Calling all Japanese pre-war/wartime Merchant Marine fans

[mike mccabe]

Excellent display of merchants Motoyuki San. That harbour look interesting, any more information on that?

Mike

[Gilbert]

Plans and fate of a Wartime Standard Type 1TM tanker, the Yuho Maru.

Link : http://www.panagadivers.com/Wrecks/Toho.htm#Tohosearch

Cheers

Gilbert

[Gilbert]

A Yuho Maru model was built by Motoyuki San. you can see it on his website here http://ww6.enjoy.ne.jp/~iwashige/yuhomaru.htm

Gilbert

[janschu]

Hello Mike,

if you are referring to the drawing on page 89, this is the Truk Atoll. Shown here are the ships (and their sinking positions)
that were lost during the air raids of operation "Hailstone" on February 17 and 18 1944.

Hope that helps a bit.

Greetings from the North Sea Coast, Jan

[Caravellarella]

Dear Boys & Girls, just a thought; should this thread be called "Calling All pre-1945 Japanese Merchant Marine Fans"?

Here is something I've just found in my collection......

M.V. Kamogawa Maru......

M.V. KAMOGAWA MARU; a twin screw motorship built for Toyo Kaiun Kaisha but chartered to Mitsui Bussan Kaisha from April 1940 and seen here in their livery; sisterships Tamagawa Maru and Yodogawa Maru. She was requisitioned by The Imperial Japanese Navy on 5th September 1941 to become an auxiliary aircraft transport and was sunk on on 2nd March 1942 near The Lombok Strait by SS-192 U.S.S. Sailfish.

Builder � Mitsubishi Dockyard, Yokohama. Yard No. 292.

Laid down 26th August 1937.
Launched 16th April 1938.
Service 15th April 1938 to 2nd March 1942.

Length 133.9 metres (pp), breadth 17.8 metres. 6,441Grt.

Terry (Caravellarella)

[Quincy]

I just received a copy of Japanese Merchant Ships at War by Hisashi Noma. If you can obtain a copy of this book buy one without hesitation. It is that good. In the beginning of the book are some excellent paintings of Marus going to the bottom after there torpedoing. There is also English captions describing every page and every picture. There is an early war picture of Rio de Janeiro down by the bow after being torpedoed by a British sub. I had never seen that pic before. Also what caught my attention was a picture of Brazil Maru still in her peacetime colors while anchored off Saipan Island or in Apra harbor, Guam circa May/June 1942. It looks like she has a deguassing cable, or could it be a white pinstripe around her rusty hull, not sure. As for armament it is hard to tell for sure what she has. There is no evidence of any 4.7 guns, also it is hard to see if she has any single 20mm or 25mm aa guns.




Bob Pink.

[Gilbert]

@ Terry : Thanks for the photo and ship info. They are both always welcome

@ Bob : Thanks for the book info. It looks really great. I am not sure to find any copy in Europe. From whom did you buy yours ?

Cheers

Gilbert

[Caravellarella]

Thank you Gilbert. For a time I was confusing the pre-war Toyo Kaiun Kaisha M.V. Kamogawa Maru with the post-war ship of the same name......

M.V. Kamogawa Maru (i), � A. Duncan; in partial Mitsui Senpaku Kaisha livery.

M.V. KAMOGAWA MARU; a motorship built for Toyo Kaiun Kaisha, she may have had two sisterships, Tonegawa Maru and Kinugawa Maru, but I do not know for sure. She was renamed PORT ELIZABETH MARU by Mitsui�O.S.K in 1969.

Builder � Fujinagata Dockyard, Osaka. Yard No. 28.

Laid down � unknown.
Launched - 20th September 1952.
Service (Taiyo Kaiun then Mitsui-OSK) December 1952 to 1972.


Should I be posting pictures of post-war ships in this thread?

Terry (Caravellarella)

[Gilbert]

Should I be posting pictures of post-war ships in this thread?

Terry (Caravellarella)

Terry, personnally, I am more interested by pre-war and ships built during the war but others might be interested by post-war ships. The decision is entirely yours .

Gilbert

[Caravellarella]

Thanks Gilbert. Most of my collection is of post-war ships. I did find 2 wartime-built standard design ships however, but they are seen here in post-war service......

S.S. Kocho Maru 1.......

S.S. KOCHO MARU; a wartime standard steamship design built for Hiroumi Kisen Kaisha, I do not know why she is wearing Daido Kaiun Kaisha titles on her hull in this picture.

Builder � Mitsui Dockyard, Tamano. Yard No. 397.

Laid down � unknown.
Launched February 1945.
Service 18th March 1945 to 27th June 1963.

Length 137.3 metres, breadth 18.2 metres. 6,930Grt.

S.S. Daizui Maru 4......

S.S. DAIZUI MARU; a wartime standard 2A design steamship built for Osaka Shosen Kaisha.

Builder � Kawaminami Dockyard, Nagasaki. Yard No. A43.

Laid down - unknown.
Launched - unknown.
Service 9th February 1945 to 4th February 1963.

Length 137.3 metres, breadth 18.2 metres. 6,872Grt.

Terry (Caravellarella)

[Quincy]

@ Terry : Thanks for the photo and ship info. They are both always welcome

@ Bob : Thanks for the book info. It looks really great. I am not sure to find any copy in Europe. From whom did you buy yours ?

Cheers

Gilbert

Go to www.abebooks.com type in the title and the author Hisashi Nomi.


Bob Pink.

[Gilbert]

Thanks Bob, just done it and ordered it from the UK.

Gilbert

PS - About Brazil Maru, she was sunk before getting fitted with some 4,7" guns.

[Quincy]

She must have been sunk with her peacetime colors to I would imagine.



Bob Pink.

[Gilbert]

She must have been sunk with her peacetime colors to I would imagine.



Bob Pink.

As she was sunk near Truk, on 5 August 1942, about two months after MI, I would imagine her rather in grey at the time of her sinking, as there was enough time to give her some paint job, but lack of photographs leaves all options open

Gilbert

[Quincy]

You could be right there Gilbert, although her shabby peacetime paint job would be more colorful.




Bob Pink.

[Dan K]

Bob, are you referring to this pic of Brazil Maru? Is it of higher quality? And, where exactly, did you purchase that book? thx.

[Caravellarella]

Dear Boys and Girls, do you ever use the "nifty" pages as a useful reference source for Japanese Merchantmen? They are a pretty comprehensive guide; here are links to some of the "nifty" pages (I hope they work)......

Nippon Yusen Kaisha pre-war liners and cargo ships......
http://homepage3.nifty.com/jpnships/com ... shoki1.htm

Osaka Shosen Kaisha pre-war liners and cargo ships......
http://homepage3.nifty.com/jpnships/com ... shoki1.htm

Kokusai Kisen Kaisha......
http://homepage3.nifty.com/jpnships//co ... nugasamaru

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha pre-war cargo ships......
http://homepage3.nifty.com/jpnships/com ... shoki1.htm

The "nifty" Pages are in Japanese Kanji (I think) script and don't always work properly in Google Translate......

Terry (Caravellarella)

[Gilbert]

Thanks a lot for these very useful links, Terry

Gilbert

[Quincy]

Bob, are you referring to this pic of Brazil Maru? Is it of higher quality? And, where exactly, did you purchase that book? thx.

Hi Dan:


Yes that is the picture. I ordered my book from www.abebooks.com The booksellers were Maiden Voyage Booksellers from Kennebunk, Maine. Phone#207-985-9846


Thanks again.



Bob Pink.

[Quincy]

I forgot to add, it is the same quality picture as you posted.




Bob Pink.