Japanese submarine I-159


The Japanese submarine I-159 was a of the KD3B sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the 1920s.

Design and description

The submarines of the KD3B sub-class were essentially repeats of the preceding KD3A sub-class with minor modifications to improve seakeeping. They displaced surfaced and submerged. The submarines were long, had a beam of and a draft of. The boats had a diving depth of
For surface running, the boats were powered by two diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a electric motor. They could reach on the surface and underwater. On the surface, the KD3Bs had a range of at ; submerged, they had a range of at.
The boats were armed with eight internal torpedo tubes, six in the bow and two in the stern. They carried one reload for each tube; a total of 16 torpedoes. They were also armed with one 12 cm 11th Year Type naval gun| deck gun for combat on the surface.

Construction and career

IJN I-159 was laid down on 5 March 1927 at the Yokosuka Navy Yard. Torpedoed the Dutch steamer carrying troops and civilians fleeing Padang en route to Colombo the aftermath of the loss of Singapore. IJN I-159 surrendered to allied forces in September 1945 and transferred to Sasebo after. Decommissioned on 30 November 1945 and stripped of all equipments. Towed by USS Nereus and sunk as a target off the Gotō Islands on 1 April 1946.