Ha-3-class submarine explained

The was an early class of submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Background

Along with placing orders with Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness in the UK for two British C-class submarines, which were commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy as the, the Japanese government ordered another three vessels, which were received as knock-down kits. These kits were assembled at the Kure Naval Arsenal.^[1]

Design

Physically almost identical to the Ha-1 class, the three vessels assembled in Japan incorporated a number of improvements, including extended bow for improved seaworthiness, improved rudder for surface handling, and an increase in the size of the bridge and conning tower.

Ships in class

• , laid down 1 August 1910; launched 5 March 1911; commissioned 12 August 1911 as Submersible No.10; reclassified as 2nd class submersible on 4 August 1916, reclassified as 3rd class submarine on 1 April 1919; renamed Ha-3 on 15 June 1923, decommissioned on 1 December 1929.^[2]
• , laid down 1 August 1910; launched 13 March 1911; commissioned 26 August 1911 as Submersible No.11; reclassified as 2nd class submersible on 4 August 1916, reclassified as 3rd class submarine on 1 April 1919; renamed Ha-4 on 15 June 1923; decommissioned on 1 December 1929.^[2]
• , laid down 1 August 1910; launched 27 March 1911; commissioned 3 August 1911 as Submersible No.12; reclassified as 2nd class submersible on 4 August 1916, reclassified as 3rd class submarine on 1 April 1919; renamed Ha-5 on 15 June 1923; decommissioned on 1 December 1929.^[2]

References

• Book: Chesneau, Roger. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. . Naval Institute Press . 1985. 0-87021-907-3 .
• Book: Howarth, Stephen. The Fighting Ships of the Rising Sun: The Drama of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1895-1945. Atheneum. 1983. 0-689-11402-8.
• Book: Jentsura, Hansgeorg. Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, MD. 1976. 0-87021-893-X.
• Book: Schencking, J. Charles. Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922. Stanford University Press. 2005. 0-8047-4977-9.

External links

• Web site: Nishida. Hiroshi. Materials of IJN. Imperial Japanese Navy.

Notes and References

1. Book: Chesneau, Roger. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. . Naval Institute Press . 1985. 0-87021-907-3 . 246.
2. Nishida, Materials of the Imperial Japanese Navy