DAI 1 GO-GATA YUSOKAN !

Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's No. 1 Class Fast Transports

1 September 2018

By Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp

Discussion & Questions


(No. 1 Class Fast Transport T.5 by T. Yuki)

In 1943, during the failed Solomons campaign, large, slow troop transports suffered appalling losses due to American air superiority. IJN destroyers converted to high-speed transports fared better, but even the vaunted “Tokyo Express” was unable to carry and land sufficient quantities of men and materials to sustain protracted combat operations. After studying the problem, the IJN General Staff developed a requirement for new, purpose-built fast amphibious assault transports capable of carrying and rapidly landing troops, cargo, Daihatsu landing craft or Type 2 amphibious tanks.

The IJN Technical Department responded with designs for the new T.1-class fast naval transports that could be constructed using mass production techniques such as electric welding and pre-fabricated parts. The T.1-class transports were based on Matsu-class destroyer hulls with one set of engines removed to make space for troops and cargo. At 22 knots, the resulting 1,500-ton vessel was quite fast for an assault transport. The T.1-class design featured a distinctive stern sloped down to the waterline. The T.1-class were equipped with rails and rollers and were capable of rapidly launching landing craft even at speed.

Later, the design was amended to permit the T.1-class to carry 46-ton Type A “Ko-Hyoteki” and 59.6-ton Type D “Koryu” midget submarines and “Kaiten” human torpedoes and Shinyo explosive motorboats (EMB). The class were equipped with AA guns, depth charges, radar and sonar.

In October, 1943, 46 units of the T.1-class were ordered. Fifteen were built at Kure Naval Arsenal and six at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Most of Kure's vessels were completed within 80 days after their keels were laid. T.22 was launched on 25 April 1945, but work was stopped on 23 June 1945 when 80~90 percent complete. T.22 was scrapped in June 1948. In May 1945, the remaining 24 units were canceled.

In some cases, data for these small combatants are incomplete and the author could not find details of movements for some time frames. Readers with access to such data are requested to post the information on the IJN Ship Message Board.

Tabular Records of Movement (TROMs):
No. 1 Class Fast Transports

Specification Summary

Fast Transport T.1
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.2
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.3
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.4
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.5
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.6
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.7
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.8
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.9
(revised 1 September 2018)
Fast Transport T.10
(revised 31 December 2015)
Fast Transport T.11
(posted 1 October 2014)
Fast Transport T.12
(posted 1 November 2014)
Fast Transport T.13
(revised 1 September 2018)
Fast Transport T-14
(posted 1 June 2015)
Fast Transport T-15
(posted 1 July 2015)
Fast Transport T-16
(posted 1 July 2015)
Fast Transport T.17
(revised 1 January 2017)
Fast Transport T.18
(posted 1 August 2015)
Fast Transport T.19
(posted 1 August 2015)
Fast Transport T.20
(posted 1 August 2015)
Fast Transport T.21
(posted 1 August 2016)

Bibliography of Sources

About the Authors

Mr. Robert Hackett is a military historian and researcher. Retired from the United States Air Force and later from the aerospace industry, he resides in Florida.

Mr. Sander Kingsepp, a native of Estonia, is also a military historian and researcher. A talented linguist, Sander's translations of Japanese source materials have greatly enhanced these TROMs.

Questions to the authors concerning these TROMs should be posted on the Discussion and Questions board.