W-7-class minesweeper (1938)
 No.7 on 23 September 1942 |
| Class overview |
| Name: |
No.7-class minesweeper |
| Builders: |
|
| Operators: |
Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Preceded by: |
No.13 class |
| Succeeded by: |
No.19 class |
| Cost: |
2,230,823 JPY (in 1937) |
| Built: |
1937 – 1939 |
|
In commission: |
1938 – 1946 |
| Planned: |
6 |
| Completed: |
6 |
| Lost: |
5 |
| Retired: |
1 |
| General characteristics |
| Displacement: |
630 long tons (640 t) standard |
| Length: |
72.50 m (237 ft 10 in) overall |
| Beam: |
7.85 m (25 ft 9 in) |
| Draught: |
2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion: |
- 2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines
- 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers
- 2 shafts, 3,850 shp
|
| Speed: |
20.0 knots (23.0 mph; 37.0 km/h) |
| Range: |
2,000 nmi (3,700 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h) |
| Complement: |
98 |
| Armament: |
|
The No.7-class minesweepers (第七号型掃海艇,, Dai Nana Gō-gata Sōkaitei) were a class of minesweepers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. 6 vessels were built in 1937-39 under the Maru 3 Keikaku.
Background
- Project number I4. Improved model of the No.13-class. They were built to update timeworn No.7 class, No.9 class and No.11 class.[1] Kampon deleted minelayer facility from them, because IJN hoped they act in Yangtze River. And they added to 1 × 120 mm naval gun for engage with National Revolutionary Army. Therefore, No.7 class had the silhouette which resembled torpedo boat Chidori class and Ōtori class as well.
Ships in class
| Ship # |
Ship |
Builder |
Laid down |
Launched |
Completed |
Fate |
| 49 |
No. 7 [2] |
Tama Shipyard |
27 October 1937 |
16 June 1938 |
15 December 1938 |
Sunk by HMS Storm off Port Blair on 15 April 1944. Decommissioned on 10 June 1944. |
| 50 |
No. 8 |
Uraga Dock Company |
11 December 1937 |
28 May 1938 |
15 February 1939 |
Scuttled by Royal Navy at Singapore on 10 July 1946. Decommissioned on 10 August 1946. |
| 51 |
No. 9 |
Maizuru Naval Arsenal |
7 February 1938 |
10 September 1938 |
15 February 1939 |
Struck a naval mine and sunk at Ambon on 1 February 1942. Decommissioned on 10 April 1942. |
| 52 |
No. 10 |
Tōkyō Ishikawajima Shipyard |
21 December 1937 |
22 September 1938 |
15 February 1939 |
Sunk by air raid off Vigan on 10 December 1941. Decommissioned on 15 March 1942. |
| 53 |
No. 11 |
Uraga Dock Company |
30 May 1938 |
28 December 1938 |
15 July 1939 |
Sunk by air raid off Makassar on 28 March 1945. Decommissioned on 10 May 1945. |
| 54 |
No. 12 |
Tōkyō Ishikawajima Shipyard |
28 May 1938 |
18 February 1939 |
15 August 1939 |
Sunk by USS Besugo off Flores 08°13′S 119°14′E / 8.217°S 119.233°E / -8.217; 119.233 on 6 April 1945. Decommissioned on 25 May 1945. |
Footnotes
- ↑ No.7 (ex.-Umikaze), No.8 (ex.-Yamazkaze), No.9 (ex.-Nara), No.10 (ex.-Enoki), No.11 (ex.-Nagatsuki) and No. 12 (ex.-Kikutsuki)
- ↑ Minesweeper No. 7 (第七号掃海艇, Dai 7 Gō Sōkaitei). The same shall apply hereinafter.
Bibliography
- Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha". , (Japan), February 1996
- The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.50, Japanese minesweepers and landing ships, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), April 1981