Tsubame-class minelayer

The Tsubame-class minelayer (燕型敷設艇,, Tsubame-gata Fusetsutei) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after 1929 through World War II.

Tsubame in April 1929
Class overview
Name	Tsubame class
Builders	Yokohama Dock Company Ōsaka Iron Works
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by	Sokuten class
Succeeded by	Natsushima class
Built	1928–1929
In commission	1929–1945
Planned	2
Completed	2
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Netlayer/Minelayer
Displacement	450 long tons (457 t) standard
Length	68.80 m (225 ft 9 in) overall
Beam	7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Draught	2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers 2 shafts, 2,500 shp (1,900 kW)
Speed	19.0 knots (35.2 km/h; 21.9 mph)
Range	1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	43
Armament	1 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA gun 1 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns 80 × Mk.5 naval mines or 18 × depth charges or 6 × Type 14 502.5 m capture nets

Ships in class

Kamome in 1929

Tsubame (燕)

• 17 September 1928: Laid down as the Capture netlayer (捕獲網艇, Hokakumōtei) at Yokohama Dock Company.
• 22 March 1929: Reclassified to 2nd class minelayer (二等敷設艇, Nitō-Fusetsutei).
• 24 April 1929: Launched.
• 10 July 1929: Completed.
• 30 May 1931: Reclassified to Special service ship (特務艇, Tokumutei).
• In 1936: Rebuilding by the Tomozuru Incident at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
• In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• 18 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf.
• (after): She spent all her time on convoy escort operations in East China Sea and Java Sea.
• 1 February 1944: Reclassified to Minelayer (敷設艇, Fusetsutei).
• 1 March 1945: Sunk by air raid from U.S. Navy aircraft carrier at Ishigaki Island.
• 10 May 1945: Removed from Navy List.

Kamome (鷗)

• 11 October 1928: Laid down as the Capture netlayer at Ōsaka Iron Works.
• 22 March 1929: Reclassified to 2nd class minelayer.
• 27 April 1929: Launched.
• 30 August 1929: Completed.
• 30 May 1931: Reclassified to Special service ship.
• In 1936: Rebuilding by the Tomozuru Incident at Sasebo Naval Arsenal.
• In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• 18 December 1941: Sortie for the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf.
• (after): She spent all her time on convoy escort operations in East China Sea, South China Sea and Java Sea.
• 1 February 1944: Reclassified to Minelayer.
• 27 April 1944: Sunk by USS Halibut at north off Naha 27°37′N 128°11′E.
• 10 June 1944: Removed from Navy List.

Bibliography

• Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), February 1996
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.47, Japanese naval mine warfare crafts, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), January 1981