The were medium Imperial Japanese Navy submarines in commission during the 1920s. They were Japan's first true seagoing submarines and the earliest Japanese submarines classified as "second-class" or "medium" submarines.
Design and description The Type F submarines were designed by the Italian firm Fiat-Laurenti and built under license by Kawasaki at Kobe, Japan.Gray, p. 247. The Type F submarines were the Imperial Japanese Navy's first true seagoing submarines, and when the Japanese adopted a three-tiered classification system of its submarines as first-class (I), second-class or medium (Ro), and third-class (Ha) on 1 November 1924,Gray, p. 245. the Type F submarines were the earliest to receive the second-class classification, as reflected in their low numbers in the Ro series, and in fact they were the earliest Japanese submarine classified as anything higher than third-class.
As built, Type F submarines had no deck gun, but soon after they were completed each of them had a /40 gun installed on her deck. The Type F submarines had non-cylindrical hulls intended to provide extra internal space, but the Japanese considered the hulls weak despite the provision of additional scantlings during construction to reinforce them. Because of their disappointing performance, they did not serve as the basis for any later Japanese submarine classes.
Class variants The Type F submarines were divided into two subclasses:
Type F1 (Ro-1-class)
The F1 subclass was ordered under the 1915–1916 naval program. Two were constructed between 1917 and 1920:
Name Laid down Launched Completed Notes, fate ex-Submarine No. 18 5 January 1917 28 July 1919 31 March 1920 Renamed Ro-1 on 1 November 1924. Stricken 1 April 1932. ex-Submarine No. 21 1 July 1918 22 November 1919 20 April 1920 Renamed Ro-2 on 1 November 1924. Stricken 1 April 1932.
Type F2 (Ro-3-class)
The F2 subclass (Ro-3-class) was ordered in 1918. It was an improved version of the F1 subclass with a modified bridge. The Fiat diesel engines were unreliable and the F2 subclass's top surface speed of was well below the intended . Additional F2 subclass units planned under the 1919 construction program were cancelled and replaced by the new Kaichū-type and Type L submarines.
Three submarines of the F2 subclass were constructed between 1919 and 1922:
Name Laid down Launched Completed Notes, fate ex-Submarine No. 31 28 October 1919 10 March 1921 15 July 1922 Renamed Ro-3 1 November 1924. Stricken 1 April 1932. ex-Submarine No. 32 22 December 1919 22 June 1921 5 May 1922 Renamed Ro-4 1 November 1924. Stricken and hulked 1 April 1932. ex-Submarine No. 33 1 March 1920 17 September 1921 9 March 1922 Renamed Ro-5 1 November 1924. Stricken and hulked 1 April 1932.
Characteristics Sources Type F1 (Ro-1) F2 (Ro-3)Displacement Surfaced Submerged Length (overall) Beam Draft Power plant and shaft 2 × Fiat diesel engines2 x Savigliano electric motors2 shafts 2 × Fiat diesel engines2 x Savigliano electric motors2 shaftsPower Surfaced Submerged Speed Surfaced Submerged Range Surfaced at at Submerged at at Test depth Fuel 58.4 tons 58.4 tons Complement 43 43 Armament As built:• 5 × torpedo tubes(3 × bow, 2 × stern)• 8 × Type 44 torpedoes• 1 × 7.7 mm machine gunAdded after completion:• 1 x deck gun • 5 × torpedo tubes(3 × bow, 2 × stern)• 8 × Type 44 torpedoes• 1 × 7.7 mm machine gunAdded after completion:• 1 x deck gun
References
Bibliography Gray, Randal, ed., Conway′s All the World′s Fighting Ships 1906–1921, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985, .