Type A submarine
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Type-A submarines |
| Builders: | |
| Operators: |
 Imperial Japanese Navy
|
| Preceded by: | Junsen type submarine |
| Subclasses: | |
| Built: | 1938–1945 |
| In commission: | 1941–1945 |
The Cruiser submarine Type-A (巡潜甲型潜水艦 Junsen Kō-gata sensuikan?) was a class of submarine in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), which served during the Second World War. The Type-A submarines were built to take a role of the command ships for submarine squadrons. For this reason they had equipment for a headquarters, better radio facilities and a floatplane.
The Type-A submarines were divided into four classes:
Project number S35Ja. Their design was based on the Junsen III (I-7 class). Three boats were built in 1938-42 under the Maru 3 Programme (Boat # 35 - 36) and Maru 4 Programme (Boat # 138).
Project number S35B. Five boats were planned under the Maru Tsui Programme (Boat # 620 - 621) and the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boat # 5091 - 5093). They were equipped with less powerful diesel engines which shortened the time needed to build them. Only one boat, the I-12, was completed to the original design. The I-13 and the later boats were converted to a new submarine class (I-13 class), because the number of I-400 class boats was reduced.
Project number S35C. Four boats were planned under the Maru Tsui Programme (Boat # 621) and the Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Boat # 5091 - 5093). However, four boats were converted to new submarine class (I-13 class), because a number of submarines of the I-400 class were cancelled. They had a large hangar and were equipped with bulges to be able to operate 2 × special Aichi M6A1 Seiran attack bombers. The headquarters institutions were removed.
...
Wikipedia