Japanese seaplane tender Kamoi

Kamoi in 1937
History
Name	Kamoi
Namesake	Cape of Kamoi
Builder	New York Shipbuilding
Laid down	14 September 1921
Launched	8 June 1922
Completed	12 September 1922
Commissioned	12 September 1922
Decommissioned	3 May 1947
In service	1922–1945
Reclassified	February 1933 (seaplane tender) 1939 (flying boat tender) 15 April 1944 (oiler)
Fate	Scrapped post war
Kamoi in 1920s
General characteristics as oiler (1922)
Displacement	17,000 long tons (17,273 t) standard
Length	148.89 m (488 ft 6 in) Lpp
Beam	20.42 m (67 ft 0 in)
Draught	8.53 m (28 ft 0 in)
Propulsion	1 × GE/Curtis turbine 2 × GE electrical generators 4 × B&W oil/coal-fired boilers 2 shafts, 8,000 bhp
Speed	15.0 knots (17.3 mph; 27.8 km/h)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km) at 7 kn (8.1 mph; 13 km/h)
Capacity	• 10,000 tons oil
Complement	181
Armament	• 2 × 140 mm (5.5 in) naval guns • 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) AA guns
General characteristics as seaplane tender (1933)
Complement	324
Armament	• 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) AA guns
Aircraft carried	22 × Nakajima E4N or 12 × Yokosuka E5Y
Aviation facilities	hangar
General characteristics as flying boat tender (1939)
Displacement	15,381 long tons (15,628 t) trial
Propulsion	1 × GE/Curtis turbine 2 × GE electrical generators 4 × Kampon boilers 2 shafts
Armament	• 2 × 140 mm (5.5 in) naval guns • 1 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) AA gun • 10 × 20 mm AA guns

The Kamoi (神威) was a oiler/seaplane tender/flying boat tender of the Imperial Japanese Navy, serving during the 1920s and the World War II. She was initially planned in 1920 as one of six of the oilers under the Eight-eight fleet final plan.

Service

• 12 September 1922: Completed. Classification to the Special service ship (Oiler).
• 27 September 1922: Sailed to Yokosuka.
• (after): Sailing to and from the Japanese mainland to North America, 25 times.
• End of 1932: Converted to seaplane tender for January 28 Incident at Uraga Dock Company.
• February 1933: Constructions were completed, and assigned to the Combined Fleet.
• 1 June 1934: Classification to the Warship (Seaplane tender).
• 1 June 1936: She was assigned to the 3rd Carrier Division.
• July 1937: helped search for downed American aviator Amelia Earhart.
• In 1939: Started overhaul and added flying boat tender facilities.
• 15 November 1940: She was assigned to the 24th Air Division.
• 1 December 1941: The 24th Air Division was assigned to the 4th Fleet.
• January 1942: Support to the Rabaul and Kavieng invasions.
• 1 April 1942: The 24th Air Division was assigned to the 11th Air Fleet.
• 1 April 1943: She was assigned to the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet.
• 28 January 1944: Sustained heavy damaged in an attack by USS Bowfin off Makassar.
• (after): Repairs were started and removed aviation facilities at Singapore.
• 15 April 1944: Classification to the Special service ship (Oiler).
• 29 August 1944: Repairs were completed.
• 24 September 1944 : Slightly damaged by aircraft of Task Force 38 at Coron Bay.
• 27 September 1944: Sustained heavy damaged in an attack by USN submarine at outside of Manila Bay.
• (after): Repairs were started at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal.
• 31 December 1944: Repairs were completed and entry to the Hi-87 Convoy (from Moji to Singapore).
• 16 January 1945: Heavy damaged by air raid at Hong Kong. She was separated from convoy.

Fate

• 5 April 1945 : Burned by air raid, later sank in shallow water.
• 3 May 1947 : Decommissioned.

See also

• Barnegat class seaplane tender
• Currituck class seaplane tender
• Japanese seaplane tender Notoro
• Japanese seaplane tender Akitsushima

Bibliography

• Model Art Extra No.537, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels Part-3, "Model Art Co. Ltd". (Japan), May 1999
• Collection of writings by Sizuo Fukui Vol.7, Stories of Japanese Aircraft Carriers, "Kōjinsha". (Japan), August 1996, ISBN 4-7689-0655-8
• Ships of the World special issue Vol.40, History of Japanese Aircraft Carriers, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), May 1994
• Shinshichirō Komamiya, The Wartime Convoy Histories, "Shuppan Kyōdōsha"., (Japan), October 1987, ISBN 4-87970-047-9
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.25 Japanese seaplane tenders, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), March 1979