| History | |
|---|---|
 Japan | |
| Name | Submarine No. 4915 |
| Builder | Sasebo Naval Arsenal,Sasebo, Japan |
| Laid down | 17 April 1945 |
| Renamed | Ha-205 on 1 May 1945 |
| Launched | 14 May 1945 |
| Completed | 3 July 1945 |
| Commissioned | 3 July 1945 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 53.00 m (173 ft 11 in) overall |
| Beam | 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) |
| Draft | 3.44 m (11 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | |
| Test depth | 100 m (328 ft) |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
|
Ha-205 was anImperial Japanese NavyHa-201-classsubmarine. Completed and commissioned in July 1945, she served during the final weeks ofWorld War II. She surrendered at the end of the war in September 1945 and wasscuttled in May 1946.
At the end of 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided it needed large numbers of high-speed coastal submarines to defend theJapanese Home Islands[1] against an anticipatedAllied invasion (namedOperation Downfall by the Allies). To meet this requirement, theHa-201-class submarines were designed as small, fast submarines[1] incorporating many of the same advanced ideas implemented in the GermanType XXI andType XXIII submarines. They were capable of submerged speeds of almost 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).[1]
TheHa-201 classdisplaced 325 metric tons (320 long tons) surfaced and 447 metric tons (440 long tons) submerged.[1] The submarines were 53 meters (173 ft 11 in) long, had abeam of 4.00 meters (13 ft 1 in) and adraft of 3.44 meters (11 ft 3 in).[1] For surface running, the submarines were powered by a single 400-brake-horsepower (298 kW)diesel engine that drove onepropeller shaft.[1] When submerged the propeller was driven by a 1,250-shaft-horsepower (932 kW)electric motor.[1] They could reach 11.8knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) on the surface and 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) submerged.[1] On the surface, theHa-201-class submarines had a range of 3,000nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph); submerged, they had a range of 105 nmi (194 km; 121 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph).[1] Their armament consisted of two 533-millimeter (21 in)torpedo tubes with fourtorpedoes and a single mount for a 7.7-millimetermachine gun.[1]
Ha-205 waslaid down on 17 April 1945 by theSasebo Naval Arsenal atSasebo,Japan, asSubmarine No. 4915.[2] She was renamedHa-205 on 1 May 1945 and was attached provisionally to theSasebo Naval District that day.[2]Launched on 14 May 1945,[2] she was completed andcommissioned on 3 July 1945.[2]
Upon commissioning,Ha-205 was attached formally to the Sasebo Naval District and assigned to Submarine Division 33 in theKure Submarine Flotilla for workups.[2] She was reassigned to Submarine Division 52 on 20 July 1945.[2]
Ha-205 had not yet conducted an operational patrol when hostilities between Japan and theAllies ended[1] on 15 August 1945. She surrendered to the Allies at Sasebo on 2 September 1945.[2] On 2 November 1945, she was reassigned to Japanese Submarine Division Three underUnited States Navy command along with hersister shipsHa-201,Ha-202,Ha-203, andHa-210.[2]
The Japanese struckHa-205 from the Navy list on 30 November 1945.[2] She was among a number of Japanese submarines theRoyal Australian NavydestroyerHMAS Quiberon andRoyal Indian NavysloopHMIS Sutlejscuttled with gunfire in the Iyo Nada in theSeto Inland Sea inOperation Bottom on 9 May 1946.[2]
