Ōhama-class target ship
The Ōhama-class target ship was a bombing target ship class of the Imperial Japanese Navy, serving during World War II. 5 vessels were planned under the Kai-Maru 5 Programme, however, only the lead ship Ōhama was completed.
Project number J36. In 1941, the IJN had decided to build the bombing target ship, with a speed under. However, what the IJN required was target ship which could emulate the higher speed of the s and s. The class specification given was therefore 33 knots, use of a destroyer hull, equipped with the machinery, enabled this to be achieved and able to withstand a 10 kilogram bomb dropped from meters. Her armament consisted initially of only four anti-aircraft machine guns. However, the significant loss of destroyers between 1942 and 1944 together with delays in mass production of the Kaibōkan-escort ships caused Ōhama to be converted. Thus rearmed for this escort role with many anti-aircraft arms and anti-submarine weapons, the lead ship Ōhama was completed on 10 January 1945. The ships were named after capes of Japan.
Service
Ōhama was assigned to the Combined Fleet on 10 January 1945. However, she did not take up any target ship duties, due to the significant losses resulting from the Battle of the Philippine Sea and Battle of Leyte Gulf. She was deployed instead to convoy escort duties in the Yokosuka area. In August 1945, she was dispatched to Onagawa Local Defense Squadron, shortly after, on 9 August 1945 she sunk by carrier aircraft. Construction on the second ship laid down, Ōsashi, stopped in 1945. Whilst three other class vessels were cancelled in 1944.