Hōkoku-Maru-class Ocean liner

O.S.K. Lines Hōkoku Maru in 1940
Class overview
Name: Hōkoku Maru class ocean liner
Builders:
  • Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding
  • Tama Shipyards
Operators:
Built: 1938 1942
In commission: 1940 1944
Planned: 3
Completed: 3
Lost: 3
General characteristics [1]
Type: Ocean liner
Displacement: 7,410 long tons (7,529 t) gross
Length: 160.8 m (527 ft 7 in) overall
Beam: 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in)
Draught: 12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Mitsui-B&W Model 12-62 VF-115 diesels, 2 shafts
  • cruising: 13,000 bhp
  • full boost: 19,427 bhp
Speed:
  • Hokoku Maru
  • 21.1 knots (24.3 mph; 39.1 km/h)
  • Aikoku Maru
  • 20.9 knots (24.1 mph; 38.7 km/h)
  • Gokoku Maru
  • 20.6 knots (23.7 mph; 38.2 km/h)
Capacity:
  • 400 passengers (48 first class, 48 special-third class, 304 third class)
  • 12,000 cubic meters freight
Crew: 150
Armament:
  • Hōkoku Maru in October 1941
  • 8 × 150 mm (5.9 in) L/40 naval guns
  • 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns
  • 4 × 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes
  • Aikoku Maru in March 1942
  • 8 × 140 mm L/50 naval guns
  • 4 × 25 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • Gokoku Maru as built
  • 8 × 150 mm L/40 naval guns
  • 4 × 13 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • Gokoku Maru in 1944
  • 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/40 AA guns
  • 4 × 25 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 13 mm AA guns
  • 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns
  • 6 × depth charges
Aircraft carried:
  • Hōkoku Maru and Aikoku Maru in 1941
  • 2 × Kawanishi E7K
  • Hōkoku Maru and Aikoku Maru in August 1942
  • 2 × Aichi E13A
  • Gokoku Maru as built
  • 1 × Aichi E13A

The Hōkoku Maru-class ocean liner (報國丸型貨客船, Hōkoku Maru-gata Kakyakusen) was a class of ocean liners of Japan, serving during 1940 and World War II.

Background

Civilian service

Name Builder Laid down Launched Completed Note
Hōkoku Maru (報國丸) Tama Shipyards 18 August 1938 5 July 1939 15 June 1940 She was enlisted by the navy on 20 September 1941.
Aikoku Maru (愛國丸) Tama Shipyards 28 December 1938 25 April 1940 31 August 1941 She was enlisted by the navy on 1 September 1941.
Gokoku Maru (護國丸)
ex-Kōkoku Maru (興國丸)
Mitsui, Tamano Shipyard 31 July 1939 as Kōkoku Maru 2 April 1942 as Gokoku Maru (4 August 1942) Renamed Gokoku Maru in early 1942. She was enlisted by the navy on 27 July 1942.

Service in World War II

Name Career Fate
Hōkoku Maru Classified to auxiliary cruiser on 20 September 1941 Sunk by HMIS Bengal and armed tanker Ondina at southwest of Cocos 20°00′S 93°00′E / 20.000°S 93.000°E / -20.000; 93.000 on 11 November 1942.
Aikoku Maru Classified to auxiliary cruiser on 5 September 1941
Classified to auxiliary transport on 1 October 1943
Sunk during the Operation Hailstone on 17 February 1944.
Gokoku Maru Classified to auxiliary cruiser on 4 August 1942
Classified to auxiliary transport on 1 October 1943
Sunk by USS Barb off Gotō Islands 33°31′N 129°19′E / 33.517°N 129.317°E / 33.517; 129.317 on 10 November 1944

Photos

Footnotes

  1. If there is not an explanatory note, it is Hokoku Maru data, because the Aikoku Maru and Gokoku Maru do not have a career as merchant ship.
  2. They were named the best masterpiece of Dr. Haruki Watsuji. (by Hisashi Noma)
  3. Nara-- Hōkoku Maru; Kyōto -- Aikoku Maru; and Hakone -- Gokoku Maru.

Bibliography

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