Wreckage of a giant underwater carrier found!

This is very interesting, I thought it was just a myth of WWII, but it looks as if the Canal Buster has been found off Hawaii and it seems to be a monster!!!

Researchers discover the wreckage of a giant underwater aircraft carrier scuttled after WWII.

The deep-diving scientists of the University of Hawaii have discovered another monster lurking in the waters off Oahu.

During test dives Thursday, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory's Pisces submarines found the remains of the Imperial Japanese Navy's I-401 submarine, a gigantic underwater aircraft carrier built to bomb the Panama Canal.

"We thought it was rocks at first, it was so huge," said Pisces pilot Terry Kerby. "But the sides of it kept going up and up and up, three and four stories tall. It's a leviathan down there, a monster.

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Yes I have heard about the Japanese Submarine Carriers, that can carry 3 dive bombers, designed to destroy Panama on the Discovery Channel once in a documentary!

Big Monster I can tell you that! Check this pictures!

Holy crap that is awesom! What an amazing piece of WWII technology. Great post, and thanks for that.

dam u Souljah, wheres the rest of the sub of that second pic (you wanna tease us huh?), its awesome.

I see they also found the S-19.

That must have been a popular area to scuttle boats.

Absolutely amazing! I wonder if the Germans had something to do with the design, 'cause they were into big subs as well.

I just said: Holy s#@!

That's awesome! how come the Japanese were the only ones with such inovative subs?

IIRC there is a rebuilt aircraft that was onboard the I-401

Originally posted by GrOuNd_ZeRo
I just said: Holy s#@!

That's awesome! how come the Japanese were the only ones with such inovative subs?

Because the others were not such fools? They should use their resources for AIP propulsion (germans had one a at the end of WWII) or to bild more carriers. I wonder how much damage can 3 such planes make? And they will probably never have 2nd oportunity.
Besides there were also many crazy western projects like "Hababuk" - huge carrier from ice. Thanks God, they were cancelled.


[edit on 30-3-2005 by longbow]

Originally posted by longbow


Because the others were not idiots? They should use their resources for AIP propulsion (germans had one a at the end of WWII). I wonder how much damage can 3 planes make? And they will probably never have 2nd oportunity.
Besides there were also many crazy western projects like "Hababuk" - huge carrier from ice. Thanks God, they were cancelled.

[edit on 30-3-2005 by longbow]

Good point. The propoganda value of an attack by these craft. Surely resulting in the waste of pilots, aircraft and most likely the sub as well would be minimal. I must admit that German involvement was one of the first things that sprung to mind however.

This would be an excellent idea for the USN to implement now, just think of the advantages of having a sub aircraft carrier! With modern tech even full size aircraft lifts could be built into the design, it could have the same capacity as a normal carrier and the stealth of a sub. I admit that the maintenance of the flight deck could be a nightmare with constant submerrsion in saltwater but its still doable, which makes me wonder?

The objective of the Japanese Sub bombers was to hit the canal gates and either jam the locks to prevent operation or to blow the gates out of the water and drain the canal.

Sounds like a good plan, if they could have pulled it off it might have changed the war in the Pacific.

Hmmm, I guess we dont realize how close we were to speaking Japanese!

Originally posted by SIRR1
The objective of the Japanese Sub bombers was to hit the canal gates and either jam the locks to prevent operation or to blow the gates out of the water and drain the canal.

Sounds like a good plan, if they could have pulled it off it might have changed the war in the Pacific.

Hmmm, I guess we dont realize how close we were to speaking Japanese!

I knew whatwas the objective, but the canal gates could be quickly repaired, and it would be extremely difficult to do significant damage just with 3 planes. Remeber these were the WWII era planes and bombs, not todays 2 ton laser gided bunker busters. How much bombing took it only to damage german water dams during WWII? Plus the carriers didn't transit through the Panama canal too often during WWII. There was Pacific and Atlantic fleet + San Francisco and Pearl were huge ports, able to fully support pacific naval power.
IMO the better option would be to load the sub with comandos and do some sabotage work = better chances.

Originally posted by ufo3
This would be an excellent idea for the USN to implement now, just think of the advantages of having a sub aircraft carrier! With modern tech even full size aircraft lifts could be built into the design, it could have the same capacity as a normal carrier and the stealth of a sub. I admit that the maintenance of the flight deck could be a nightmare with constant submerrsion in saltwater but its still doable, which makes me wonder?

It would be bad idea, because carrier needs to send and recieve planes constatly, that means it cannot submerge. Besides, once you send planes the stealth is gone, and enemy will drop every torpedo in inventory in your are. And you are submerged and have no radar... - BIG problem.

Originally posted by longbow
How much bombing took it only to damage german water dams during WWII?

