I-400, for those who like the really big boats

[Tigrone]

I was researching Cmdr. Cassedy and Tigrone and ran across this. I think it's an amazing story of a prize crew from Tigrone, which took the surrender of HIJMS I-400 at sea and then sailed her to the surrender ceremony in Tokyo bay.

These super-sub aircraft carriers where designed specifically to attack the Panama Canal. They were the largest subs ever built until the boomers came along.

http://www.pacerfarm.org/i-400/

[Torplexed]

The irony is, that by the time they were completed in 1945 most of the American fleet was already in the Pacific. A little late to be hitting the Panama Canal at that point. I believe at the time of the surrender they were sailing to Ulithi Atoll to attack the carrier anchorage there.

[AJ!]

Yep they were definitely big buggers :p

A very clever idea to have a submersible aircraft carrier :hmm:

[Capt.LoneRanger]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

The irony is, that by the time they were completed in 1945 most of the American fleet was already in the Pacific. A little late to be hitting the Panama Canal at that point. I believe at the time of the surrender they were sailing to Ulithi Atoll to attack the carrier anchorage there.

The Japanese command knew this. They were sending the I400 and the I401, it's sister-boat, together with supply and attack-subs through the Indian Ocean and the Atlantik. The US-Navy did not know, until the submarine-group signaled their surrender and was completely surprised.
The I400 and the fleet have been sunk to not let it fall into the hands of the Russians, as they stated, the technology was far more advanced as anything they had for their own subs or learned from German subs. Their wet graves have been recently rediscovered and an US military historican stated, if the war had ended several weeks later, the attack would have been an utter success. The US didn't even imagine an attack from the Atlantik side and the main forces were gathered in the Pacific allready.
The 3 planes were able to carry 800kg-bombs each. That would have meant 6 planes with each a 800kg bomb against a not even prepared target. It would not have turned the tides, but it would have slowed down the war dramatically.

[flintlock]

You have to commend the Japanase for thinking outside of the box with I-400, and the risks they took with its innovative design.

[geetrue]

Regular navy called our WWII diesel boats pig boats and stink boats (due to the diesel fumes), but the term really fit these uncoth sailors of the IJN ... I would call them the zoo boat sailors.

I offer this excerpt from: http://www.pacerfarm.org/i-400/i-400.htm

as proof ...

As in all long-range submarines, a four month supply of food was stowed in every cranny, including a layer of crates laid out on deck which the crew walked on until they'd eaten their way through. Supernumeraries slept on the deck wherever they could find a nook, being used to a floor and tatami mat. The oriental style heads were just holes in the decks above sanitary tanks . . . excretory inaccuracy, inevitable in a seaway, guaranteed that no one lingered there. While inspecting the giant I-boats boats Admiral Lockwood, our wartime ComSubsPac, expressed horror at these odiferous "sanitary" arrangements.7

[Tigrone]

Looks like we got a present.