Japanese submarine Ro-29

	Ro-29 submarine and Mitsubishi 2MR4 Aircraft c1930
History
Japan
Name	Submarine No. 68
Builder	Kawasaki, Kobe, Japan
Laid down	2 June 1921
Launched	5 December 1922
Completed	15 September 1923
Commissioned	15 September 1923
Renamed	Ro-29 on 1 November 1924
Decommissioned	1 April 1936
Stricken	1 April 1936
Fate	Hulked
Renamed	Heisan No. 9 on 1 April 1940
General characteristics
Class and type	Kaichū type submarine (K5 subclass)
Displacement	866 tonnes (852 long tons) surfaced; 1,047 tonnes (1,030 long tons) submerged;
Length	74.22 m (243 ft 6 in) overall
Beam	6.12 m (20 ft 1 in)
Draft	3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Installed power	1,200 bhp (890 kW) (diesel); 1,200 hp (890 kW) (electric motor);
Propulsion	Diesel-electric ; 2 × Sulzer Mark I diesel engine, 143 tons fuel; 2 × electric motor;
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced; 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) submerged;
Range	9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	45.7 m (150 ft)
Crew	44
Armament	4 × bow 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes ; 1 × 120 mm (4.7 in) gun; 1 × 6.5 mm machine gun ;

Last updated April 24, 2023

Ro-29, originally named Submarine No. 68, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichu-Type submarine of the Kaichu V (Toku Chu) subclass. She was in commission from 1923 to 1936 and saw service in the waters of Formosa and Japan.

Design and description

The submarines of the Kaichu V sub-class were designed for anti-shipping operations and carried more fuel and had greater range and a heavier gun armament than preceding Kaichu-type submarines. They displaced 866 tonnes (852 long tons) surfaced and 1,036 tonnes (1,020 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 74.22 meters (243 ft 6 in) long and had a beam of 6.12 meters (20 ft 1 in) and a draft of 3.73 meters (12 ft 3 in). They had a diving depth of 45.7 meters (150 ft).

For surface running, the submarines were powered by two 600- brake-horsepower (447 kW) Sulzer diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor. They could reach 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) underwater. On the surface, they had a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) — although the Imperial Japanese Navy officially announced it as 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) — at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).

The submarines were armed with four internal bow 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes and carried a total of eight torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun and one 6.5 mm machine gun.

Construction and commissioning

Ro-29 was laid down as Submarine No. 68 on 2 June 1921 by Kawasaki at Kobe, Japan.^[1] Launched on 5 December 1922,^[1] she was completed and commissioned on 15 September 1923.^[1]

Service history

Upon commissioning, Submarine No. 68 was attached to the Sasebo Naval District, to which she remained attached throughout her active career.^[1] On 1 June 1924, she was assigned to both Submarine Division 25 — in which she spent her active career — and the Mako Defense Division headquartered at Mako in the Pescadores Islands.^[1] She was renamed Ro-29 on 1 November 1924.^[1] On 1 December 1926, she was reassigned to the Sasebo Defense Division, headquartered at Sasebo, Japan.^[1] Her service in the Sasebo Defense Division ended on 15 November 1934, after which she served as a unit of Submarine Division 25 in the Sasebo Naval District.^[1]

Ro-29 was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on 1 April 1936.^[1] As a hulk, she was renamed Heisan No. 9 on 1 April 1940.^[1]

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "RO-29 ex No-68". iijnsubsite.info. 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2020.

Related Research Articles

Ro-31, originally named Submarine No. 70, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichu-Type submarine of the Kaichu V subclass. After a diving accident in 1923 prior to completion, she was salvaged, rebuilt, and completed in 1927. She served in a training role during World War II, surrendered at the end of the war in September 1945, and was scuttled in April 1946.

Ro-32, originally named Submarine No. 71, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichu-Type submarine of the Kaichu V subclass. She was in commission from 1924 to 1938, seeing service in the waters of Formosa and Japan, then served as a stationary training hulk during World War II.

Ro-30, originally named Submarine No. 69, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichu-Type submarine of the Kaichu V subclass. She was in commission from 1924 to 1938, seeing service in the waters of Formosa and Japan, then served as a stationary training hulk during World War II.

