The were a class of

submarine chaser A submarine chaser or subchaser is a small naval vessel that is specifically intended for anti-submarine warfare. Many of the American submarine chasers used in World War I found their way to Allied nations by way of Lend-Lease in World War I ...

s 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 and after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

; there were three sub classes, however the IJN's official document calls all of them the ''No.13'' class.

Background

*In 1938 the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

strengthened its Pacific Ocean Fleet, increasing the number of submarines it possessed; the ''No.13'' class was designed to counter this potential threat to Japanese shipping.

Ships in classes

''No.13'' class

*Project number K8. 15 vessels were built in 1939-42 under the Maru 4 Programme (Ship # 180 – 183) and the Maru Rin Programme (Ship # 184 – 194). And after the Maru Rin Programme vessels were equipped with a kitchen and food storage between bridge and the chimney for a long cruise.

''No.28'' class

*Project number K8B. 31 vessels were built in 1941-44 under the Maru Rin Programme (Ship # 221 – 232) and the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 440 – 458). They abolished a slant of stern for mass production.

''No.60'' class

*Project number K8C. 3 vessels were built in 1943-44 under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Ship # 5341, # 5342 and 5344). They were changed inner hull design from the ''No.28'' class. Therefore, there is not a difference of appearances.

Photo

Image:Japanese submarine chaser PC-30.jpg, ''No.30'' on 13 May 1942 Image:Japanese submarine chaser 38 in 1945.jpg, ''No.23'' or ''No.38'' on 16 September 1945

Bibliography

*Monthly Ships of the World, ''Special issue Vol. 45, "Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy"'', , (Japan), February 1996 *Model Art Extra, ''No. 340 "Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-1"'', (Japan), October 1989 *The Maru Special, ''Japanese Naval Vessels No. 49, "Japanese submarine chasers and patrol boats"'', (Japan), March 1981 *''50-year History of Harima Zōsen'', Harima Zōsen Corporation, November 1960 {{DEFAULTSORT:13 World War II naval ships of Japan Submarine chaser classes Ships built by Hitachi Zosen Corporation