What the hell is that???

[Catch22]

The Japanese super subs had aircraft as well. Don't know the proper name though, but I'm sure somebody will know.

[Elvis]

Looks like the idea goes back to the 1920's...



Submersible Aircraft Carriers




Elvis

[Old Wizard]

Originally Posted by Catch22

The Japanese super subs had aircraft as well. Don't know the proper name though, but I'm sure somebody will know.

This from Military History Online:
"Thus began work on the world's first submarine aircraft carrier in January, 1943 and in little more than a year, the largest submarine ever built was launched. With an aircraft hangar and carrying three bombers, it had the ability to travel anywhere on the globe, underwater and undetected, launch an airborne attack, and return home safely. The War Ministry planned to build a fleet of 21 of these monster subs, dubbed "Sen Tokus", and work began on the first one in early 1943 but only three were actually built—I-400, I-401 and I-402. They each displaced 6,560 tons, were 400 feet long (as compared with a typical U.S. sub's length of just over 200 feet) with a surface speed of 19 knots and 6.5 knots submerged. Overall, they were three times the size of an average WWII sub and had a crew consisting of between 144 and 220 men, depending on the mission. As is usual with any new class of vessel, many design flaws required correction and the intricacies of launching aircraft from a surfaced submersible required lots of training. But eventually, within 45 minutes of surfacing, her skilled personnel could break out, assemble, fuel, arm and catapult all three aircraft. The sleek-looking Aichi M6A Seiran bombers had a wingspan of 40 feet and a length of 38 feet. The planes were launched by a 120-foot catapult and were hoisted back aboard by powerful hydraulic cranes. They were stowed in the hanger compartment with floats detached and wings and tails folded. There was even room for a fourth plane if needed."

I saw a documentary about these subs and the underwater search for their remains. They were sunk by the US Navy along with many other Japanese subs after the war. You'd have thought that the US would take one home for display, but they didn't want the folks at home to know that the Japanese did something they couldn't. They are restoring an Aichi M6A Seiran for display though.

[comiso90]

Originally Posted by Old Wizard

This from Military History Online:
"Thus began work on the world's first submarine aircraft carrier in January, 1943 and in little more than a year, the largest submarine ever built was launched. With an aircraft hangar and carrying three bombers, it had the ability to travel anywhere on the globe, underwater and undetected, launch an airborne attack, and return home safely. The War Ministry planned to build a fleet of 21 of these monster subs, dubbed "Sen Tokus", and work began on the first one in early 1943 but only three were actually built—I-400, I-401 and I-402. They each displaced 6,560 tons, were 400 feet long (as compared with a typical U.S. sub's length of just over 200 feet) with a surface speed of 19 knots and 6.5 knots submerged. Overall, they were three times the size of an average WWII sub and had a crew consisting of between 144 and 220 men, depending on the mission. As is usual with any new class of vessel, many design flaws required correction and the intricacies of launching aircraft from a surfaced submersible required lots of training. But eventually, within 45 minutes of surfacing, her skilled personnel could break out, assemble, fuel, arm and catapult all three aircraft. The sleek-looking Aichi M6A Seiran bombers had a wingspan of 40 feet and a length of 38 feet. The planes were launched by a 120-foot catapult and were hoisted back aboard by powerful hydraulic cranes. They were stowed in the hanger compartment with floats detached and wings and tails folded. There was even room for a fourth plane if needed."

There were plans to use them in a raid against the Panama Canal.

"The Seirans were originally prepared for an attack against the Panama canal, but the target was changed to the US Navy anchorage at Ulithi when Japanese Intelligence learned that the US was preparing to invade Japan. The strike force consisted of four aircraft carrying submarines, 2 I-400 class subs with 3 Seiran each and 2 modified AM class submarines with 2 Seirans each. The flotilla put to sea in July 1945, but the war ended before it could complete it's mission. The remaining submarines in the flotilla returned to Japan and surrendered to US forces."

AirToAirCombat.Com: Aichi M6A Seiran in Detail

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[Catch22]

Ah yes. I think I saw the exact show Wizard. On the Discovery Channel was it?

[Old Wizard]

Originally Posted by Catch22

Ah yes. I think I saw the exact show Wizard. On the Discovery Channel was it?

It was either the Cdn Discovery channel or the Cdn History channel. Those I-400 class subs were monsters!:shock
Your Corsair pic reminds me of the documentary about Lieutenant Hampton Grey who died while sinking a Japanese destroyer in a Japanese bay just at the end of the war. He's the only foreigner to have a Japanese memorial [provided by a Japanese witness to his heroics] which is placed near to the memorial to the Japanese sailors who died on the destroyer.

[Catch22]

Reall? I didn't know that. I knew he knocked out the ship, but not that he had his own memorial. Was it a show with a relative of Grey's?

[Old Wizard]

Originally Posted by Catch22

Reall? I didn't know that. I knew he knocked out the ship, but not that he had his own memorial. Was it a show with a relative of Grey's?

Yup. The documentary was done by his nephew and told of how he and his family became friends with the Japanese family of the man that had the memorial made. Grey got the VC for that attack.

[Catch22]

Yeah, then I saw parts of it. I wish I had seen it all.

[johnbr]

post no good

[Old Wizard]

Originally Posted by Catch22

Yeah, then I saw parts of it. I wish I had seen it all.

I'm sure it was on the History Television channel and does get re-shown every now and again.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by air-to-air combat.com

Aichi M6A Seiran (Mountain Haze)

That's weird.
Anything with "mountain" in it, contains the word "Yama", since that's the Japanese word for mountain (i.e. "Fujiyama" = Mt. Fuji).
I don't know the word for "Haze" (which in this case, I'm assuming, would be low lying clouds that sometimes blanket mountains and large hills, like fog), but it should come first, followed by "yama", all written (and spoken, for that matter) as one word.

...hmmm, I'll have to ask Mom about that one.




Elvis