The No.7-class minesweepers (第七号型掃海艇,, Dai Nana Gō-gata Sōkaitei) were a class of minesweepers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Six vessels were built in 1937–1939 under the Maru 3 Keikaku.

No.7 on 23 September 1942
Class overview
NameNo.7-class minesweeper
Builders
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded byNo.13 class
Succeeded byNo.19 class
Cost2,230,823 JPY (in 1937)
Built1937 – 1939
In commission1938 – 1946
Planned6
Completed6
Lost5
Retired1
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement630 long tons (640 t) standard
Length72.50 m (237 ft 10 in) overall
Beam7.85 m (25 ft 9 in)
Draught2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × triple expansion stages reciprocating engines
  • 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers
  • 2 shafts, 3,850 shp
Speed20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Range2,000 nmi (3,700 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement98
Armament

Background

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Ships in class

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Ship # Ship Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate
49 No. 7[2] Tama Shipyard 27 October 1937 16 June 1938 15 December 1938 Sunk by HMS Storm off Port Blair on 15 April 1944. Decommissioned on 10 June 1944.
50 No. 8 Uraga Dock Company 11 December 1937 28 May 1938 15 February 1939 Scuttled by Royal Navy at Singapore on 10 July 1946. Decommissioned on 10 August 1946.
51 No. 9 Maizuru Naval Arsenal 7 February 1938 10 September 1938 15 February 1939 Struck a naval mine and sunk at Ambon on 1 February 1942. Decommissioned on 10 April 1942.
52 No. 10 Tōkyō Ishikawajima Shipyard 21 December 1937 22 September 1938 15 February 1939 Sunk by air raid off Pandan, Caoayan (near Vigan) on 10 December 1941. Decommissioned on 15 March 1942.
53 No. 11 Uraga Dock Company 30 May 1938 28 December 1938 15 July 1939 Sunk by air raid off Makassar on 28 March 1945. Decommissioned on 10 May 1945.
54 No. 12 Tōkyō Ishikawajima Shipyard 28 May 1938 18 February 1939 15 August 1939 Sunk by USS Besugo off Flores 08°13′S 119°14′E / 8.217°S 119.233°E / -8.217; 119.233 on 6 April 1945. Decommissioned on 25 May 1945.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ No.7 (ex.-Umikaze), No.8 (ex.-Yamakaze), No.9 (ex.-Nara), No.10 (ex.-Enoki), No.11 (ex.-Nagatsuki) and No. 12 (ex.-Kikutsuki)
  2. ^ Minesweeper No. 7 (第七号掃海艇, Dai 7 Gō Sōkaitei). The same shall apply hereinafter.

Bibliography

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  • 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.50, Japanese minesweepers and landing ships, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), April 1981