Natsushima-class minelayer (1933)

The Natsushima-class minelayer (夏島型敷設艇,, Natsushima-gata Fusetsutei) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after the 1930s through World War II. Their design was based on the Tsubame-class, but with increased armament.

Natsushima in 1933.
Class overview
Name: Natsushima-class minelayer
Builders:
Operators: Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by: Tsubame-class
Succeeded by: Sokuten-class
Subclasses:
  • Natsushima-class
  • Sarushima-class
Built: 1931–1934
In commission: 1933–1944
Planned: 3
Completed: 3
Lost: 3
General characteristics Natsushima-class
Type: Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement: 475.8 long tons (483 t) standard
Length: 73.00 m (239 ft 6 in) overall
Beam: 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in)
Draught: 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines
  • 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers
  • 2 shafts, 2,300 shp
Speed: 19.0 knots (21.9 mph; 35.2 km/h)
Range: 2,500 nmi (4,600 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement: 74
Armament:
  • 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns
  • 1 × 13 mm AA guns
  • 120 × Type 89 naval mines or 18 × depth charges or 1 × Type 14 510 m anti-submarine net
General characteristics Sarushima-class
Type: Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement: 566 long tons (575 t) standard
Length: 73.00 m (239 ft 6 in) overall
Beam: 7.49 m (24 ft 7 in)
Draught: 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)
Propulsion: 2 × MAN Mk.2 Model 9 diesels, 2 shafts, 2,100 bhp
Speed: 18.0 knots (20.7 mph; 33.3 km/h)
Range: 4,639 nmi (8,591 km) at 14.4 kn (16.6 mph; 26.7 km/h)
Complement: 64
Armament: same as Natsushima-class

Ships in class

Natsushima-class

Project number H5. 3 vessels were planned under the Maru 1 Programme, however, 3rd ship Sarushima was used to diesel engine experiment ship.

Natsushima (夏島)
  • 24 December 1931: Laid down at Tōkyō Ishikawajima Zōsen.
  • 24 March 1933: Launched.
  • 31 July 1933: Completed.
  • In 1934: Rebuilding after the Tomozuru Incident.
  • In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
  • 1941-1943: Sortie for the naval mine laying at Japan Mainland.
  • 10 December 1943: Dispatched to southeast area.
  • 22 February 1944: Sunk by USS Stanly, USS Charles Ausburne and USS Dyson off Kavieng 02°40′S 149°40′E.
  • 30 April 1944: Removed from naval ship list.

Nasami (那沙美)
  • 19 January 1933: Laid down at Harima Zōsen.
  • 26 March 1934: Launched.
  • 20 September 1934: Completed.
  • In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
  • 1941-1943: Sortie for the naval mine laying at Japan Mainland and convoy escort operations at East China Sea.
  • 31 December 1943: Dispatched to southeast area.
  • 1 April 1944: Sunk by air raid at Rabaul.
  • 10 April 1944: Removed from naval ship list.

Sarushima-class

Project number H5B. She was built as diesel engine experiment ship. Her results were made use of in the Sokuten-class.

Sarushima (猿島)
  • 28 March 1933: Laid down at Mitsubishi, Yokohama shipyard.
  • 16 December 1933: Launched.
  • 20 July 1934: Completed.
  • In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
  • 1941-1944: Sortie for the naval mine laying and convoy escort operations at Japan Mainland.
  • 4 July 1944: Sunk by air raid off Otōto-jima.
  • 10 September 1944: Removed from naval ship list.

Photos
  • Nasami in 1934.
  • Sarushima in 1942.

Bibliography
  • Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, "Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy", "Kaijinsha"., (Tokyo, Japan), 1996.
  • The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.47, "Japanese naval mine warfare crafts", "Ushio Shobō". (Tokyo, Japan), 1981.
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