Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Imperial Japanese Navy — Submarine

Japanese submarine Ro-38

Kaichū type submarine (K6 subclass)

Displacement
1,115 long tons (1,133 t)
Length
80.5 m (264.1 ft)
Beam
7 m (23 ft)
Speed
19.8 knots (36.6 km/h, 22.7 mph)
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Service

  1. Imperial Japanese Navy as Submarine No. 20424 July 1943 — 30 April 1944279 days of the war
Kaichū type submarine (K6 subclass) Particulars
Name
Ro-38
Builder
Mitsubishi, Kobe, Japan
Laid down
20 June 1942
Launched
24 December 1942
Commissioned
24 July 1943
Struck
30 April 1944
Fate
Missing after 19 November 1943
Possibly sunk 24 November 1943 (1943)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,115 long tons (1,133 t)
Displacement, submerged
1,447 long tons (1,470 t)
Length
80.5 m (264.1 ft) OA
Beam
7 m (23 ft)
Draught
4.07 m (13.4 ft)
Speed
19.8 knots (36.6 km/h, 22.7 mph)
Range
5,000 nmi (9,260 km)
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

Ro-38 was a submarine of the Kaichū type submarine (K6 subclass), operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her keel was laid at Mitsubishi, Kobe, Japan on 20 June 1942. She entered service on 24 July 1943, having been launched on 24 December 1942.

The boat displaced 1,115 long tons surfaced and 1,447 long tons submerged. She measured 80.5 m (264 ft) long with a beam of 7 m (23 ft). Her designed speed was 19.8 knots.

Her main battery was one 76 mm (3 in) guns. Her machinery developed 4,200 bhp.

She was in commission for 279 days of the Second World War. She was struck from the register on 30 April 1944.

She was sunk on 19 November 1943. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • Diesel-electric
  • 1 × diesel engine
  • 1 × electric motor
Power
  • 4200 bhp (diesel)
  • 1200 hp (electric motor)
Armament
  • 4 × bow 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • 1 × 76.2 mm L/40 anti-aircraft gun
  • 2 × single 25 mm AA guns

Sister ships

Sources