Japanese minesweeper W-26

History
Japan
Name	W-26
Builder	Mitsubishi shipyard, Yokohama
Laid down	1942
Launched	1942
Completed	31 March 1943
Stricken	30 April 1944
Fate	Sunk, 17 February 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	No.19 class minesweeper
Displacement	648 long tons (658 t) standard
Length	72.50 m (237 ft 10 in) o/a
Beam	7.85 m (25 ft 9 in)
Draught	2.61 m (8 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	2 × Kampon geared turbines, 3,850 shp (2,871 kW) 2 × Kampon mix-fired boilers 2 shafts
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range	2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	98
Armament	3 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 naval guns 2 × 25 mm AA guns 36 × depth charges 1 × Type 94 depth charge projector 6 × paravanes

W-26 was a W-19-class minesweeper operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Design

The ship was ordered in August 1941 under the Rapid Naval Armaments Supplement Programme. Built by Mitsubishi Yards in Yokohama, the ship was laid down in 1942, launched in late 1942, and completed on 31 March 1943.

Operational career

On 2 November, W-26 was damaged by bombs, while at Rabaul, New Britain, and beached to prevent her loss. She was repaired and refloated and departed Rabaul for Truk on 23 November. W-26 underwent further repairs in December at Rabaul, tied up alongside Hakkai Maru. While anchored in Karavia Bay, near Rabaul on 17 February 1944, she was attacked by SBD dive-bombers and TBF torpedo-bombers of the United States Navy. Sunk in the attack were W-26, Iwate Maru, and guard boat Funku Maru No. 2. She was removed from the Navy List on 30 April 1944.

Her wreck was partially salvaged by Nanyo Boeki Kaisha in 1958.