Submarine Aircraft Carriers

[Crythos]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/6581989/WWII-Japanese-submarines-designed-to-carry-bomber-aircraft.html

The above is a link to an article I found doing some random trawling about 2 Japanese subs that could carry and launch light bombers. Probably not somthing for aces high but interesting anyway.

[Wmaker]

I've always thought the Aichi Seiran to be a cool looking and very interesting aircraft due to its rarity. The I-400 could carry three Seirans.


http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20090304144924396



NASM has the only survivor beautifully restored. I wish I can see it live someday...

[Crythos]

Another nice interesting article thanks for that one.

Probably already discussed elsewhere but my guess would be that we hav'nt seen any seaplanes because Hitech not happy the current client engine could accuratly model take off and landing on water.

[Angus]

AFAIK the only time the USA was bombed from a hostile country was when one of those sub-aircraft bombed omething on the west coast. I am sure somebody will come up with more info.

[AirFlyer]

AFAIK the only time the USA was bombed from a hostile country was when one of those sub-aircraft bombed omething on the west coast. I am sure somebody will come up with more info.

I think some of those balloon bombs made it over to the U.S. as well, I don't think they ever hit anything but I believe a few people died from tampering with un-detonated bombs.

[waystin2]

I watched a National Geographic Special on this last week.  Here is an excerpt from their website:

November 12, 2009--After 60 years in a watery Hawaiian grave, two World War II-era Japanese attack submarines have been discovered near Pearl Harbor, marine archaeologists announced today.

Specifically designed for a stealth attack on the U.S. East Coast--perhaps targeting Washington, D.C., and New York City--the "samurai subs" were fast, far-ranging, and in some cases carried folding-wing aircraft, according to Dik Daso, curator of modern military aircraft at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, speaking in the new National Geographic documentary Hunt for the Samurai Subs.

When World War II ended in 1945, the U.S. Navy seized the Japanese fleet in the Pacific, including five samurai subs, as they're called in the new film. The subs were later sunk, to keep the technology out of the hands of the Soviet Union.The military didn't record where the boats had been laid to rest, thinking no one would want to know.

Since 1992 archaeologist Terry Kerby and colleagues at the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory have hunted for the samurai subs in manned submersibles. The crew found the I-401 in 2005 (pictured, a close-up of the submarine's guns). Then, in February of this year, they found two more subs, the I-14 and I-201. The I-400--one of the largest non-nuclear submarines ever built--and the I-203 remain missing.

[spacer]

None of the I-400 (for want of a better name) class submarines made it to the U.S. west coast.  The Seiran aircraft did not even have the chance to attempt the task they were designed for, attacking the Panama Canal.
  As with alot of the late war Japanese equipment, these were used on desperation attacks against different fleets.
  The only Bombs that were dropped on the U.S. mainland were dropped by unmanned balloons.  Several started fires, and if I remember correctly killed one or two people.

A Japanese submarine did shell somewhere in the Los Angles area, causing minimal damage.

I could be wrong my memory isn't what it use to be!  But I believe most of what I have stated is correct.

[jay]

after the war America captured 2 of these subs but sank them once Russia asked for one lol

[Rich46yo]

Actually I thought one was used as a freighter.

Which was about par for the course for IJN subs. You really have to wonder what they were thinking? Here they were with this very large submarines force, with the largest boats in the world. With the best torpedo's in the world. With some of the best range/performance in the world. And yet they accomplished so little.

Yes they did sink some capitol ships. But what did that really mean against a USN alone that was operating 1,200 combat vessels? Against a Yank component alone that launched over 130 CVs and CVEs during the war, including over 30 huge super carriers? With their escorts. With their BBs,CGs,DDs,LSTs,LHDs,LSDs, oilers, supply ships. All with the latest in radar,sonar,fire control. And then with the huge Allies maritime air forces of both sea and air?

I'm glad the IJN didn't use their boats better but the history buff in me see's it as a shame. The Allies had long supplies routes that were vulnerable and the IJN had the weapon to interdict them. But not only in their heads did they only see the one great epochal battle scene that would either pave the way to victory or glorious death. I think too the power centers of their Navy and Military looked down on submarines they way they did tanks. If you died on Yamato or Musashi you did with honor. If you died on a submarine you just died. This was a pompous, feudal bunch running the show over there. Even in their Navy, which was the most modern of their armed forces.

Made even worse by the example of the German boats, or, the Allied ones which were slowly strangling their supply routes.

Of the 56 boats over 3,000 tons, in the world, in WW-ll, the IJN built 52 of them. Their boats had the longest range, the fastest underwater speeds, of any boat in operation. They were armed with a version of their famous Long Lance torpedo. Yet they only sank 184 merchant ships compared to Germany's 2,840. Americas 1,079. The RNs 493.

They started the war with 63 fleet boats and in the first 2 years, when the Allied navies were challenged, they surely could have done better then they did. The I-400 was a fascinating boat but in the end, like their super-battleships, they were simply a waste of steel.

[Karnak]

I think they were thinking in macho Samurai terms, that warriors fight the warriors and that the Merchant Marine was not the glorious target that the US Navy was.

For my part I am thankful of that as my grandfather was in the merchant marine in the Pacific Theater.

There are multiple actions in which IJN submarine commanders demonstrated they had the skills and training needed to do what subs were best at.  So, it wasn't a lack of skill, it had to be a lack of strategic understanding on the part of the submarine commanders or on the part of those giving the orders to the submarine commanders.


Also, ironically due to their lack of historical success, Japanese subs are probably the best that could be added to AH should we ever get subs simply due to the performance of the sub and the torpedoes.

[tassos]

Bring the SENTOKU!
ALERT A51 Enemy Sub carier spottet!

[Rich46yo]

Thats a great looking model aint it?