Most people are familiar with aircraft carriers. But have aircraft carrier submarines also been produced in the world? After the end of World War II, the US discovered several such aircraft carrier submarines that Japan had secretly designed to the world. In fact, they don't know what they are when they see them for the first time. Because at that time, such a large aircraft carrier submarine had not been created in the world. The Americans recognize that if this aircraft-carrying submarine called the "Torpedo Dive Bomber" had been used in World War II, the end of the war would have been different. One question is why the Japanese did not use them in the war.
In December 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on America's Pearl Harbor. Thus, the American nation, which until then was not interested in another war, was annexed to the Second World War. The day after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, America declared war on Japan. Then they use all their industrial strength and start producing war equipment very fast. Their production of ships, tanks and aircraft was enough to overwhelm Japan's military power in a short period of time.
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According to the United States, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was simply a cowardly and heartless attack that provoked a nation. According to Japan, this has a completely different purpose in mind. They really wanted to avoid a full-scale war with the United States. At the time, the Japanese Empire was brutally expanding its rule across East and Southeast Asia, knowing that at some point the United States would intervene. Because of this, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who masterminded the attack on Pearl Harbor, hoped to destroy as many American warships and equipment as possible. He hoped that this would keep America away from going to war with Japan for at least another 6 months. Another thing Admiral Yamamoto believed was that if the Pearl Harbor attack was a major blow to America, they would make peace with Japan.
It does not take long to realize that Admiral Yamamoto greatly underestimated America's military power. Thinking that they will soon invade Japan completely, Yamamoto plans another strategy. Instead of bringing the war to Japan, his plan is to bring it to American cities. Yamamoto realizes that he needs a top-secret weapon to reach America because American forces are already keeping a close eye on Japan.
The concept of launching aircraft from submarines dates back to World War I. For the first time, Germany is attempting such a thing. FF 29 seaplanes and U-boat submarines are used for that. Later France, the United Kingdom and the United States conducted similar experiments, but usually flew only one light aircraft. Admiral Yamamoto's idea was to create a submarine force that could take off several aircraft. Then the enemy can launch an unexpected fierce attack and hide.
A torpedo dive bomber designed for the submarin
From March 1942, Japanese engineers began to design this submarine. It was called I-400. A key requirement was that the submarine be capable of carrying full-scale torpedo dive bombs. Since submarines were short, a catapult launch system had to be developed to launch aircraft. A method of re-landing the plane to the submarine should also be prepared. However, the biggest challenge the engineers had to face was how to position the torpedo dive bomber, which has a wingspan of about 12 meters, inside the submarine. Because of this, they have to create unique torpedo dive bombers for the I-400. The wings on either side of them are designed to expand and contract accordingly.
In order to use this aircraft carrier submarine as a secret weapon, these submarines must have enough fuel and supplies to reach targets thousands of kilometers away and return to Japan itself. Yamamoto had planned to send I-400 submarines across the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean to attack cities on the East Coast of America. To travel such a distance and return to Japan, these should have a capacity of at least 2 million liters of fuel. Because of this, it had to be built as a huge submarine. Its length was about twice that of the German "U-Boat" submarine, and the submarine's hull was designed in a double-cavity design. Due to this, the volume of water displaced by an I-400 is about three times the amount displaced by the largest submarine (Gato submarine) that America had created. The world's largest submarine, the Soviet Typhoon (1981), had not yet been built.
A size comparison of I-400
After the I-400 stealthily approaches the target, technicians begin refueling the engines of the trio of aircraft. Then they can be launched quickly. Then the submarine comes to the surface of the sea at a distance of 200-300 km from the target. After that, the first aircraft from the aircraft yard arrives on the deck of the submarine. The crew starts the plane's engine, unfolds its wings and installs the feet needed to float on the water. Then the aircraft will be launched with the help of compressed air catapult and other aircraft will follow this step and start moving towards their target. It is said that the three planes can be launched within 30 minutes of the submarine coming to the sea surface.
Powered by a 7700 horse power diesel engine and a 2400 horse power electric motor, this submarine has 8 tubes that can release torpedoes with a diameter of 533 mm at the front. A 140 mm gun is mounted on the rear part of the submarine deck, and three 25 mm triple anti-aircraft guns and a single anti-aircraft gun are installed on the middle part, i.e. on both sides of the aircraft yard. Above all, the I-400's top weapon is its trio of concealed torpedo dive bombers. These help to launch an attack that the enemies do not expect at all.
A specially built torpedo dive bomber for the I-400 can carry the largest bomb or torpedo of the Japanese Navy. The submarine will be stationed under the sea until the aircraft return. After the aircraft are landed at sea, they are lifted back into the aircraft yard with the help of a retractable hydraulic crane on the deck of the submarine.
The 140mm gun on the rear deck of the submarine
At the time of the submarine's creation, many considered it a prank by Admiral Yamamoto. Especially in the middle of a war, many pointed out that the risk was forced by keeping a huge submarine on the surface of the water for 30 minutes. Yamomoto did not listen to such objections. Due to the time it took to create this massive submarine, production had to begin in 1943. Japan was already on the brink of losing the war. The "Battle of the Middle Road" (Battle of the Middle Road) which took place on June 3-6, 1942 saw the Japanese Navy suffer massive defeats and face shortages of oil and other supplies. That is why the construction of I-400 submarines was further delayed.
Admiral Yamamoto also did not live to see a completed I-400 submarine. In 1943, while on an observation tour in the South Pacific region, the plane he was traveling in was shot down by the American forces and he died. Because of this, instead of the plan to create 18 I-400 submarines, only 5 will be created in the end. Only 3 will be completed. Known as the I-400, 401 and 402, they entered service in 1945. Japan will no longer implement the plan to attack American cities with a very small number of submarines. They see it as suicide.
The only mission to use the I-400 and I-401 submarines was the attack on the island of Ulithi in the western Pacific Ocean. An American naval base was located there. The submarines reached the target, but in September 1945, Japan decided to surrender, which halted the operation.
photo of the officers of the I-400 submarine
Two weeks after the surrender of Japan, American forces first encountered an I-400 submarine off the coast of Japan. That was when Japan had placed all its warships under American surveillance. The Americans do not immediately recognize that it is an aircraft carrier submarine. They think it is a large submarine built to transport cargo. They soon discover what I-400 is and what Japan's plan is for it. Realizing the dangers of this submarine, America claims that if it had been used at the right moment in World War II, the outcome of the war would have been very different.
The Soviet Union had requested space in 1946 to analyze these submarines in Japan. America will not allow it. Instead, they destroy and ship them off the coast of Hawaii and Japan. Even the exact locations where they were buried are kept a secret. Damaged by a US air attack, I-402 was scuttled near the Gotay Islands on 1 April 1946, while the other two submarines were taken to Pearl Harbor for extensive study in May and June 1946. I-401 submarine was discovered in 2005 and I-400 and I-402 submarines were discovered in 2013 and 2015 respectively. That's how the aircraft carrier submarines, which could have changed the fate of World War II, were hidden from the world.
Matrek Wikimedia commons
Matrek Wikimedia commons
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