Imperial Japanese torpedo school

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Balrog
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Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#1

Post by Balrog » 20 Feb 2017, 17:05

Does anyone have any information on the IJN Torpedo school? Where was it located? What kind of curriculum did it have? How long was it? Was it only open to officers? Did the students live in a barracks or did they commute to school?

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Wellgunde
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#2

Post by Wellgunde » 21 Feb 2017, 02:43

The IJN Torpedo Naval Service School, founded in 1886, was located at the Yokosuka Naval Base. Training was divided between officers and enlisted personnel. All personnel, except perhaps the commander (a rear admiral) and other senior staff officers of the school, were billeted on the base.
Officer Training (focused on tactics and operations)
--Basic Torpedo Officer Course
--Advanced Torpedo Officer Course
Enlisted Training (
--Basic Torpedo Enlisted Course (focused on basic operation, handling, limited maintenance and safety)
--Advanced Torpedo Enlisted Course (focused on maintenance and repair)
These courses probably averaged three or four months in length.
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#3

Post by OpanaPointer » 21 Feb 2017, 03:48

Was this where the special torpedoes for Pearl Harbor were developed and manufactured?
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#4

Post by Balrog » 21 Feb 2017, 11:22

Thank you for the information. The school is reference in many of the history books I've read, but I haven't been able to find much on the torpedo school itself.

What kind of facilities did the school have for training? Did they use mock up targets? How did they practice firing torpedoes? Were there separate courses for submariners and torpedo boat personnel?

Was the training course considered difficult? Did a lot of students wash out of the course?

Does anyone have any photos of the school or training?

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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#5

Post by Wellgunde » 21 Feb 2017, 11:44

OpanaPointer wrote:Was this where the special torpedoes for Pearl Harbor were developed and manufactured?
Research and design for the Type 91 aerial torpedo was carried out by the First Naval Technical Arsenal, Kanazawa.
Model testing conducted at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal water tunnel.
Type 91 Mod 2 [the "Pearl Harbor" mod] designed by the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Ordnance Section
Manufacture carried out by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry's Nagasaki Weapons Factory.
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#6

Post by Wellgunde » 21 Feb 2017, 12:37

Balrog wrote:What kind of facilities did the school have for training? Did they use mock up targets? How did they practice firing torpedoes? Were there separate courses for submariners and torpedo boat personnel? Was the training course considered difficult? Did a lot of students wash out of the course?
The school consisted of typical classrooms in two buildings. Mockups and actual equipment were common in IJN training, however, I don't know what was used by the torpedo school. I don't believe they practiced launching any actual torpedoes. Underway torpedo training was the responsibility of the various squadrons. The school did not separate submarine and surface training. There were around 600 to 800 students in the school at any given time.
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#7

Post by ijnfleetadmiral » 21 Feb 2017, 12:54

What I have for the school:

Naval Torpedo School
ESTABLISHED - 2 December 1893 (As Torpedo Training Center)
Renamed Naval Torpedo School - 1 April 1907

