Japanese Army small gunboat Seha-Tei

[PT Dockyard]

Here is another mystery boat. It looks a little like the captured Dutch TM-4 MTBs but there is a break in the hull like and the bridge is too narrow.

Any information appreciated!


Dave G
The PT Dockyard

[Jerry Asher]

Sorry to intrude---I think I have seen the photo of the 2 RPG's --the one with the # 7, as being in a Japanese magazine and relating to deployment and use in late 1937 or early 1938 in China. May mean nothing--but just not sure New Guinea is right location for that particular photo. Again sorry to barge --I am not sure and I hate to be picky.

[PT Dockyard]

The other photos on the other thread are from the Australian War Memorial with reference to where and the circumstances so I think New Guinea.

I am also looking for anything on the specific boat modeled in this thread. The name looks like Seha-Tei.

Dave

[hisashi]

せは艇 seha-tei was an experimental improvement model of AB tei. 18m length, 12.2kt. I cannot find any reference that it was used in the battle.

[PT Dockyard]

Interesting. So I assume it was armored as well. Is that a large gun like a 75mm on the bow?

Dave

[Akira Takizawa]

Seha-Tei mounted 57mm ship gun.

Taki

[Akira Takizawa]

In 1944, 波号戦闘艇(Hago Sentotei) was developed. There were two models in Hago Sentotei. Model I was called Seha-Tei and Model II was called Seni-Tei.

Model I (Seha-Tei)
Length : 18.00m
Width : 3.50m
Speed : 13.5kt
Weapons : 57mm ship gun, twin 20mm AA cannon

Model II (Seni-Tei)
Length : 16.00m
Width : 3.50m
Speed : 9.85kt
Weapons : 37mm ship gun, twin 20mm AA cannon

Seni-Tei

Model I was larger and faster than Model II. But, it was not fit to mass-production. So, Model II was adopted. It was planned to produce Model II in 1945. But, it is unknown how many it was produced, even if it was actually produced.

In 1945, improved model of Seha-Tei was developed. It was called Seha-Tei Kai and it was adopted as 五式小護衛艇(Type 5 Small Escort Boat). It was larger than Seha-Tei and mounted three twin 20mm AA cannons. Only prototype was built and not produced.


Taki

[PT Dockyard]

Taki-san,
Excellent information! Thank you very much.

The choice of 57mm and 37mm are interesting but I assume these were Army weapons and outside of the normal scope of naval weapons that ILN controlled vessels used. The same was true with US Army controlled landing craft units in the Philippines- they had widely different armaments with everything from aircraft machine gun turrets to 57mm anti tank guns.

Is this illustration from one of the books you listed on the thread for the AB-Tei Armored boats?

Thank you!

Dave G

[Akira Takizawa]

37mm ship gun was converted from 37mm tank gun. It was also used on IJA submarine Maru-Yu.
https://twitter.com/satoutaisa/status/5 ... 2342017024

The details of 57mm ship gun are not known. But, it was probably converted from 57mm tank gun.

> Is this illustration from one of the books you listed on the thread for the AB-Tei Armored boats?

No, it was from IJA document at JACAR. There are some documents about Hago Sentotei, but this is only illustration on them. If you want to read these documents, I will inform the ref codes.

Taki

[PT Dockyard]

I think I found a model of the Type 5 Escort Boat


Here with a model of the Seha-Tei



Problem is I also found another one I do not recognize



Found them here: http://modelcorps.blog71.fc2.com/blog-entry-1504.html

I also found this


a "Caro boat/ Boat Detroyer"
This one came from here:
http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php? ... d=34274423

Dave G

[Akira Takizawa]

> I think I found a model of the Type 5 Escort Boat

To be exact, it is Seha-Tei.

> Here with a model of the Seha-Tei

One in the foreground is Seni-Tei.

> Problem is I also found another one I do not recognize

It is Karo-Tei.
http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/karo.html

> a "Caro boat/ Boat Detroyer"

Not Caro, but Karo. It is Karo-Tei.

A new book about IJA ships and boats has been published. It has drawings of Seha-Tei and Karo-Tai. If you are interested in IJA vessels, I recommend it.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4499231779

Taki

[PT Dockyard]

Looks great. I have not had luck with Amazon Japan but will try again.

Thank you!