The was a class of minesweepers of the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
(IJN), serving during the 1930s and World War II. 6 vessels were built in 1922–29 under the
Eight-eight fleet
The was a Japanese naval strategy formulated for the development of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the first quarter of the 20th century, which stipulated that the navy should include eight first-class battleships and eight armoured cruisers or b ...
plan. They have two sub-classes, this article handles them collectively.
Background
In 1920, the IJN developed an Eight-eight Fleet Plan which would provide them with eight modern battleships and eight battle cruisers. However, they did not forget the
''Hatsuse'' and
''Yashima'', which had struck naval mines during the
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...
; afraid of such events occurring again, the IJN also ordered the ''No.1''-class of purpose-built minesweepers, to replace converted old destroyers in the minesweeping role.
As the IJN anticipated its minesweepers to operate in front of the main battle fleet, and therefore to encounter enemy warships, the ''No.1''-class were more heavily armed than minesweepers of other nations, with each ship mounting two
L/45 naval guns. In addition each ship could carry 50 naval mines, making them multi-purpose vessels visually resembling small destroyers.
Ships in classes
''No.1'' class
* Project number I1. 4 vessels were built in 1922–1925. ''W-4'' was behind with the laid down by the
Washington Naval Treaty.
''No.5'' class
* Project number I2. 2 vessels were built in 1928–1929. Improved model of the ''No.1''-class. About their appearance, foremast was changed to tripod type.
Photos
File:Japanese_mine_sweeping_squadron_consisting_of_No._1_through_No._6.jpg, 1st Minesweeping Squadron ''W-3'' and ''W-2'' in front
File:Japanese minesweeper MSC4.jpg, ''W-4'' in July 1930
File:Japanese minesweeper MSC5.jpg, ''W-5'' in the 1930s (after the ''Tomozuru''-Incident)
File:Japanese minesweeper No6 in 1933.jpg, ''W-6'' on 28 May 1933
Footnotes
Bibliography
*
*Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, ''Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy'', , (Japan), February 1996
*The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.50, ''Japanese minesweepers and landing ships'', (Japan), April 1981
{{DEFAULTSORT:1
World War II mine warfare vessels of Japan
Minesweepers of Japan
Mine warfare vessel classes
Mine warfare vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy