SS-class landing ship

The SS-class landing ship (SS艇 or 機動艇, SS-tei or Kidōtei) was a class of amphibious assault ships of the Imperial Japanese Army which served during World War II. The SS meaning are Sensha-Small.[1]

SS No.19
Class overview
Name: SS-class landing ship
Builders:
Operators: Imperial Japanese Army
Succeeded by: SB-class
Subclasses:
  • SS No.1 (Prototype)
  • SS No.2 (Supplementary Prototype)
  • SS No.3 (General production type)
Built: 1939–1945
In service: 1939–1947
In commission: 1944–?
Planned: over 30
Completed: 18[1] or 21[2] or 22[3]
Lost: ?
Retired: ?
General characteristics SS No.3 class
Displacement: 730 long tons (742 t) gross
Length: 65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) overall
Beam: 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Draught: 2.89 m (9 ft 6 in)
Draft: 5.65 m (18 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × intermediate diesels, 2 shafts,
  • 1,100 bhp[1] or 1,200 bhp[2]
Speed:
  • 14.0 knots (16.1 mph; 25.9 km/h) [1]
  • or 14.5 knots (16.7 mph; 26.9 km/h) [3]
  • or 13.7 knots (15.8 mph; 25.4 km/h) [2]
Range: 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 13.4 kn (15.4 mph; 24.8 km/h)
Capacity: 5 tanks and 170 troops
Complement: 40
Armament:

Background
Gorō Maru in 1939

October 1938, the IJA employed the Shinshū Maru during their successful amphibious operations at Bias Bay. However, a considerable amount of time was needed to complete the operation owing to the low speed of the landing craft, which resulted in considerable damage to the vessels involved.

The IJA employed the principles of speed and minimum damage to their amphibious warfare operations.

In 1939-1940, the IJA repeated an experiment with Gorō Maru (300 tons gross) and Yorihime Maru (526 tons gross) and after analysing the experiment data placed an order for the prototype Kōryū (later SS No.1).

  • The IJN was interested in the second prototype Banryū (later SS No.2). The IJN placed an order for 16 ships. However, thereafter they adopted the No.101-class and the order was cancelled.

Ships in classes

SS No.1
  • Kōryū / SS No. 1 (蛟龍, 機動第一号艇)
BuilderHarima Zōsen Corporation
Laid down18 July 1941
Launched26 January 1942
Completed7 April 1942
Displacement641 long tons (651 t) gross
Length53.9 m (176 ft 10 in) overall
Beam9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
Propulsion2 × intermediate diesels, 2 shafts, 1,246 bhp
Speed14.56 knots (16.76 mph; 26.97 km/h)

SS No.2
  • Banryū / SS No. 2 (蟠龍, 機動第二号艇)
BuilderHarima Zōsen Corporation
Laid down8 August 1942
Launched17 May 1943
Completed30 July 1943
Displacement730 long tons (742 t) gross
Length63.02 m (206 ft 9 in) overall
Beam9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.00 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion2 × intermediate diesels, 2 shafts, 1,284 bhp
Speed13.96 knots (16.06 mph; 25.85 km/h)
FateSunk in action on 24 September 1944

SS No.3 class
  • Kairyū / SS No.3 (海龍, 機動第三号艇)
  • SS No.4, Sunk in action on 12 October 1944
  • SS No.5, Sunk in action on 30 November 1944
  • SS No.6, Sunk in action on 7 December 1944
  • SS No.7
  • SS No.8, Sunk in action on 19 November 1944
  • SS No.9, Sunk in action on 6 December 1944
  • SS No.10, went missing on the night of December 1-2, and lost with all hands after departing Palompon, Leyte. USS Conway, USS Cony, USS Eaton, and USS Sigourney, all ( United States Navy) did report sinking an enemy vessel in the area the convoy would have been in.[4]
  • SS No.11
  • SS No.12, Sunk in action on 21 January 1945
  • SS No.13
  • SS No.14, Sunk in action on 22 May 1945
  • SS No.15
  • SS No.16
  • SS No.17
  • SS No.18
  • SS No.19
  • SS No.20
  • SS No.21
  • SS No.22, Sunk in action on 10 August 1945

See also

Footnotes
  1. Monthly Armor Modelling special issue
  2. Ships of the World
  3. Rekishi Gunzo
  4. "Long Lancers". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 4 December 2013.

Bibliography
  • Monthly Armor Modelling special issue, Navy Yard Vol.9 Tora! Tora! Tora! part-2, Dainippon Kaiga (Japan), November 2008
  • Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Vol.37, Support Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Forces, Gakken (Japan), June 2002, ISBN 4-05-602780-3
  • Ships of the World No.506, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), February 1996
  • 50 year History of Harima Zōsen, Harima Zōsen Corporation, November 1960
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