. ^ Some sources stated that the I-48 was sunk at 09°55′N 138°17.3′E / 9.917°N 138.2883°E / 9.917; 138.2883.
  6. '^ This is one opinion, because this conflicts with I-55s action records.
  7. ^ a b c Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 p.191

Bibliography

  • "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.35 Kō-hyōteki and Kōryū, Gakken (Japan), April 2002, ISBN 4-05-602741-2
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.36 Kairyū and Kaiten, Gakken (Japan), May 2002, ISBN 4-05-602693-9
  • 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.31 Japanese Submarines I, Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1979, Book code 68343-31

See also