Japanese submarine I-159

The Japanese submarine I-159 was a Kaidai-class submarine of the KD3B sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s.

History
Empire of Japan
Name: I-159
Builder: Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
Laid down: 25 March 1927, as I-59
Launched: 25 March 1929
Completed: 31 March 1930
Renamed: 20 May 1942, as I-159
Reclassified: Training ship, 1943
Stricken: 30 November 1945
Fate: Scuttled, 1 April 1946
General characteristics
Class and type: Kaidai-class submarine (KD3B Type)
Displacement:
  • 1,829 tonnes (1,800 long tons) surfaced
  • 2,337 tonnes (2,300 long tons) submerged
Length: 101 m (331 ft 4 in)
Beam: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draft: 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
Installed power:
  • 6,800 bhp (5,100 kW) (diesels)
  • 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged
Test depth: 60 m (200 ft)
Complement: 60
Armament:

Design and description

The submarines of the KD3B sub-class were essentially repeats of the preceding KD3A sub-class with minor modifications to improve seakeeping. They displaced 1,829 metric tons (1,800 long tons) surfaced and 2,337 metric tons (2,300 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 101 meters (331 ft 4 in) long, had a beam of 8 meters (26 ft 3 in) and a draft of 4.9 meters (16 ft 1 in). The boats had a diving depth of 60 m (200 ft)[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 3,400-brake-horsepower (2,535 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 900-horsepower (671 kW) electric motor. They could reach 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the KD3Bs had a range of 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).[2]

The boats were armed with eight internal 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, six in the bow and two in the stern. They carried one reload for each tube; a total of 16 torpedoes. They were also armed with one 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun for combat on the surface.[3]

Construction and career

IJN I-159 was laid down on 5 March 1927 at the Yokosuka Navy Yard. Torpedoed the Dutch steamer Rooseboom carrying troops and civilians fleeing Padang en route to Colombo the aftermath of the loss of Singapore. IJN I-159 surrendered to allied forces in September 1945 and transferred to Sasebo after. Decommissioned on 30 November 1945 and stripped of all equipments. Towed by USS Nereus and sunk as a target off the Gotō Islands on 1 April 1946.[1][4]

References
  1. Carpenter & Polmar, p. 93
  2. Chesneau, p. 198
  3. Bagnasco, p. 183
  4. "Imperial Submarines". www.combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 2020-07-29.

Further reading
  • Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
  • Carpenter, Dorr B. & Polmar, Norman (1986). Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1904–1945. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-396-6.
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Hackett, Bob & Kingsepp, Sander (2012). "IJN Submarine I-159: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
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