Japanese submarine I-175

Japanese submarine I-175 in 1941
History
Empire of Japan
Name	I-75
Ordered	1934
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kobe
Laid down	1 November 1934
Launched	16 September 1937
Commissioned	8 December 1938
Renamed	I-175, 1942
Stricken	10 July 1944
Fate	Sunk by destroyers, 4 February 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Kaidai type (KD6B Type)
Displacement	1,839 tonnes (1,810 long tons) surfaced 2,605 tonnes (2,564 long tons) submerged
Length	105 m (344 ft 6 in)
Beam	8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)
Draft	4.57 m (15 ft 0 in)
Installed power	9,000 bhp (6,700 kW) (diesels) 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range	10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) surfaced 65 nmi (120 km; 75 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged
Test depth	75 m (246 ft)
Complement	70
Armament	6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 1 × 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun 2 × single 13.2 mm (0.52 in) anti-aircraft machinegun

The Japanese submarine I-175 (I-75, until 20 May 1942) was a Kaidai type of cruiser submarine of the KD6B sub-class, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the mid-1930s.

Design and description

The submarines of the KD6B sub-class were essentially repeats of the preceding KD6A sub-class. They displaced 1,814 tonnes (1,785 long tons) surfaced and 2,605 tonnes (2,564 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 105 meters (344 ft 6 in) long, had a beam of 8.2 meters (26 ft 11 in) and a draft of 4.57 meters (15 ft 0 in). The boats had a diving depth of 75 m (246 ft)

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 4,500-brake-horsepower (3,356 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 900-horsepower (671 kW) electric motor. They could reach 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the KD3Bs had a range of 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph); submerged, they had a range of 65 nmi (120 km; 75 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).

The boats were armed with six internal 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern. They carried a total of 14 torpedoes. They were also armed with one 120 mm (4.7 in) deck gun for combat on the surface and two 13.2 mm (0.52 in) anti-aircraft machineguns.

Career

I-175 participated in the Attack on Pearl Harbor and sank 3,252-ton American merchant Manini on 17 December 1941 180 miles south of Hawaii. In July 1942 she operated off the eastern coast of Australia and damaged or sank 1 French and 3 Australian merchant ships.

I-175 is best known for sinking Escort carrier USS Liscome Bay on 24 November 1943, killing 53 officers and 591 enlisted men.

I-175 was herself sunk 2 months later ,on 4 February 1944 during the Battle of Kwajalein, when she was attacked by destroyers USS Charrette and USS Fair. The Fair fired several grenades from its Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar at the Japanese submarine and sank her with the entire crew at position (6°48′N 168°8′E).

References

• Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
• Carpenter, Dorr B.; Polmar, Norman (1986). Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1904–1945. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-396-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander (2001). "IJN Submarine I-175: Tabular Record of Movement". Combinedfleet.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)