Japanese submarine Ro-14

The submarines of the Kaichu II sub-class were larger and had a greater range than the preceding Kaichu I subclass, but they had the same power-plant, so their greater size resulted in a loss of some speed.[1] They also had a modified conning tower, bow, and stern, and the stern was overhanging.[1] They displaced 752 tonnes (740 long tons) surfaced and 1,019 tonnes (1,003.1 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 70.10 meters (230 ft 0 in) long and had a beam of 6.10 meters (20 ft 0 in) and a draft of 3.68 meters (12 ft 1 in). They had a diving depth of 30 meters (98 ft).

For surface running, the submarines were powered by two 1,450-brake-horsepower (1,081 kW) Sulzer Mark II diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. They could reach 16.5 knots (31 km/h; 19 mph) on the surface and 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) underwater. On the surface, they had a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 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) torpedo tubes, four internal tubes in the bow and two external tubes mounted on the upper deck, and carried a total of ten Type 44 torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 76.2 mm (3.00 in) deck gun mounted aft of the conning tower.[1]

Ro-14 was laid down as Submarine No. 22 on 14 September 1918 by the Kure Naval Arsenal at Kure, Japan.[2] Launched on 31 March 1919,[2] she was completed and commissioned on 17 February 1921.[2]

Upon commissioning, Submarine No. 22 was attached to the Kure Naval District — to which she remained attached throughout her career — and was assigned to Submarine Division 13 and to the Kure Defense Division.[2] On 1 July 1921, she was reassigned to Submarine Division 15, remaining on duty in the Kure Defense Division.[2] Submarine Division 15 served in the Kure Defense Division until 1 December 1921 and again from 1 December 1922 to 1 December 1923.[2]

On 8 April 1924, Submarine No. 22 was conducting torpedo practice off Hiroshima, Japan, when mishandling of one of her torpedo tubes caused a torpedo to fire backward into the torpedo compartment, killing one crewman.[3][4][5] She headed back to base, and either later the same day[3] or on 9 April[5] (sources disagree) collided with the Imperial Japanese Navy special service vessel Ondo,[3][4][5] suffering no additional casualties[4] but incurring damage so serious that she was in danger of sinking.[5] However, she made port, was repaired, and returned to service.

Submarine No. 22 was renamed Ro-14 on 1 November 1924.[2] On 1 December 1926, Submarine Division 15 began another assignment to the Kure Defense Division that lasted through the end of Ro-14′s active service.[2]

Ro-14 was stricken from the Navy list on 1 September 1933.[2] She remained moored at Kure as a hulk after that, and was renamed Training Hulk No. 3063 on 7 March 1934.[2] She served on training duties through the end of World War II in August 1945, and was scrapped at Harima, Japan, in September 1948.[2]

• "Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.17 I-Gō Submarines, Gakken (Japan), January 1998, ISBN 4-05-601767-0
• Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Extra, "Perfect guide, The submarines of the Imperial Japanese Forces", Gakken (Japan), March 2005, ISBN 4-05-603890-2
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.43 Japanese Submarines III, Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1980, Book code 68343-44
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.132 Japanese Submarines I "Revised edition", Ushio Shobō (Japan), February 1988, Book code 68344-36
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.133 Japanese Submarines II "Revised edition", Ushio Shobō (Japan), March 1988, Book code 68344-37
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.135 Japanese Submarines IV, Ushio Shobō (Japan), May 1988, Book code 68344-39