Ro-11, originally named Submarine No. 19, was an Imperial Japanese NavyKaichū-Typesubmarine of the Kaichū I subclass. She and her sister shipRo-12 were the first submarines built to a fully Japanese design. She was commissioned in 1919 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1932.
Design and description
The Kaichu-type submarines were the first submarines built to Japanese requirements and designed specifically for service in the waters of
hulls than their European counterparts because of the tendency of the Pacific′s more powerful and unpredictable currents to disrupt a submerged submarine′s trim and force her below her intended operating depth.[1] The Kaichu type thus were broader in beam in proportion to their length than European submarines of the period and had a greater amount of internal compartmentation and more bulkheads than was common in other submarines, resulting in more cramped and uncomfortable conditions for their crews but a hull strength that purportedly allowed them to survive collisions, groundings, and overly deep dives that would have destroyed European submarines.[1] In 1921, at least some naval analysts claimed that the Kaichu type′s hull strength gave it a greater chance of surviving a depth-charge attack than any other existing submarine class.[1]
The submarines of the Kaichu I subclass
propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. They could reach 18.2 knots (34 km/h; 21 mph) on the surface and 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) underwater. On the surface, they had a range of 4,000 nautical miles
(7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).
The submarines were armed with six 450 mm (18 in)
bow and two external tubes in a trainable turret mounted on the upper deck, and carried a total of ten Type 44torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 76.2 mm (3.00 in) deck gun mounted aft of the conning tower.[1]
Upon commissioning, Submarine No. 19 was attached to the
Formosa
.
Submarine Division 14 was assigned to the Kure Defense Division and Kure Naval District on 1 July 1921, then to Submarine Squadron 2 in the 2nd Fleet on 1 December 1922.[2] On 4 June 1923, Submarine No. 19 was transferred to Submarine Division 3 and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District, in both of which she remained for the rest of her active career.[2] On 1 December 1923, Submarine Division 3 was assigned to duty in the Yokosuka Defense Division, an assignment which also continued through the end of Submarine No. 19′s career.[2] She was renamed Ro-11 on 1 November 1924.[2]
Ro-11 was stricken from the Navy list on 1 April 1932.[2] She was renamed Haisen No. 1 that day.[2]
Japan
