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IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY / JAPAN MARITIME SELF-DEFENSE FORCE (JAPAN)

ESCORTS

"Improved B" (UKURU) escorts (1944-1945)

Ukuru 1945

Tsugaru 1960

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Ukuru group
鵜来 [Ukuru], 1955- さつま [Satsuma] PL104   Tsurumi, Yokohama 10/1943 15.5.1944 7.1944 surrendered 8.1945, JMSDF 5.1948, stricken 1966
日振 [Hiburi]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 1.1944 10.4.1944 6.1944 sunk 22.8.1944
昭南 [Shonan]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 2.1944 19.5.1944 7.1944 sunk 25.2.1945
大東 [Daito]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 2.1944 24.6.1944 8.1944 surrendered 8.1945, sunk 16.11.1945
沖縄 [Okinawa]     Tsurumi, Yokohama 12.1943 19.6.1944 8.1944 sunk 30.7.1945
久米 [Kume]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 5.1944 15.8.1944 9.1944 sunk 28.1.1945
生名 [Ikuna], 1955- おきざ [Okija] PL102   Hitachi, Sakurajima 6.1944 4.9.1944 10.1944 surrendered 8.1945, JMSDF 5.1948, stricken 1963
新南 [Shinnan], 1955- つがる [Tsugaru] PL105   Uraga, Tokyo 5.1944 5.9.1944 10.1944 surrendered 8.1945, JMSDF 5.1948, stricken 1966
Yaku and Inagi groups
屋久 [Yaku]     Uraga, Tokyo 5.1944 5.9.1944 10.1944 sunk 23.2.1945
粟国 [Aguni]     Tsurumi, Yokohama 2.1944 21.9.1944 12.1944 damaged 27.5.1945, never repaired
目斗 [Mokuto]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 11.1944 7.1.1945 2.1945 sunk 4.4.1945
稲木 [Inagi]     Mitsui, Tamano 5.1944 25.9.1944 12.1944 sunk 9.8.1945
宇久 [Uku]     Sasebo K K 8.1944 12.11.1944 12.1944 surrendered 8.1945, to USA 7.1947, BU
竹生 [Chikubu], 1955- あつみ [Atsumi] PL103   Uraga, Tokyo 9.1944 24.11.1944 12.1944 surrendered 8.1945, JMSDF 5.1948, stricken 1962
羽節 [Habushi]     Mitsui, Tamano 8.1944 20.11.1944 1.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to USA 9.1947, BU
崎戸 [Sakito]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 9.1944 29.11.1944 1.1945 damaged 27.6.1945, repair incomplete
久賀 [Kuga]     Sasebo K K 8.1944 19.11.1944 1.1945 damaged 25.6.1945, never repaired
男鹿 [Oga]     Mitsui, Tamano 9.1944 30.12.1944 2.1945 sunk 2.5.1945
神津 [Kozu]     Uraga, Tokyo 10.1944 31.12.1944 2.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to Soviet Union 8.1947 (ÝÊ-47 [EK-47])
金輪 [Kanawa]     Mitsui, Tamano 1944 15.11.1944 3.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to United Kingdom 8.1947, BU
志賀 [Shiga], 1955- こじま [Kojima] PL106   Sasebo K K 11.1944 9.2.1945 3.1945 surrendered 8.1945, JMSDF 5.1948, stricken 1964
奄美 [Amami]     Tsurumi, Yokohama 2.1944 30.11.1944 4.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to United Kingdom 12.1947, BU
保高 [Hodaka]     Uraga, Tokyo 11.1944 28.1.1945 3.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to USA 7.1947, BU
波太 [Habuto]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 12.1944 28.2.1945 4.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to United Kingdom 7.1947, BU
伊王 [Iwo]     Maizuru K K 11.1944 12.2.1945 3.1945 surrendered 8.1945, BU 7.1946
高根 [Takane]     Mitsui, Tamano 12.1944 3.2.1945 4.1945 surrendered 8.1945, BU 11.1947
伊唐 [Ikara]     Uraga, Tokyo 12.1944 2.2.1945 4.1945 sunk 1.8.1945
四阪 [Shisaka]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 8.1944 31.10.1944 12.1944 surrendered 8.1945, to China 7.1947 (惠安 [Hui An])
生野 [Ikino]     Uraga, Tokyo 1.1945 11.3.1945 7.1945 surrendered 8.1945, to Soviet Union 7.1947 (ÝÊ-41 [EK-41])
大津 [Otsu]     Hitachi, Sakurajima 1.1945 10.5.1945 --- sunk incomplete 7-8/1945, BU 3.1948
蔚美 [Urumi]     Uraga, Tokyo 1945 26.5.1945 8.1945 never commissioned, BU 1946
室津 [Murotsu]     Uraga, Tokyo 1945 15.6.1945 8.1945 never commissioned, BU 1946
友知 [Tomoshiri]     Sakurajima, Osaka 3.1945 --- --- BU incomplete 10.1947

 

Data variant as completed

Displacement standard, t

940

Displacement full, t

1020

Length, m

72.5 pp 77.5 wl 78.8 oa

Breadth, m

9.10

Draught, m

3.06

No of shafts

2

Machinery

diesels

Power, h. p.

