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 14 kn.

The Ha-201 class displaced 320 LT surfaced and 440 LT submerged. The submarines were 53 m long, had a beam of 4.00 m and a draft of 3.44 m. For surface running, the submarines were powered by a single 400 bhp diesel engine that drove one propeller shaft. When submerged the propeller was driven by a 1,250 shp electric motor. They could reach 11.8 kn on the surface and 13.9 kn submerged. On the surface, the Ha-201-class submarines had a range of 3000 nmi at 10 kn; submerged, they had a range of 105 nmi at 2 kn. Their armament consisted of two 533 mm 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 JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ro-31, JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ha-207, JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ha-210, JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ha-215, JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ha-217,  JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ha-219, and  JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ha-228 on 5 April 1946.