In addition, the i 400 series submarines would carry 1,750 tons of fuel, food for four months at sea for its crew of 147 to 157 men, and two attack planes with. The i 400 submarine was one of the most monstrous creations to emerge from world war. Aircraft carried out the majority of the antisubmarine. The aichi m6a seiran, clear sky storm was a submarine launched attack floatplane designed for the imperial japanese navy during world war ii. Sasebo naval base, japan during world war ii, imperial japan s massive i 400 submarine was shrouded in the highest levels of secrecy.
Chapter two covers the specifics of the i 400 class, with chapter three giving us the details and specifications on the aircraft the sub was designed to carry, the aichi m6a seiran attackbomber. Until the 1960s, japan s three i 400 class subs were the largest submarines ever built. Determination of the utility of submarine launched. Over 400 long, weighing 5,700 tons, carrying a crew of 200 and possessing a range of over 50,000 miles. The result of years of meticulous research including interviews with pilots slated to fly the i 400 s seiran floatplanes on a mission to attack american cities and destroy the panama canal this book reveals japan s i 400 super submarine. The i 400 class submarine, imperial japanese navy submarines, were the largest submarines of world war ii and remained the largest ever built until the construction of nuclear ballistic missile. They were so large, in fact, that they could each carry and launch three aichi m6a seiran amphibious aircraft. You can learn why that attack never happened and how the i 400 and i401 ended up at the bottom of the sea in the i 400. Finding japan s aircraft carrier sub the wreck of the i 400, a huge world war ii submarine that was built by japan and intended to attack the panama canal, was found off hawaii by submersible. The japanese named their plan sen toku, or secret submarine attack.
Little did johnson know that the japanese submarine was a part of the i 400 squadron, basically underwater aircraft carriers, and that the i401 carried commander tatsunosuke ariizumi, developer of the top secret subs initially designed to strike the u. What the navy is not admitting is that the ship was carrying two astor nuclear. Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily the primary operator. Among the japanese navys numerous and exotic technical innovations was the monster i 400 class of aircraft carrying submarines, the worlds largest subs until the late 1950s. Did the japanese actually build a submarine aircraft. The i 400 class submarine, also called the sen toku type, was a worthy predecessor to todays super subs, with the ability to travel around the world one and a half times without refueling, and the incredible and potentially devastating capacity to carry three airplanes underwater the i 400 class submarine was designed specifically to attack the continental united states, and if. There are a total of 30 secret weapons of the japanese 19391945. Japan s submersible aircraft carriers in many ways h.
A submarine fleet was formed intending its aircraft to torpedo the gatun locks, panama canal, but was diverted to attack the us anchorage at ulithi just as the war ended. This chapter includes detailed drawings and pilot memories. Although other navies had experimented with submarine aircraft carriers, by world war ii the ijn was the only navy aside from one fielded by the french navy using them. Attempted torpedoing of hmas deloraine and counter attacks carried out. This book is invariably to be kept locked not in use, and is not to be taken outside. Japans submarine aircraft carriers, a feature film on the aerocinema channel. A submarine aircraft carrier is a submarine equipped with aircraft for observation or attack missions. The first chapter gives us an overview of the japanese submarine service in wwii. These submarines saw their most extensive use during world war ii, although their operational significance remained rather small. I 400 japan s secret aircraft carrying strike submarine objective panama canal. The supersub combined the stealth and tactical advantages of sea and sky and was. In total, 42 were built, as listed below other sources say 47. The submarine i 400 classpage contains all related products, articles, books, walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects dedicated to this ship. The film takes an indepth look at the fearsome submarines and.
Japan s secret aircraft carrying strike submarine objective panama canal. The panama canal strike plan called for four aircraft carrying submarines i400, i401. The submarine i 400 classpage contains all related products, articles, books, walkarounds and plastic scale modeling projects dedicated this ship. They were submarine aircraft carriers able to carry three aichi m6a seiran aircraft underwater to their. The name seiran is composed of two japanese words that can be translated as storm out of a clear sky. America has just destroyed one of japan s most advanced weapons systems the i401 aircraft carrier submarine. Japanese submarine i 124 western australian museum. A new documentary has also been made by the japanese network nippon tv.
