Engineering:B-class motor launch
 Launch of Cha 105 in Soerabaja.
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | B class |
| Builders: |
|
| Operators: | |
| Planned: | 16 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Motor launch |
| Displacement: | 130 t (130 long tons) |
| Length: | 45.5 m (149 ft 3 in) |
| Beam: | 5 m (16 ft 5 in) |
| Draft: | 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: | 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) |
| Armament: |
|
The B class was a ship class of sixteen motor launches built in the Dutch East Indies for the Royal Netherlands Navy.[1][2] However, before the motor launches could be completed the Dutch East Indies was invaded by the Japanese.[3] To prevent the vessels from being captured they were scuttled.[4] Nonetheless, seven motor launches were salvaged and completed as auxiliary submarine chasers by the Japanese and taken into service of the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Cha 103 class.[2][5]
Design and construction
The B-class motor launches were built in the Dutch East Indies at the shipyards of Droogdok Maatschappij Soerabaja, Marine Etablissement te Soerabaja and Indische Maatschappij Palembang.[4] They were designed to be able to perform various roles such as auxiliary submarine chaser, patrol vessel and auxiliary minesweeper.[6] The launches measured 45.5 meters (149 ft 3 in) in length, had a beam of 5.0 meters (16 ft 5 in) and a draft of 1.4 meters (4 ft 7 in).[4] Furthermore, they had a displacement of 130 tons and were equipped with diesel engines that could produce 1,900 brake horsepower (1,400 kW).[7] This allowed the launches to reach a maximum speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).[7] As armament they had a single 76-millimeter (3 in) naval gun, a single 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft gun, two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns and 20 depth charges.[4][2]
Cha 103 class
The seven motor launches that were salvaged and completed as auxiliary submarine chasers by the Japanese became known as the Cha 103 class.[2][5] These submarine chasers were equipped with different diesel engines and armament in comparison to their original B class design.[8] Four chasers (Cha 103, Cha 105, Cha 107 and Cha 108) were equipped with diesel engines that could produce 1,800 bhp (1,300 kW), which allowed them to reach a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[8] Two (Cha 114 and Cha 115) were equipped with diesel engines that could produce 1,500 bhp (1,100 kW), which allowed them to reach a maximum speed of 19 knots.[8] While the last one, Cha 106, was equipped with diesel engines that could produce 1,200 bhp (890 kW), which allowed the chaser to reach a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).[8] All auxiliary submarine chasers of the Cha 103 class were armed with a single 47 mm (1.9 in) Yamanouchi gun, a 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine gun, a 7.7 mm (0.30 in) machine gun and two depth charge rails that could carry a total of 32 depth charges.[5]
See also
- Script error: The function "sclass" does not exist.
References
- ↑ Lenton (1968), p. 95.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gardiner and Chesneau (1980), p. 396.
- ↑ von Münching (1978), p. 116.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Mark (1997), p. 137.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Vermeer, Wilco (9 February 2025). "Japanse Onderzeebootjagers van de Cha 103-klasse (1942)" (in nl). TracesOfWar.com. https://www.tracesofwar.nl/articles/7222/Japanse-Onderzeebootjagers-van-de-Cha-103-klasse-1942.htm.
- ↑ von Münching (1978), p. 8.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 von Münching (1978), p. 115.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Lenton (1968), p. 96.
Bibliography
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. 1980. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Lenton, H.T. (1968). Royal Netherlands Navy. Navies of the Second World War. London: Macdonald & Co..
- Mark, Chris (1997) (in Dutch). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II. Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-522-9.
- von Münching, L.L. (1978) (in Dutch). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Alkmaar: Alk. ISBN 90-6013-903-8.
 |  |
