Fujimi 400839 Japanese Naval Special Auxiliary Tanker Kokuyo Maru

Kokuyo Maru was a Japanese tanker from the interwar period and World War II. The keel for this unit was laid in June 1938, the launch took place in December 1938, and the entry into service took place in May 1939. The total length of the ship was about 152 meters and a width of about 20 meters. The maximum speed did not exceed 21-22 knots. At the time of the launch, the unit did not have on-board weapons, which, however, changed in the course of World War II. The Kokuyo Maru was originally built as a civilian unit for the Kokuyo Line shipping line. Its main task was to transport crude oil to Japan. The unit was built at the Kobe shipyard, which belonged to the Mitsubishi concern. The unit belonged to the so-called Tatekawa Maru class. The Kokuyo Maru vessel was commandeered by the Japanese Navy in November 1940, and from June 1941 the ship was referred to as a fleet tanker. In November of the same year, the unit was assigned to the 1st Air Fleet. Kokuyo Maru was sunk on July 30, 1944 in a torpedo attack by the USS Bonefish submarine.