Yamashiro Maru 1945
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| 山城丸 <Yamashiro Maru> | Mitsubishi, Yokohama | 19/7/1944 | 14/11/1944 | 27/1/1945 | sunk 17/2/1945 | |
| 千種丸 <Chigusa Maru> | Yokohama Co., Yokohama | 11/9/1944 | 29/12/1944 | --- // 1949 | completed mercantile |
|
Tonnage, BRT |
10100 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
15864 |
|
Length, m |
148.0 pp 157.4 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
20.4 wl 23.0 fd |
|
Draught, m |
9.00 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
geared steam turbine, 2 boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
4500 |
|
Max speed, kts |
15 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
9000(13) |
| Armament |
2 x 3 - 25/60 96-shiki, 10 x 1 - 25/60 96-shiki, 8 aircraft (Ki76 ASW planes), 1 x 1 - 150/12 ASW mortar (120) |
|
Complement |
221 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,875m², ha ? m² / ? m³): Flight deck: 125.0x23.0m. There was small hangar. There was 1 lift. Aircraft fuel stowage: ?. There were no hangar and lift by other data.
Ship project history: Escort aircraft carriers-tankers intending for transportation of oil to Japan, and also for providing of anti-air and anti-submarine protection of convoys. They were built by the order of Army command.
Yamashiro Maru class ships were designed on the basis of hulls of standard tankers of 2TL type (10100BRT). Cargo tanks were stored, but part of them was converted for aviation petrol storage. Under a flight deck there was arranged a small hangar for 8 aircrafts. Aircrafts moved upward by one lift (on other data, the lift was absent, and aircrafts were stored directly on a flight deck).
Unusual element of Yamashiro Maru architecture was funnel, deduced afterward (like on Kaga); other feature was the anti-submarine mortar installed on a forecastle. Air group consisted of Army aircrafts. Before her lost Yamashiro Maru was planned to conversion to coal-burning by the reason of oil shortage.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service:
Yamashiro Maru was sunk by American aircraft (TF.58) 17/2/1945 in Yokohama.Chigusa Maru was incomplete and after war converted to tanker.
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10