4200

Max speed, kts

19.5

Fuel, t

diesel oil

Endurance, nm(kts)

5000(16)

Armament

Ukuru group: 1 x 2 - 120/45 10-shiki, 1 x 1 - 120/45 10-shiki, 5 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 1 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki, 1 x 1 - 81/12 ASW mortar, 12 DCT (120), mechanical minesweeping gear

Yaku and Inagi groups: 1 x 2 - 120/45 10-shiki, 1 x 1 - 120/45 10-shiki, 5 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 5 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki, 1 x 1 - 81/12 ASW mortar, 12 DCT (120)

Electronic equipment

most: 2-shiki 2-go, 3-shiki 1-go radars, 93-shiki sonar, 93-shiki hydrophone, E27 ECM suite

some completed 1945: 2-shiki 2-go, 3-shiki 1-go radars, 3-shiki sonar, 93-shiki hydrophone, E27 ECM suite

Complement

150

 

    Project history: Developed on the basis of drawings of Mikura class escorts and had simplified hull structure. For decrease in labour input of manufacturing quantity of surfaces with difficult form has been brought to a minimum. So, for example, funnel was fulfilled not circular, but hexagon.

5th Supplementary programme of 1941 provided building of 8 ships (Ukuru group), 34 more ships have been ordered under the additional programme of 1942 (Yaku group). Under the programme 1943/1944 21 ships were ordered (Inagi group). In August, 1944 building of 30 ships was cancelled (18, among Nos5251-5284 of Yaku group and 12 among Nos4701-4721 of Inagi group).

    Modernizations: early 1945, all survived earlier ships: - minesweeping gear; + 4 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki

Data variant JMSDF ships 1948

Displacement standard, t

940

Displacement full, t

1020

Length, m

72.5 pp 77.5 wl 78.8 oa

Breadth, m

9.10

Draught, m

3.06

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 diesels

Power, h. p.

4200

Max speed, kts

19.5

Fuel, t

diesel oil

Endurance, nm(kts) 5000(16)

Armament

1948: unarmed

1955: 1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 22, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10

Electronic equipment SO-3 radar

Complement

150

 

1955, Satsuma, Okija, Tsugaru, Atsumi, Kojima: received new armament consisted of 1 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 22, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10

   

    Naval service: Hiburi 22.8.1944 was sunk W off Manila by US submarine Harder. Kume 28.1.1945 was sunk in Yellow Sea by US submarine Spadefish. Yaku 23.2.1945 was at coast of Vietnam by US submarine Hammerhead. Shonan 26.2.1945 off Hainan was sunk by US submarine Íîå. Mokuto 4.4.1945 was lost on a mine in Shimonoseki area. Ode 2.5.1945 was sunk in Yellow Sea by US submarine Springer. Okinawa 9.11.1944 was damaged in Omrock Bay by US PT-boats, 30.7.1945 she was sunk at Maizuru by British carrier aircraft. Ikara 1.8.1945 at breaking down of Koguchi Canal in Nanao area was hard damaged and ran aground (under other version she was lost on a mine 9.8.1945 at Koguchi). Inagi 9.8.1945 was sunk at eastern coast of Honshu by US carrier aircraft. Habushi 8.4.1945 was damaged on a mine. Ikuna 10.4.1945 was damaged by US submarine Crevalle. Uku 9.5.1945 was damaged on a mine. Aguni 27.5.1945 was hard damaged in Maizuru area on a mine and was not under repair. Habuto 6.6.1945 was damaged on a mine. Kuga 25.6.1945 was hard damaged on a mine in Maizuru area and was not under repair. Sakito 27.6.1945 was damaged on a mine at coast of Korea, till the end of war repair was not completed. Iwo 3.6.1945 was damaged on a mine, 15.7.1945 she was damaged by US carrier aircraft. Not finished Otsu was hard damaged 24.7.1945 by US carrier aircraft in Sakurajima harbour. Takane  was damaged 30.7.1945 in Maizuru by US carrier aircraft.

Daito after end of war was used for minesweeping of Japanese inshore waters, 16.11.1945 in Tsushima Strait she was stricken by drifting mine and has sunk. Shinnan, Ikuna, Ukuru, Chikubu and Shiga in 1948 entered service in the JMSDF. Ikuno and Kozu in 1947 on reparation were transferred to the USSR and Shisaka to China.

    5 ships were used as minesweeper tenders after war (Chikubu and Shiga served additionally as minesweepers) and transferred to MSA as weather ships in 1948. They served as JMSDF patrols from 1955.

 

Shonan 7.1944

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-16