How do Japanese subs compare to the U.S. fleetboats I whonder. I know little about them but I did read an article tonight in one of my old WWII magazines about I-17 shelling an oil refinery off the Santa Monica coast in feb. 1942. It has some small details about the I class Japanese subs. Seems fast enough, Has plenty of torpedo tubes and a friggen airplane hanger that can launch a biplane in 15 minutes!