IJN Converted Submarine Chaser, Fumi-Maru: Whale Catcher

[tester188@psn 1,413]

Tokusetsu Kusentei  Fumi Maru

特設駆潜艇 文丸

Converted Submarine Chaser, Fumi Maru

Taken when Fumi Maru was still a whale catcher. Pay attention to the paint on the hull. "文" is read as Fumi. "(は)" is read as Maruha. Each means the ship's name and owner.

 

In a nutshell Japanese style naval trawler.

 

Basic Registration Information

• Assignment: Chichi Jima Area Special Base Forces
• Use: Submarine chaser
• Ship name: Fumi Maru
• Ship number: 45433
• Gross tonnage: 359 t
• Class and type: Whale catcher
• Owner: Nishi Taiyo Gyogyo Tosei K.K.
• Jurisdiction: Yokosuka Naval District
• Date of recruitment: August 16, 1941

(From the 1943 Commandeered Vessel Register)

 

History

Whaling was active around the world until the early 20th century. It was mainly to obtain whale oil as fuel for lighting. In 1853, the USS Susquehanna and her colleagues visited Japan, the land of the samurai, and negotiated with the Edo shogunate. One of the goals was to allow American whalers to refuel in Japanese ports. The Japanese have been whaling since ancient times, and many whalers were built before the war. 

 

To compensate for the lack of regular submarine chasers, the Imperial Japanese Navy converted many fishing boats to submarine chasers during the Pacific War. Converted submarine chaser, classified as XPC, engaged in anti-submarine patrols, convoy escorts, and security. Before the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Imperial Japanese Navy converted 30 whaling vessels used in the Antarctic Ocean to submarine chasers. Since it was still insufficient, 81 fishing boats with excellent seaworthiness, such as pelagic tuna fishing boats, were converted to submarine chaser. However, as the war raged and submarine chasers became even more scarce, 154 miscellaneous fishing boats were converted to submarine chasers.

 

The top priority whale catchers were converted to submarine chasers because they were high-performance fishing vessels that could withstand long voyages to the Antarctic Ocean and had a maximum speed of about 15 knots. Whalers were suitable for use in naval operations because many of them were of the same design and had the same performance. Whales and submarines were similar in several ways.

 

About the armament. It was equipped with Y-gun depth charge projector and depth charge release track, and carried 20-40 depth charges. Instead of the harpoon gun in the bow, it had one short-barreled 76.2 mm or 57 mm gun. These were antique naval guns that had been removed from warships. Initially, it was standard to equip the bridge with a 7.7 mm machine gun, but the machine gun was increased to 13.2 mm or 25 mm machine gun, and the number increased to 2 to 3 machine guns on the stern deck. Initially it was only passive sonar, but active sonar was also added. She was heavily armed for a fishing boat, but still not enough to compete with the powerful Allied aircraft and submarines, and, more than 100 ships were sunk and only about 50 survived the war.

 

Fumi Maru, introduced here, survived the war with her sister No. 2 Seki Maru. It was a lucky fishing boat. After the war, it was reconverted to a whaling vessel. Taiyo Gyogyo Corporation, the owner of Fumi Maru, has changed its name and still serves seafood to the Japanese as Maruha Nichiro Corporation.

 

General characteristics:

• Gross tonnage: 359 t
• Net tonnage: 116 t
• Length: 42.50 m
• Beam: 7.70 m
• Depth: 4.30 m
• Draft: 2.93 m (empty load) - 4.10 m (full load)
• Construction: Steel
• Propulsion: 1 shaft diesel 1400 hp at 210 rpm (maximum)
• Maximum speed: 14.9 knot
• Cruising speed: 13.0 knot
• Crew: 20-40 (The crew is doubled to operate the armament.)
• Fuel: 153.47 t

 

Drawing of Whale catcher Fumi Maru:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Armaments

• 1 x 8 cm /25 (3 inch) (Type 41) short-barreled gun or 57 mm /40 (6 pounder) (Yamanouchi) quick-firing gun on the forecastle deck
• 1 x single 25 mm Type 96 machine gun on the stern
• 1 x twin 13.2 mm Type 93 machine gun on the bridge
• 1 x Y-gun depth charge projector gun on the bow
• 1 x Depth charge release track on the stern
• 20-40 depth charges

 

Details of armaments are inferred from typical examples:

Spoiler

 

8 cm/25 (76.2 mm) (Type 41) short-barreled gun (5th Year Type high-angle gun)

 

 

Sources

Spoiler

Japan steamship name list, edition 1943, No. 2 (2). p. 35

https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/das/meta-en/C08050087200

 

Name list of requisition ships as of June 1, 1943 (relevant to Navy) (6). p. 21.

https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/das/meta-en/C08050008300

 

Imperial Japanese Navy Tokusetsukansen DATA BASE

http://www.tokusetsukansen.jpn.org/E/204/204TOP4.htm

 

The latest collection of fishing boats. Dainippon Fisheries Association. 1940. FN. 5, 19-26

https://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1112265/19?itemId=info%3Andljp%2Fpid%2F1112265&contentNo=19&__lang=en

 

Far-Eastern Small Craft, ONI 208-J, Sup 2, and Sup 3, 1945. p. 143

https://maritime.org/doc/id/oni208j-far-eastern-small-craft/pg143.htm

 

"Japanese Fishing Boat Fighting - The Success of Small Vessels During the War". Written by Kenji Ouchi. September 2011. ISBN-13: 978-4769827061. pp. 90-101, 185-191.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/戦う日本漁船―戦時下の小型船舶の活躍-光人社NF文庫-大内-建二/dp/4769827067

 

"Gunboat, Submarine chaser, Torpedo boat, Minesweeper, Unique Ships Suitable for Each Task". Written by Kenji Ouchi. August 2015. ISBN-13: 978-4769829058. pp. 148-152.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/砲艦-駆潜艇-水雷艇-掃海艇―それぞれの任務に適した個性的な艦艇-光人社NF文庫/dp/4769829051/

 

Maruha Nichiro Corporation

https://www.maruha-nichiro.com/who_we_are/1880_1944.html

 

Annual report of Nagasaki Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences. No. 39. p. 2.

http://www.pref.nagasaki.jp/shared/uploads/2013/05/1367900277.pdf

 

Battle of Rising Sun Whaling Fleet

http://tensyofleet.sakura.ne.jp/library/nanpyoyo/nanpyoyo1.html

 

8 cm/25 Type 41 naval gun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8_cm/40_3rd_Year_Type_naval_gun

 

QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_6-pounder_Hotchkiss#Japanese_service

 

Photo

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C250101

https://hi-in.facebook.com/nakaokekujira/posts/1673181712815430

http://cb1100f.b10.coreserver.jp/collection2_z_27.html

https://sootinclaimon.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/รำลึกรักชาติ-บนพิพิธภัณ/

 

Edited July 10, 2020 by *tester188

[leroyonly 4,311]

Open for discussion.

[Wiggly_Armed_Man 2,383]

This looks like a beefed up Type 5, I wouldn't mind having it in-game.

[Milocat 4,854]

+1, this looks like a great ship to see in the game.

[Valcour 1,141]

An excellent choice!

 

[BrentD15@psn 1,117]

+1 for obscure Japanese warships.

[OKAZAQI 166]

+1