Notoro-class oiler

The Notoro-class oilers (能登呂型給油艦, Notoro-gata kyūyukan) were 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 oilers (襟裳型給油艦, Erimo-gata kyūyukan), after Notoro and Shiretoko were converted to other ship types.

Tsurumi in 1922
Class overview
Name:
  • Notoro class
  • later Erimo class
Builders:
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
Type: Oiler
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 (2,800 kW)
  • All others
  • 1 × triple expansion reciprocating engine
  • 4 × Scotch boilers
  • single shaft, 3,750 shp (2,800 kW)
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Capacity: 8,000 tons of fuel oil
Complement:
  • Irō: 157
  • All others: 142
Armament:

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).

Service history

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

During World War II they were not able to accompany the fleet, due to their low speed. Instead they were engaged in 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 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 south of Davao 05°53′N 125°41′E, 5 August 1944.
Shiriya (尻矢) Yokohama Dock Company 7 April 1921 29 September 1921 8 February 1922 Sunk by USS Trigger northeast of Keelung 26°23′N 122°40′E, 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
  • Notoro as seaplane tender on 28 May 1943 at Seletar
  • Shiretoko as collier in 1933
  • Erimo in 1938
  • Sata in 1921
  • Shiriya on 28 April 1938 at Yokosuka

See also

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


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