Japanese submarine Ro-18

Ro-18, originally named Submarine No. 35, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1921 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1936.

History
Japan
Name: Submarine No. 35
Builder: Kure Naval Arsenal, Kure, Japan
Laid down: 20 October 1920
Launched: 25 March 1921
Completed: 15 December 1921
Commissioned: 15 December 1921
Renamed: Ro-18 on 1 November 1924
Stricken: 1 April 1936
Renamed: Haisen No. 4 on 1 April 1940
Fate:
General characteristics
Class and type: Kaichū type submarine (K3 subclass)
Displacement:
  • 752 tonnes (740 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,013 tonnes (997 long tons) submerged
Length: 70.10 m (230 ft 0 in) overall
Beam: 6.12 m (20 ft 1 in)
Draft: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) surfaced
  • 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 45.7 m (150 ft)
Crew: 46
Armament:

Design and description

The submarines of the Kaichu III sub-class were a slightly improved version of the preceding Kaichu II subclass, the man difference being an increase in diving depth from 30 to 45.7 meters (98 to 150 ft).[1] They displaced 752 tonnes (740 long tons) surfaced and 1,013 tonnes (997 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 70.10 meters (230 ft 0 in) long and had a beam of 6.12 meters (20 ft 1 in) and a draft of 3.70 meters (12 ft 2 in).

For surface running, the submarines were powered by two 1,450-brake-horsepower (1,081 kW) Sulzer Mark II diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. They could reach 16.5 knots (31 km/h; 19 mph) on the surface and 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) underwater. On the surface, they had a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).

The submarines were armed with six 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes, four internal tubes in the bow and two external tubes mounted on the upper deck, and carried a total of ten Type 44 torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 76.2 mm (3.00 in) deck gun mounted aft of the conning tower.[1]

Construction and commissioning

Ro-18 was laid down as Submarine No. 35 on 20 October 1920 by the Kure Naval Arsenal at Kure, Japan.[2] Launched on 25 March 1921,[2] she was completed and commissioned on 15 December 1921.[2]

Service history

Upon commissioning, Submarine No. 35 was assigned to the Kure Naval District.[2] She was reassigned to Submarine Division 16 in Submarine Squadron 1 in the 1st Fleet on 20 December 1921.[2] Submarine Division 16 was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 2 in the 2nd Fleet on 1 December 1922,[2] and then to the Kure Naval District — in which it remained for the rest of the submarine′s active career — on 1 December 1923.[2] In the years that followed, Submarine No. 35 was renamed Ro-18 on 1 November 1924,[2] and Submarine Division 16 served in the Kure Defense Division from 10 December 1928 to 15 November 1934.[2]

Ro-18 was stricken from the Navy list on 1 April 1936.[2] On 1 April 1940, she was renamed Haisen No. 4.[2] She served as a hulk at Tokuyama, Japan, through the end of World War II in August 1945. She eventually was sold for scrap. Scrapping began in 1947 and was completed in 1948.

Notes
  1. Gray, Randal, ed., Conway′s All the World′s Fighting Ships 1906–1921, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985, ISBN 0 87021 907 3, p. 248.
  2. "RO-18 ex No-35". iijnsubsite.info. 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2020.

References
  • "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.17 I-Gō Submarines, Gakken (Japan), January 1998, ISBN 4-05-601767-0
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Extra, "Perfect guide, The submarines of the Imperial Japanese Forces", Gakken (Japan), March 2005, ISBN 4-05-603890-2
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.43 Japanese Submarines III, Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1980, Book code 68343-44
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.132 Japanese Submarines I "Revised edition", Ushio Shobō (Japan), February 1988, Book code 68344-36
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.133 Japanese Submarines II "Revised edition", Ushio Shobō (Japan), March 1988, Book code 68344-37
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.135 Japanese Submarines IV, Ushio Shobō (Japan), May 1988, Book code 68344-39
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