| SS-class landing ship | |
|---|---|
 SS No.19 | |
| Class overview | |
| Name: | SS-class landing ship |
| Builders: |
Harima Zōsen Corporation Fujinagata Shipyards Ōsaka Iron Works Naniwa Dock Company Kawanami Kōgyō Corporation |
| Operators: |
 Imperial Japanese Army |
| Succeeded by: | SB-class |
| Subclasses: |
SS No.1 (Prototype) SS No.2 (Supplementary Prototype) SS No.3 (General production type) |
| Built: | 1941–1945 |
| In service: | 1942–1947 |
| In commission: | 1944–? |
| Planned: | over 30 |
| Completed: | 18[1] or 21[2] or 22[3] |
| Lost: | ? |
| Retired: | ? |
| General characteristics SS No.3 class | |
| Displacement: | 730 long tons (742 t) gross |
| Length: | 65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) overall |
| Beam: | 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in) |
| Draught: | 2.89 m (9 ft 6 in) |
| Draft: | 5.65 m (18 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion: |
2 × intermediate diesels, 2 shafts, 1,100 bhp[1] or 1,200 bhp[2] |
| Speed: |
14.0 knots (16.1 mph; 25.9 km/h) [1] or 14.5 knots (16.7 mph; 26.9 km/h) [3] or 13.7 knots (15.8 mph; 25.4 km/h) [2] |
| Range: | 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 13.4 kn (15.4 mph; 24.8 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 5 tanks and 170 troops |
| Complement: | 40 |
| Armament: |
• 1 × Type 4 75 mm shipboard gun • 1 × Type 96 150 mm Infantry Mortar • 3 × Type 98 20 mm AA guns |
The SS class landing ship (SS艇 or 機動艇, SS-tei or Kidōtei) was a class of amphibious assault ships of the Imperial Japanese Army, serving during World War II. The SS meaning are Sensha-Small.[1]
Background[]
Gorō Maru in 1939
- October 1938, the IJA succeeded the amphibious operations for Bias Bay with Shinshū Maru. However, long time needed for the operations, because they used low speed landing craft. Therefore, the damage was big, too.
- The IJA thought about amphibious warfare for "small damage" and "quick action".
- In 1939-1940, the IJA repeated an experiment with Gorō Maru (300 tons gross) and Yorihime Maru (526 tons gross). And they analyzed experiment data and placed an order for prototype Kōryū (later SS No.1).
- The IJN was interested in second prototype Banryū (later SS No.2). As for the IJN, 16 ships placed an order, However, they adopted No.101-class, the ordering was canceled.
Ships in classes[]
SS No.1[]
- Kōryū / SS No. 1 (蛟龍, 機動第一号艇)
| Builder | Harima Zōsen Corporation |
| Laid down | 18 July 1941 |
| Launched | 26 January 1942 |
| Completed | 7 April 1942 |
| Displacement | 641 long tons (651 t) gross |
| Length | 53.9 m (176 ft 10 in) overall |
| Beam | 9.00 m (29 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 × intermediate diesels, 2 shafts, 1,246 bhp |
| Speed | 14.56 knots (16.76 mph; 26.97 km/h) |
SS No.2[]
- Banryū / SS No. 2 (蟠龍, 機動第二号艇)
| Builder | Harima Zōsen Corporation |
| Laid down | 8 August 1942 |
| Launched | 17 May 1943 |
| Completed | 30 July 1943 |
| Displacement | 730 long tons (742 t) gross |
| Length | 63.02 m (206 ft 9 in) overall |
| Beam | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 × intermediate diesels, 2 shafts, 1,284 bhp |
| Speed | 13.96 knots (16.06 mph; 25.85 km/h) |
| Fate | Sunk in action on 24 September 1944 |
SS No.3 class[]
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See also[]
Footnotes[]
Bibliography[]
- Monthly Armor Modelling special issue, Navy Yard Vol.9 Tora! Tora! Tora! part-2, Dainippon Kaiga (Japan), November 2008
- Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.37, Support Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Forces, Gakken (Japan), June 2002, ISBN 4-05-602780-3
- Ships of the World No.506, "Kaijinsha". http://www.ships-net.co.jp/., (Japan), February 1996
- 50 year History of Harima Zōsen, Harima Zōsen Corporation, November 1960
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