At the end of 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided it needed large numbers of high-speed coastal submarines to defend the
Japanese Home Islands[1] against an anticipated Allied invasion (named Operation Downfall by the Allies). To meet this requirement, the Ha-201-class submarines were designed as small, fast submarines[1] incorporating many of the same advanced ideas implemented in the German Type XXI and Type XXIII submarines. They were capable of submerged speeds of almost 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).[1]
The Ha-201 class
propeller shaft.[1] When submerged the propeller was driven by a 1,250-shaft-horsepower (932 kW) electric motor.[1] They could reach 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) on the surface and 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) submerged.[1] On the surface, the Ha-201-class submarines had a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 105 nmi (194 km; 121 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph).[1] Their armament consisted of two 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes with four torpedoes and a single mount for a 7.7-millimeter machine gun.[1]
Upon commissioning, Ha-216 was attached formally to the Sasebo Naval District and assigned to Submarine Division 52.[2] On 15 August 1945 — the day before Ha-216 was commissioned — hostilities between Japan and the Allies had ended.[2] Only her commanding officer and skeleton crew remained aboard her after her commissioning.[2] Her commanding officer was assigned elsewhere on 23 August 1945,[2] and she surrendered to the Allies at Sasebo on 2 September 1945.[2]
Disposal
The Japanese struck Ha-216 from the Navy list on 30 November 1945.
Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2019). "IJN Submarine HA-216: Tabular Record of Movement". SENSUIKAN! Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's Submarines. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
Hackett, Bob; Sander Kingsepp (2015). "Sen Taka Sho Type". Sensuikan!. Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
"Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.17 I-Gō Submarines,