| Tonnage |
About 21 normal tons |
| Dimensions |
47'10" by 11'0" by 2'6" 14.58m by 3.35m by 0.76m |
| Maximum speed | About 8 knots |
| Complement |
12 |
| Armament |
2 light machine guns or 2-3 25mm/60 AA guns |
| Range |
100 nautical miles (190km) at 7.5 knots 50 nautical miles (90 km) at 8.5 knots |
| Cargo |
1 Type 95 7.4 ton tank
or 70 men or 10 tons cargo |
The Daihatsu or 14m landing craft (Army Type LB-D) resembled
the Allied LCVP, with a bow
ramp that was lowered on hitting the beach. However, the Daihatsu was less boxy than an
LCVP, giving it better seakeeping. It had a metal hull and was powered
by a diesel engine. It was often field-modified to carry addition
weapons of up to 37mm caliber, and the crew compartment was often
protected with improvised armor.
The Navy ordered 3229 of these craft, but it is not known how many were actually completed (though at least 40 were built in 1942). The craft were so frequently encountered by Allied forces in the South Pacific, where they played an important logistical role, that actual construction must have been closer to the figure of 3229 than 40.
Allied destroyers had a
difficult time intercepting Daihatsu
traffic in the Solomons.
The improvised armor kept 40mm
fire from being fully effective, and the landing craft were
difficult targets for 5" guns
because of their small size and high maneuverability.
References
Jentschura, Jung, and Mickel (1977)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007-2008 by Kent G. Budge. Index
