Natsushima in 1933
Class overview
Name Natsushima class
Builders
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by Tsubame class
Succeeded by Sokuten class
Subclasses
Natsushima class
Sarushima class
Built 1931–1934
In commission 1933–1944
Planned 3
Completed 3
Lost 3
General characteristics Natsushima class
Type Netlayer /Minelayer
Displacement 475.8 long tons (483 t) standard
Length 73.00 m (239 ft 6 in) overall
Beam 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in)
Draught 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines
2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers
2 shafts, 2,300 shp (1,700 kW)
Speed 19.0 knots (35.2 km/h; 21.9 mph)
Range 2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement 74
Armament
2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns
1 × 13 mm AA guns
120 × Type 89 naval mines or 18 × depth charges or 1 × Type 14 510 m anti-submarine net
General characteristics Sarushima class
Type Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement 566 long tons (575 t) standard
Length 73.00 m (239 ft 6 in) overall
Beam 7.49 m (24 ft 7 in)
Draught 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)
Propulsion 2 × MAN Mk.2 Model 9 diesels, 2 shafts, 2,100 bhp (1,600 kW)
Speed 18.0 knots (33.3 km/h; 20.7 mph)
Range 4,639 nmi (8,591 km; 5,338 mi) at 14.4 kn (26.7 km/h; 16.6 mph)
Complement 64
Armament same as Natsushima class
The Natsushima -class minelayer (夏島型敷設艇, , Natsushima -gata Fusetsutei) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after the 1930s through World War II . Their design was based on the Tsubame class , but with increased armament.
Ships in class
Natsushima class
Project number H5. Three vessels were planned under the Maru 1 Programme . However, the third ship, Sarushima , was used as a diesel engine experiment ship.
Natsushima (夏島 )
Nasami (那沙美 )
19 January 1933: Laid down at Harima Zōsen.
26 March 1934: Launched.
20 September 1934: Completed.
In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
1941-1943: Sortie for the naval mine laying at Japan Mainland and convoy escort operations at East China Sea .
31 December 1943: Dispatched to southeast area.
1 April 1944: Sunk by air raid at Rabaul .
10 April 1944: Removed from naval ship list.
Sarushima class
Project number H5B. She was built as diesel engine experiment ship. Her results were made use of in the Sokuten class .
Sarushima (猿島 )
28 March 1933: Laid down at Mitsubishi, Yokohama shipyard.
16 December 1933: Launched.
20 July 1934: Completed.
In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
1941-1944: Sortie for the naval mine laying and convoy escort operations at Japan Mainland.
4 July 1944: Sunk by air raid off Otōto-jima .
10 September 1944: Removed from naval ship list.
Photos
Nasami in 1934.
Sarushima in 1942.
Bibliography
Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, "Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy" , "Kaijinsha" . , (Tokyo, Japan), 1996.
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.47, "Japanese naval mine warfare crafts" , "Ushio Shobō" . (Tokyo, Japan), 1981.