Ro-26, originally named Submarine No. 45, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine, the lead unit of the Kaichū IV subclass. She was in commission from 1923 to 1938 and from 1939 to 1940.

Ro-27, originally named Submarine No. 58, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū IV subclass. She was in commission from 1924 to 1937.

Ro-25, originally named Submarine No. 43, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1921 and operated in the waters of Japan and Formosa. She sank after a collision in 1924, and after salvage and repairs returned to service from 1925 to 1936.

Ro-24, originally named Submarine No. 42, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine, the lead unit of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1920 and operated in the waters of Japan, Formosa, and Chōsen before she was stricken in 1935.

Ro-23, originally named Submarine No. 41, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1923 as the final unit of the Kaichu' III subclass and operated in the waters of Japan, Formosa, and Chōsen before she was stricken in 1935.

Ro-22, originally named Submarine No. 40, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1922 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1934.

Ro-21, originally named Submarine No. 39, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1922 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1934.

Ro-20, originally named Submarine No. 38, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1922 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1934.

Ro-19, originally named Submarine No. 36, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1922 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1936.

Ro-18, originally named Submarine No. 35, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1921 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1936.

Ro-17, originally named Submarine No. 34, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1921 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1936.

Ro-16, originally named Submarine No. 37, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū III subclass. She was commissioned in 1922 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1933.

Ro-15, originally named Submarine No. 24, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū II subclass. She was commissioned in 1921 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1933.

Ro-14, originally named Submarine No. 22, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū II subclass. She was commissioned in 1921 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1933.

Ro-13, originally named Submarine No. 23, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū II subclass. She was commissioned in 1920 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1932.

Ro-11, originally named Submarine No. 19, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū I subclass. She and her sister ship Ro-12 were the first submarines built to a fully Japanese design. She was commissioned in 1919 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1932.

Ro-12, originally named Submarine No. 20, was an Imperial Japanese Navy Kaichū-Type submarine of the Kaichū I subclass. She and her sister ship Ro-11 were the first submarines built to a fully Japanese design. She was commissioned in 1919 and operated in the waters of Japan. She was stricken in 1932.

References

"Rekishi Gunzō"., History of Pacific War Vol.17 I-Gō Submarines, Gakken (Japan), January 1998, ISBN 4-05-601767-0
Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War Extra, "Perfect guide, The submarines of the Imperial Japanese Forces", Gakken (Japan), March 2005, ISBN 4-05-603890-2
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.43 Japanese Submarines III, Ushio Shobō (Japan), September 1980, Book code 68343-44
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.132 Japanese Submarines I "Revised edition", Ushio Shobō (Japan), February 1988, Book code 68344-36
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.133 Japanese Submarines II "Revised edition", Ushio Shobō (Japan), March 1988, Book code 68344-37
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.135 Japanese Submarines IV, Ushio Shobō (Japan), May 1988, Book code 68344-39

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[ijnsubsiteRo29-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "RO-29 ex No-68". iijnsubsite.info. 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2020.

[1]

v t e Kaichū type submarine
Ro-11-class (Type K1)	Ro-11 Ro-12
Ro-13-class (Type K2)	Ro-13 Ro-14 Ro-15
Ro-16-class (Type K3)	Ro-16 Ro-17 Ro-18 Ro-19 Ro-20 Ro-21 Ro-22 Ro-23 Ro-24 Ro-25
Ro-26-class (Type K4)	Ro-26 Ro-27 Ro-28
Ro-29-class (Toku-Chū/Type K5)	Ro-29 Ro-30 Ro-31 Ro-32
Ro-33-class (Type K6)	Ro-33 Ro-34
Ro-35-class (Sen-Chū/Type K7)	Ro-35 Ro-36 Ro-37 Ro-38 Ro-39 Ro-40 Ro-41 Ro-42 Ro-43 Ro-44 Ro-45 Ro-46 Ro-47 Ro-48 Ro-49 Ro-50 Ro-55 Ro-56
Preceded by: Type L submarine Followed by: Ko type submarine Imperial Japanese Navy submarines