Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

Japanese submarine Ro-501

Type IXC/40 submarine

Japanese submarine Ro-501
Unknown author — http://www.usnavy.mil — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate The launching ceremony for the Japanese submarine RO-51, formerly U-1224, in 1944 Germany. Last known picture before the submarine was sunk by the United States Navy.

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-122420 October 1943 — 15 February 1944118 days of the war
  2. Imperial Japanese Navy as Ro-50115 February 1944 — 13 May 194488 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
Ro-501
Builder
Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Ordered
25 August 1941
Laid down
30 November 1942
Launched
7 July 1943
Commissioned
20 October 1943
Decommissioned
15 February 1944
Fate
Sunk on 13 May 1944 (1944)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Displacement, submerged
1,237 long tons (1,257 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft) OA
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Draught
4.67 m (15.3 ft)
Speed
18.3 knots (33.9 km/h, 21.1 mph)
Range
13,850 nmi (25,650 km)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

Ro-501 was a Type IXC/40 submarine of the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Deutsche Werft, Hamburg on 30 November 1942. She entered service on 20 October 1943, having been launched on 7 July 1943.

Her class ran to 142 ships. The class followed the Type I and was succeeded by the Type XXI.

The boat displaced 1,126 long tons surfaced and 1,237 long tons submerged. She measured 76.8 m (252 ft) long with a beam of 6.9 m (23 ft). Her designed speed was 18.3 knots, and she carried a complement of 48.

Her main battery was one 105 mm (4.1 in) guns.

She served with the Kriegsmarine as U-1224 until 15 February 1944. She then passed to the Imperial Japanese Navy, serving as Ro-501 from 15 February 1944. She was in commission for 206 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned on 15 February 1944.

She was sunk on 13 May 1944, at 30°00′N 37°00′W. 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
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 4400 PS (diesels)
  • 1000 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm torpedoes
  • 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42 AA gun
  • 2 x twin 2 cm C/30 AA guns

Sister ships

117 more in the class

Sources