Hatsutaka-class minelayer

The Hatsutaka-class minelayer (初鷹型敷設艦,, Hatsutaka-gata Fusetsukan) was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II. There were three sub-classes, as well.

Hatsutaka in 1939
Class overview
Name	Hatsutaka-class minelayers Hatsutaka-class Wakataka-class Asadori-class (only a project)
Builders	Harima Zōsen Corporation
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy Royal Malaysian Navy Republic of Singapore Navy
Preceded by	Shirataka
Cost	4,733,000 JPY (Hatsutaka) 4,900,000 JPY (Wakataka)
Built	1938 – 1941
In commission	1939 – 1946 (IJN)
Planned	4
Completed	3
Cancelled	1
Lost	2
Retired	1
General characteristics
Type	Minelayer/Netlayer
Displacement	1,600 long tons (1,626 t) standard
Length	91.00 m (298 ft 7 in) overall 86.50 m (283 ft 10 in) waterline
Beam	11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draught	4.0 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	2 × Kampon geared turbines 3 × Kampon coal/oil-fired boilers 2 shafts, 6,000 shp
Speed	20.0 knots (23.0 mph; 37.0 km/h)
Range	3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement	Hatsutaka and Aotaka 199 Wakataka 202
Armament	Hatsutaka, 1939 4 × 40 mm heavy machine guns 18 × Type 95 depth charges 1 × Type 94 depth charge projector 4 × depth charge throwers 1 × Type 93 active sonar 1 × Type 93 hydrophone 24 × Type 96 510 m (1,673 ft 3 in) anti-submarine nets or 100 × Type 93 naval mines Wakataka, 1941 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns 4 × Type 93 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA guns 18 × Type 95 depth charges 1 × Type 94 depth charge projector 4 × depth charge throwers 1 × Type 93 active sonar 1 × Type 93 hydrophone 24 × Type 96 510 m (1,673 ft 3 in) anti-submarine nets or 100 × Type 93 naval mines

Design

• The Hastutaka-class minelayer was a reinforced model of the Shirataka. The Harima Zōsen Corporation dealt with all of the Hatsutaka-class.

Ships in classes

Hatsutaka-class

• Project number was H12. First production model of the Hatsutaka-class. Two vessels were built in 1938-40 under the Maru 3 Programme (Ship # 7 - 8). They were equipped with 4 × 40 mm quick-firing guns for anti-submarine warfare.

Ship #	Ship	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
7	Hatsutaka (初鷹) [1]	29 March 1938	28 April 1939	31 October 1939	Sunk by USS Hawkbill at South China Sea 04°54′N 103°28′E on 16 May 1945.
8	Aotaka (蒼鷹) [2]	10 May 1939	3 February 1940	30 June 1940	Sunk by USS Pargo at north of Jesselton 07°00′N 116°00′E on 26 September 1944.

Wakataka-class

• Project number was H12B. Second production model of the Hatsutaka-class. Only 1 vessel was built under the Maru 4 Programme (Ship # 102). She was equipped with 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) anti-aircraft cannons. The Wakataka was classed in the Hatsutaka-class in the IJN official documents. The IJN called her the Modified Hatsutaka-class (改初鷹型,, Kai Hatsutaka-gata) unofficially.

Ship #	Ship	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
102	Wakataka (若鷹) [3]	15 November 1940	12 July 1941	30 November 1941	Decommissioned on 1 March 1946. Surrendered to United Kingdom on 17 October 1947. Transferred to Federation of Malaya, and renamed Laburnum. Surrendered to Republic of Singapore in 1968. Later, nothing more was heard.

Asadori-class

• Project number was H12C. The Navy Technical Department revised the Wakataka drawings. Only 1 vessel was planned under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Ship # 5039). The IJN called her the Modified Wakataka-class (改若鷹型,, Kai Wakataka-gata) unofficially.

Ship #	Ship	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
5039	Asadori (朝鳥) [4]				Cancelled on 5 May 1944.

Photos

• 
  Aotaka in June 1940 at Harima Zōsen.
• 
  Wakataka as repatriation transport in Spring 1947 at Sasebo Naval Base.

Footnotes

1. Free translation: Hawk in early fall.
2. Blue hawk.
3. "Young hawk."
4. "Morning bird."

See also

• Japanese minelayer Shirataka

Bibliography

• Ships of the World special issue Vol.47, Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), March 1997
• Model Art Extra No.360, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-2, "Model Art Co. Ltd". Archived from the original on 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2009-05-20. (Japan), October 1989
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.42, Japanese minelayers, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), August 1980
• Daiji Katagiri, Ship Name Chronicles of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet, Kōjinsha (Japan), June 1988, ISBN 4-7698-0386-9