Shōhatsu-class landing craft

The Shōhatsu motorboat or "ten meters special cargo ship" was a small landing craft used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was used for landing personnel and stores. It was designated the "Type B" landing craft by the United States.

Design

The Shōhatsu class were long, wide, and had a draft of. The class had a maximum speed of, and a range of, assuming they were travelling at top speed. The ship could hold 35 men, or 3.5 tons of cargo. It was built of steel, and had a single bow with no landing ramp.

Service history

It was carried by destroyers and smaller vessels as a cargo boat. Japan ordered 20 of the Shōhatsu class land crafts, but it is not known how many of them were actually finished and delivered.