Japanese submarine Ha-216
Ha-216 was an Imperial Japanese Navy "Ha-201"-class submarine. Completed and commissioned in August 1945 on the day after hostilities ended in World War II, she surrendered in September 1945 and was scuttled in April 1946. Design and description. At the end of 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided it needed large numbers of high-speed coastal submarines to defend the Japanese Home Islands against an anticipated Allied invasion (named Operation Downfall by the Allies). To meet this requirement, the "Ha-201"-class submarines were designed as small, fast submarines incorporating many of the same advanced ideas implemented in the  German Type XXI and Type XXIII submarines. They were capable of submerged speeds of almost . The "Ha-201" class displaced surfaced and submerged. The submarines were long, had a beam of and a draft of . For surface running, the submarines were powered by a single diesel engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a electric motor. They could reach on the surface and submerged. On the surface, the "Ha-201"-class submarines had a range of at ; submerged, they had a range of at . Their armament consisted of two torpedo tubes with four torpedoes and a single  mount for a 7.7-millimeter machine gun. Construction and commissioning. "Ha-216" was laid down on 27 May 1945 by the Sasebo Naval Arsenal at Sasebo, Japan, as Submarine No. 4926. She was renamed Ha-216 and was attached provisionally to the Sasebo Naval District that day. Launched on 19 June 1945, she was completed and commissioned on 16 August 1945, the last "Ha-201"-class submarine to enter service. Service history. Upon commissioning, "Ha-216" was attached formally to the Sasebo Naval District and assigned to Submarine Division 52. On 15 August 1945 — the day before "Ha-216" was commissioned — hostilities between Japan and the  Allies had ended. Only her commanding officer and skeleton crew remained aboard her after her commissioning. Her commanding officer was assigned elsewhere on 23 August 1945, and she surrendered to the Allies at Sasebo on 2 September 1945. Disposal. The Japanese struck "Ha-216" from the Navy list on 30 November 1945. She was scuttled off Sasebo Bay along with the submarines , , , , , , and on 5 April 1946.