Landing craft carrier
Landing craft carriers or landing craft depot ships were an innovative type of
Prototype
Hei-type
Hei-type landing craft carriers included a flight deck with a capacity for 28 aircraft, but no hangar deck, since the deck beneath the flight deck was used to carry 25 landing craft launched through stern doors.[3] Akisu Maru was completed in time to participate in the invasion of Java; but she and the other Hei-types were thereafter used primarily as ferries to transport short-range aircraft to distant bases. The first two were completed from 11,800-ton, 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) Nippon Kaiun, K. K. passenger ships under construction by Harima Shipbuilding. They operated two Kayaba Ka-1 autogyros.[2] Both were sunk by submarines in 1944.[1]
- Akitsu Maru was completed in January 1942.[3]
- Nigitsu Maru was completed in March 1943.[3]
The others were based on
- Kumano Maru was completed in March 1945[3] and survived for use as a repatriation ship.[1]
- Tokitsu Maru was incomplete when World War II ended.
Ko-type
The larger type were 11,910-ton, 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) diesel-engined ships fitted with stern ramp gates for launching twenty Daihatsu-class landing craft stored in floodable holds. At the time, this launching method was unprecedented. Both were sunk by submarines with very heavy loss of life.[2]
- Mayasan Maru was completed in December 1942.[3]
- Tamatsu Maru was completed in January 1944.[3]
Later production was Hitachi's standard Type-M steam ship modified (Type-MA) to carry twelve Toku-Daihatsu-class landing craft.[2] The landing craft were launched from rails which ran along the main deck (between port and starboard funnels for those carried forward of the superstructure) down to the waterline through large hinged doors at the stern. Settsu Maru survived for use as a repatriation ship, but her sister ships were sunk in air raids on Japanese ports.[1]
- Kibitsu Maru was completed in December 1943.[3]
- Hyuga Maru was completed in November 1944.[3]
- Settsu Maru was completed as a 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) coal-burner[1] in January 1945.[3]
Otsu-type
Takatsu Maru was a 5,656-ton, 19-knot steam ship
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Watts, Anthony J. (1967). Japanese Warships of World War II. New York: Doubleday & Company. pp. 307–311.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hackett, Bob; Cundall, Peter (2012). "IJA Landing Craft Depot Ships". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Landing Craft Carrier Model Ko, Otsu, Hei". Taki. Retrieved 26 November 2013.