Commanders
CAPT MORI Matashichiro (1) - 2 December 1893 - 28 July 1894
CAPT KUBOTA Sukeaki (??) - 28 July 1894 - 29 July 1895
CAPT KAMIMURA Shonojo (3) - 29 July 1895 - 26 November 1896
CAPT MOROOKA Yoriyuki (2) - 26 November 1896 - 27 December 1897
CAPT MOCHIHARA Heiji (Cradle) - 27 December 1897 - 2 March 1899
CAPT UCHIDA Zentaro (??) - 2 March 1899 - 1 June 1902
CAPT IIDA Tokunoshin (8) - 1 June 1902 - 27 October 1903
CDR KIMURA Kokichi (9) - 27 October 1903 - 12 January 1904 (Acting)
CAPT ARAKI Ryoichi (??) - 12 January 1904 - 24 January 1905
CAPT NAKAMURA Shizuka (7) - 24 January 1905 - 14 March 1906
CAPT KIMURA Kokichi (9) - 14 March 1906 - 28 August 1908
RADM KITAKOGA Takeichiro (6) - 28 August 1908 - 25 September 1908
CAPT OKADA Keisuke (15) - 25 September 1908 - 25 July 1910
CAPT SUZUKI Kantaro (14) - 25 July 1910 - 1 December 1911
RADM YAJIMA Junkichi (12) - 1 December 1911 - 1 December 1914
RADM MORI Etsutaro (15) - 1 December 1914 - 13 December 1915
RADM KONDO Tsunematsu (15) - 13 December 1915 - 1 December 1916
RADM KAWARA Kesataro (17) - 1 December 1916 - 4 September 1918
RADM HORIUCHI Saburo (17) - 4 September 1918 - 1 December 1918
RADM SAITO Hanroku (17) - 1 December 1918 - 1 December 1920
RADM YOSHIKAWA Yasuhira (22) - 1 December 1920 - 1 December 1921
RADM KUWASHIMA Shozo (20) - 1 December 1921 - 1 June 1923
RADM OTANI Koshiro (23) - 1 June 1923 - 1 December 1924
RADM IIDA Nobutaro (24) - 1 December 1924 - 20 October 1925
RADM NAGASAWA Naotaro (26) - 20 October 1925 - 1 December 1926
RADM TAKAHASHI Ritsuto (28) - 1 December 1926 - 1 December 1927
RADM YASUMI Saburo (29) - 1 December 1927 - 12 September 1929
RADM MATSUYAMA Shigeru (30) - 12 September 1929 - 1 December 1930
RADM ICHIMURA Hisao (31) - 1 December 1930 - 1 December 1932
Capt. / RADM HIGURASHI Toshiu (34) - 1 December 1932 - 15 November 1934
RADM ARICHI Jugoro (33) - 15 November 1934 - 1 December 1936
RADM MIKI Taichi (35) - 1 December 1936 - 10 March 1937
RADM HOSOGAYA Boshiro (36) - 10 March 1937 - 15 November 1937
RADM NAGUMO Chuichi (36) - 15 November 1937 - 15 November 1938
RADM OZAWA Jisaburo (37) - 15 November 1938 - 15 November 1939
RADM / VADM SAKAMOTO Ikuta (36) - 15 November 1939 - 1 September 1941
RADM / VADM KAWASE Shiro (38) - 1 September 1941 - 10 January 1942
RADM MIKI Taichi (35) - 10 January 1942 - 15 March 1943
RADM HASHIMOTO Shintaro (41) - 15 March 1943 - 25 November 1943
RADM / VADM OMORI Sentaro (41) - 25 November 1943 - 10 August 1945
RADM / VADM KOYANAGI Tomiji (42) - 10 August 1945 - 20 November 1945

Chief Instructors
??? - 2 December 1893 - 1 December 1919
CAPT OGURA Yoshiaki (27) - 1 December 1919 - 10 May 1922
CAPT TAKAHASHI Ritsuto (28) - 10 May 1922 - 1 December 1922
CAPT MATSUYAMA Shigeru (30) - 1 December 1922 - 10 May 1923
CAPT TACHI Meijiro (30) - 10 May 1923 - 16 June 1925
CAPT ICHIMURA Hisao (31) - 16 June 1925 - 20 August 1927
CAPT UEMATSU Toma (33) - 20 August 1927 - 30 November 1929
CAPT HIGURASHI Toshiu (34) - 30 November 1929 - 1 December 1931
CAPT SAKAMOTO Ikuta (36) - 1 December 1931 - 15 November 1933
CAPT OKUMA Masakichi (37) - 15 November 1933 - 15 November 1935
CAPT KURITA Takeo (38) - 15 November 1935 - 1 December 1937
CAPT OMORI Sentaro (41) - 1 December 1937 - 15 November 1939
CAPT KOYANAGITomiji (42) - 15 November 1939 - 15 October 1940
CAPT HAYAKAWA Mikio (44) - 15 October 1940 - 25 April 1942
CAPT SUGIURA Kaju (46) - 25 April 1942 - 20 February 1943
CAPT ABE Toshio (46) - 20 February 1943 - 6 May 1944
??? - 6 May 1944 - 10 July 1944
CAPT ARUGA Kosaku (45) - 10 July 1944 - 6 November 1944
??? - 6 November 1944 - 1 December 1944
RADM ARAKI Tsuto (45) - 1 December 1944 - 15 July 1945
??? - 15 July 1945 - 20 November 1945

