Notoro-class oiler

Notoro-class oiler
Notoro-class oiler
	Tsurumi in 1922
Class overview
Name:	Notoro class oiler; later Erimo class oiler
Builders:	Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation; Yokohama Dock Company; Ōsaka Iron Works
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by:	Noma
Succeeded by:	Kamoi
Cost:	1,500,000 JPY
Built:	1919–1922
In commission:	1920–1945
Planned:	7
Completed:	7
Lost:	6
General characteristics
Displacement:	15,400 long tons (15,647 t) standing
Length:	138.68 m (455 ft 0 in) p/p
Beam:	17.68 m (58 ft 0 in)
Draught:	8.08 m (26 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:	Irō; 1 × triple expansion reciprocating engine; 4 × Kampon water tube boilers; single shaft, 3,750 shp; All others; 1 × triple expansion reciprocating engine; 4 × Scotch boilers; single shaft, 3,750 shp
Speed:	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Capacity:	8,000 tons of fuel oil
Complement:	Irō: 157; All others: 142
Armament:	Notoro, Shiretoko, Erimo and Irō; • 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 naval guns; • 2 × 76.2 mm (3 in) L/40 AA guns; Sata, Tsurumi and Shiriya; • 2 × 140 mm (5.5 in) L/50 naval guns; • 2 × 76.2 mm (3 in) L/40 AA guns

The Notoro class oiler (能登呂型給油艦, Notoro-gata kyūyukan^?) was a class of seven oilers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during the 1920s and World War II. They were also called the Erimo class oiler (襟裳型給油艦, Erimo-gata kyūyukan^?), after the Notoro and the Shiretoko were converted to other ship types.

Construction[]

They were built under pre-Eight-eight fleet plans, the Eight-four fleet plan and the Eight-six fleet plan. All ships of the class were named after capes in Japan (e.g. Irō is a cape at the southern tip of Izu Peninsula).

Pre-war service[]

The class devoted themselves to importing crude oil from North America and Southeast Asia. The Notoro and the Ondo class made 388 voyages carrying a total of 3,000,000 tons of oil up to 1941.

Service in the Pacific War[]

They were not able to accompany the fleet, because of their low speed. Instead they were engaged in a supply duties at naval bases.

Ships in class[]

Ship	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Notoro (能登呂^?)	Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard	24 November 1919	17 July 1920	20 September 1920	Converted to seaplane tender, 1 June 1934. Scuttled off Singapore, 12 January 1947.
Shiretoko (知床^?)	Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard	24 November 1919	3 May 1920	10 August 1920	Converted to collier, 1928. Later re-converted to munition ship. Sunk by air raid at Singapore, 1 February 1945.
Erimo (襟裳^?)	Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard	3 May 1920	28 October 1920	16 December 1920	Heavily damaged by Dutch submarine O 15, 4 March 1942 and grounded at Belitung.
Sata (佐多^?)	Yokohama Dock Company	6 March 1920	28 October 1920	24 February 1921	Converted to submarine rescue ship in 1938. Sunk during the Operation Desecrate One at Palau, 31 March 1944.
Tsurumi (鶴見^?)	Ōsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory	10 March 1921	29 September 1921	14 March 1922	Sunk by USS Cero (SS-225) south of Davao 05°53′N 125°41′E / 5.883°N 125.683°E / 5.883; 125.683, 5 August 1944.
Shiriya (尻矢^?)	Yokohama Dock Company	7 April 1921	29 September 1921	8 February 1922	Sunk by USS Trigger (SS-237) northeast of Keelung 26°23′N 122°40′E / 26.383°N 122.667°E / 26.383; 122.667, 22 September 1943.
Irō (石廊^?)	Ōsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory	2 September 1921	5 August 1922	30 October 1922	Heavily damaged by air raid at Palau, 31 March 1944. Sank, 17 April 1944.

Photo[]

Bibliography[]

Ships of the World special issue Vol.47, Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha". http://www.ships-net.co.jp/. (Japan), March 1997
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.34 Japanese auxiliary vessels, "Ushio Shobō". http://www.kojinsha.co.jp/. (Japan), December 1979
Senshi Sōsho Vol.31, Naval armaments and war preparation (1), "Until November 1941", Asagumo Simbun (Japan), November 1969