The sen toku i 400 class imperial japanese navy submarines were the largest submarines of world war ii and remained the largest ever built until the construction of nuclear ballistic missile submarines in the 1960s. Submarine aircraft carriers were developed by the imperial japanese navy to a greater extent than any other navy, before and during world war ii. I 400 japan s secret air strike submarine hardbound book japan s secret air strike submarine. German uboat technology became the basis of postwar submarine development. Takaki, koji and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Objective panama canal sakaida, henry, nila, gary, takaki, koji on. Finding japans aircraftcarrier sub the new york times. They were submarine aircraft carriers able to carry three aichi m6a seiran aircraft underwater to their destinations. A military expert who has written about the i 400 said that there was and still is nothing like this ship. Japan s top secret submarines and its plan to change the course of world war ii. It was considered to have been one of japan s most secret weapons indeed the allies remained unaware of its existence until it surrendered in late august 1945.
And so, just over a month later, on january, 1942, the imperial japanese navys kansei honbu ships command headquarters received a request from the gunreibu naval operations command to study the possibility of designing a 40,000. United states air force unmanned aircraft systems flight plan 20092047. Kapal selam jepang i400 wikipedia bahasa indonesia. The most famous of them were the japanese i 400 class submarines and the french submarine surcouf, although small numbers of similar. Japan built 41 submarines that could carry one or more aircraft, while the vast submarine fleets of the united states, britain, and germany included not one submarine so capable. Objective panama canal, details the story of the submarine. Japanese supersub full episode secrets of the dead pbs. I400 class submarine japaneses largest submarine in. I400 japans secret aircraftcarrying strike submarine.
The japanese navy built the largest fleet submarines of wwii, the i 400 class. Submersible photographs ww2 japanese subs longlost. Technically yes, but not in the sense that they actually built an aircraft carrier that could submerge. Takeo yoshikawa and norman stanford, top secret assignment. Above her main deck rose a 115 foot long, 12 foot diameter, hangar housing three torpedobombers. Japan s top secret submarines and their plan to change the course of world war ii by john j. Submarine i 400 in harbor next to american submarine tender uss proteus, circa late 1945 or early 1946. Two japanese submarines designed to carry bomber aircraft to launch attacks on american cities during the second world war have been found on. Uss proteus, i401, and i14, yokosuka, japan, 29 aug 1945. The shortage of oil was the key to japans military situation. The americans were surprised at the submarine s enormous size, and subsequent inspections continued to astonish. Thanks go to peter chen for conversion of the original pdf. Objective panama canal henry sakaida, gary nila, koji takaki on. Japans ww2 submarine aircraft carrier hidden history.
The sen toku i 400 class submarines of the imperial japanese navy were the largest submarines of world war ii, and the largest ever built prior to the development of nuclear ballistic missile submarines in the 1960s. Ijn i 400 sto sentoku aircraft carrying dieselelectric submarine although 18 of the large i 400 aircraft carrying submarines were planned, only three were ever produced before the end of. What they built were essentially large submarines that could carry a couple of aircraft, such as the i 400 class. Japan had what was easily the most diverse submarine fleet of any nation in the. The bloody sovietjapanese border war 2012 references.
The navy unmanned undersea vehicle uuv master plan. At more than 400 ft long, weighing 5,700 tons, carrying a crew of 200 and. Japans secret biological weapons program damn interesting. Aircraft unsuccessfully attacked a japanese submarine about 50. Japans super submarine aircraft carrier i400 class sen. The i 400 series submarine had an energy absorbing skin, snorkel, radar, degaussing, and a range of 112 times around the world and four months duration. Wwii japanese submarines designed to carry bomber aircraft. During the second world war, there were 56 submarines larger than 3,000 tons in the entire world, and 52 of these were japanese. But this was no belated attack against the defeated japanese. The i400class submarine imperial japanese navy ijn submarines were the largest. The i 400 super submarine was one of the most monstrous creations to emerge from the second world war and in its time it was the largest submarine ever built. The almost surreal story of how japan designed and built a submarine and aircraft to attack the panama canal. In 1945, just after japan surrendered to the united states to end the second world war, a japanese i 400 class submarine the likes of which americans had never seensurrendered to a navy destroyer. She was the worlds largest submarine, with a length of 400 feet and a surfaced displacement of 3,530 tons.
Japan s secret aircraft carrying strike submarine, objective panama canal with koji takaki and gary nila2010 nomonhan 1939. Capable of carrying three twoseat aichi m6a1 seiran mountain haze float torpedo bombers, the sen tokus were built to launch a surprise air strike against. I 400 japan s secret aircraft carrying strike submarine. Stille, mark and bryan, tony imperial japanese navy submarines 194145. The riveting true story of japans top secret plan to change the course of. I 400 japans secret aircraft carrying strike submarine. The i 400 submarine was one of the most monstrous creations to emerge from world war ii and, in its time. Built with a unique sidebyside doublehull structure for stability, the huge i 400 subs were 400 feet long and 40 feet wide, and would carry sufficient fuel to sail all the way around the world.
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