Surgeons
??? - 2 December 1893 - 9 July 1907
(S) LCDR SUZUKI Kannosuke (1897) - 9 July 1907 - 29 July 1908
??? - 29 July 1908 - 1 December 1930
(S) LCDR TAKAHASHI Yutaka (1916) - 1 December 1930 - 14 November 1931
??? - 14 November 1931 - 11 January 1933
(S) CDR KANDATSU Kinsaku (1917) - 11 January 1933 - 1 February 1934
??? - 1 February 1934 - 1 December 1936
(S) CDR KANDATSU Kinsaku (1917) - 1 December 1936 - 17 August 1937
??? - 17 August 1937 - 20 November 1945

Adjutants
??? - 2 December 1893 - 22 April 1907
LT UEDA Yoshitake (28) - 22 April 1907 - 28 May 1908
LT USUI Kuni (30) - 28 May 1908 - 17 April 1909
LT YASUMI Saburo (29) - 17 April 1909 - 1 December 1909
??? - 1 December 1909 - 23 May 1911
LT / LCDR OZOEGAWA Masaharu (29) - 23 May 1911 - 27 May 1914
??? - 27 May 1914 - 23 September 1914
LCDR NAKAYAMA Tomonobu (30) - 23 September 1914 - 17 February 1916
LT TAKEDA Tadayuki (32) - 1 December 1914 - 1 April 1916
??? - 1 April 1916 - 1 December 1917
LT MIKI Taichi (35) - 1 December 1917 - 1 December 1918
??? - 1 December 1918 - 8 April 1922
LT SENOO Tomoyuki (40) - 8 April 1922 - 1 December 1922
??? - 1 December 1922 - 10 November 1924
LT FURUKAWA Tamotsu (43) - 10 November 1924 - 1 December 1925
??? - 1 December 1925 - 15 November 1933
LCDR KAMEYAMA Minegoro (44) - 15 November 1933 - 22 October 1934
??? - 22 October 1934 - 15 November 1937
CDR AMANO Shigetaka (47) - 15 November 1937 - 1 November 1939
CDR FUKUOKA Tokujiro (48) - 1 November 1939 - 20 August 1941
CDR SHIRAHAMA Masashichi (49) - 20 August 1941 - 1 February 1943
??? - 1 February 1943 - 20 November 1945
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#8

Post by OpanaPointer » 21 Feb 2017, 16:00

Wellgunde wrote:
OpanaPointer wrote:Was this where the special torpedoes for Pearl Harbor were developed and manufactured?
Research and design for the Type 91 aerial torpedo was carried out by the First Naval Technical Arsenal, Kanazawa.
Model testing conducted at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal water tunnel.
Type 91 Mod 2 [the "Pearl Harbor" mod] designed by the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal Ordnance Section
Manufacture carried out by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry's Nagasaki Weapons Factory.
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#9

Post by Balrog » 21 Feb 2017, 16:30

I'm impressed! 0_0 Great information, guys.

Are there any books in English which go into detail about the school?

Does anyone have any photos of the school?

Were most of the student new sailors or was the school for more experienced ones?

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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#10

Post by Wellgunde » 22 Feb 2017, 03:12

Balrog wrote:Are there any books in English which go into detail about the school?
None, that I know of and very little in Japanese.
Balrog wrote:Were most of the student new sailors or was the school for more experienced ones?
Almost all IJN basic schools, both officer and enlisted, were usually only open to servicemen with at least two years of service. In other words, you had to prove yourself in the fleet before being offered any additional training.
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#11

Post by Balrog » 25 Feb 2017, 17:31

Any photos of the school and training facilities?

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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#12

Post by Wellgunde » 27 Feb 2017, 01:55

Balrog wrote:Any photos of the school and training facilities?
There are many photos of the base taken before and during World War II however I have never seen one which specifically identified the Torpedo School.
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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#13

Post by Balrog » 27 Feb 2017, 07:04

I'm surprised how little information is available on this school. It is mentioned quite often in history books.

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Re: Imperial Japanese torpedo school

#14

Post by Wellgunde » 02 Mar 2017, 08:26

Balrog wrote:I'm surprised how little information is available on this school. It is mentioned quite often in history books.
Western writers have not had access to Japanese language primary and secondary sources. With regard to sources in English, there may exist something regarding the Torpedo School in the vast intelligence trove produced by Cincpac-Cincpoa, SWAPA, ATIS and others. Unfortunately, there is no index to these collections.
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