Kongō Maru-class armed merchantmen

The Kongō Maru-class armed merchant cruiser was a class of two armed merchant cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Class overview
NameAkagi Maru-class auxiliary cruiser
BuildersMitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard
Operators Imperial Japanese Navy
Built1934–1935
In service1935–1944
In commission1941–1944
Completed2
Lost2
Retired0
General characteristics
TypeArmed merchantmen
Displacement8,600 tonnes (8,464 long tons)
Length139 m (456 ft 0 in)
Beam18.6 m (61 ft 0 in)
Draft9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion1 x Mitsubishi-Sulzer diesel engine (7600-9000hp)
Speed19 knots (22 mph; 35 km/h)
Complement50
Armament
Aircraft carriedKawanishi E7K floatplane

Background

edit

The Kongō Maru-class vessels Kongō Maru and Kiyosumi Maru were built by IHI Corporation at Kawasaki shipyard in Kobe as combined cargo-passenger ships. They were converted to "auxiliary cruiser" role in September–December 1941 (and therefore armed).[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, pp. 234–236

Bibliography

edit
  • Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977). Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 978-0-87021-893-4.