Yamashiro Maru 1945
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| 山城丸 [Yamashiro Maru] | Mitsubishi, Yokohama | 19.7.1944 | 14.11.1944 | 27.1.1945 | sunk 17.2.1945 | ||
| 千種丸 [Chigusa Maru] | Yokohama Co., Yokohama | 11.9.1944 | 29.12.1944 | --- // 1949 | completed mercantile |
|
Tonnage, BRT |
10100 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
15864 |
|
Length, m |
148.0 pp 157.4 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
20.4 wl 23.0 fd |
|
Draught, m |
9.00 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
1 set geared steam turbines, 2 boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
4500 |
|
Max speed, kts |
15 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
9000(13) |
| Armament |
2 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 10 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki, 8 aircraft (Ki76 ASW planes), 1 x 1 - 150/12 ASWRL (120) |
|
Complement |
221 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,875m², ha ? m² / ? m³): Flight deck: 125.0x23.0m. There was small hangar. There was 1 lift. Aircraft fuel stowage: ?. There were no hangar and lift by other data.
Project history: Escort aircraft carriers-tankers intending for transportation of oil to Japan, and also for providing of anti-air and anti-submarine protection of convoys. They were built by the order of Army command.
Yamashiro Maru class ships were designed on the basis of hulls of standard tankers of 2TL type (10100BRT). Cargo tanks were remained, but part of them was converted for aviation petrol storage. Under a flight deck there was a small hangar for 8 planes. Aircrafts moved upward by one elevator (on other data, the elevator was absent, and planes were stored directly on a flight deck).
Unusual element of Yamashiro Maru architecture was funnel, deduced afterward (like on Kaga); other feature was the anti-submarine mortar installed on a forecastle. Air group consisted of Army aircrafts. Before her lost Yamashiro Maru was planned to conversion to coal-burning by the reason of oil shortage.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service: Yamashiro Maru was sunk by American aircraft (TF.58) 17.2.1945 at Yokohama.
Chigusa Maru was incomplete and after war converted to tanker.
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14