Japanese submarine I-123

History
Imperial Japanese Navy
NameSubmarine No. 50
BuilderKawasaki Corporation, KobeJapan
Laid down12 June 1925
Launched19 March 1927
RenamedI-23 on 19 March 1927
Completed28 April 1928
Commissioned28 April 1928
Decommissioned25 May or 25 November 1935 (see text)
Recommissioned26 December 1935
RenamedI-123 on 17 June 1938
Decommissioned1 April 1939
Recommissioned1 May 1940
FateSunk 29 August 1942
Stricken5 October 1942
General characteristics
Class and typeI-121-class submarine
Displacement
  • 1,142 long tons (1,160 t) surfaced
  • 1,768 long tons (1,796 t) submerged
Length85.20 m (279 ft 6 in) overall
Beam7.52 m (24 ft 8 in)
Draft4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Rauschenbach Mk.1 diesels
  • 2,400 bhp surfaced
  • 1,100 shp submerged
  • 2 shafts
Speed
  • 14.9 knots (27.6 km/h; 17.1 mph) surfaced
  • 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h; 7.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 40 nmi (74 km; 46 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 75 m (246 ft) (as built)
  • 55 m (180 ft) (from 1936)
Complement80
Armament

I-123, originally named Submarine No. 50 then renamed I-23 from before her construction began until June 1938, was an I-121-class submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. During the latter conflict, she conducted operations in support of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal campaign, and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. She was sunk in 1942.

After she was renumbered I-123 in 1938, the designation I-23 was reassigned to a later submarine which also served during World War II.

  1. ^ Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 p.191