Ever seen 'The Dambusters' or read the book by Paul Brickhill? 617 Sqn RAF destroyed the Mohne, Sorpe and Eder dams in one night. The damage was massive but quickly repaired by the Germans. 617 Sqn losses were quite high (albeit lower than expected) but worth the effort.
As a result of this all dams under German control were piled with AA batteries using troops that would have been more useful elsewhere.

As for equipping USN or other modern subs with aircraft. What the??? They have something called the Cruise missile don't they? Why use aircraft?

Today we can do more things then that submersiable aircraft carrier with a nuclear sub armed with cruise missiles, and do it much better.

Really is nothing moer then a vessel specifically designed for suprise attacks

You have to remember in WWII the aircraft carrier was an untested design, and not many were very sure how valid it was. Most navies were still focused on Battleships since they dicated navel warfare for the last centuray.

A Really Big Submarine!

The IJN submarine I-400 is among the most intriguing subs of World War II. Not only was it the largest submarine at 394' long and displaying 5,220 tons, the I-400 series also featured three advanced Aichi M6A1 Seiran fighter bomber aircraft, eight torpedo tubes, and enough conventional weaponry to qualify as a light destroyer. Then there is the I-400's distinctive appearance - bulging aircraft hanger bays protruding from the huge superstructure, and the offset conning tower. In addition there was a folding deck crane, snorkel rig, and radar. All in all the I-400 is a fascinating subject and unique subject.

I think the German Engineers had something to do with it too.

If you could get 3 of these Submarine Carriers togather, you have 9 aircraft; if their crews are trained or elite, they can do pretty much damage to the canal, if they destory one barrier. Nice plan. No Time.

A Submarine Carrier today? Sounds like an interesting idea, more a Science Fiction - but I think we need to go further here - an Aicraft Carrier that can become also a Submarine; meaning it can clear the deck and seal all the holes and DIVE!

Originally posted by longbow

Originally posted by ufo3
This would be an excellent idea for the USN to implement now, just think of the advantages of having a sub aircraft carrier! With modern tech even full size aircraft lifts could be built into the design, it could have the same capacity as a normal carrier and the stealth of a sub. I admit that the maintenance of the flight deck could be a nightmare with constant submerrsion in saltwater but its still doable, which makes me wonder?

It would be bad idea, because carrier needs to send and recieve planes constatly, that means it cannot submerge. Besides, once you send planes
the stealth is gone, and enemy will drop every torpedo in inventory in your are. And you are submerged and have no radar... - BIG problem.

Aircraft carriers can be tracked by satellite and radar fairly easily because they are so big. I would have thought it obvious that you cannot launch planes then submerge lol. Instead u gain a surprise element, once u have popped up off of the coast of some country u want to bomb they have a much more limited time to respond than if they had been watching your fleet manouver into position with satellites. Thats where the advantage is.

Originally posted by ufo3

Originally posted by longbow

Originally posted by ufo3
This would be an excellent idea for the USN to implement now, just think of the advantages of having a sub aircraft carrier! With modern tech even full size aircraft lifts could be built into the design, it could have the same capacity as a normal carrier and the stealth of a sub. I admit that the maintenance of the flight deck could be a nightmare with constant submerrsion in saltwater but its still doable, which makes me wonder?

It would be bad idea, because carrier needs to send and recieve planes constatly, that means it cannot submerge. Besides, once you send planes
the stealth is gone, and enemy will drop every torpedo in inventory in your are. And you are submerged and have no radar... - BIG problem.

Aircraft carriers can be tracked by satellite and radar fairly easily because they are so big. I would have thought it obvious that you cannot launch planes then submerge lol. Instead u gain a surprise element, once u have popped up off of the coast of some country u want to bomb they have a much more limited time to respond than if they had been watching your fleet manouver into position with satellites. Thats where the advantage is.

RORSAT`s , although having BIG radars , cannot cover every square cm of the ocean ALL the time , and the primary method of detection of an CBG is the wake it trails behind it -about 30 miles wide of turbulent ocean.

The primary method of `confusing` (although its kinda old now now) a RORSAT is to change course before the sat passes overhead - thus confusing any course plotting of the CBG , and to return to the base course after the sat has passed and the CBG has clear horizons.

Originally posted by ufo3
Aircraft carriers can be tracked by satellite and radar fairly easily because they are so big. I would have thought it obvious that you cannot launch planes then submerge lol. Instead u gain a surprise element, once u have popped up off of the coast of some country u want to bomb they have a much more limited time to respond than if they had been watching your fleet manouver into position with satellites. Thats where the advantage is.

But submerged carriers are unable to defend themselves normal ones can do it. And as already soeone said for element of surprise you have SSNs or new SSGNs with tomahawk.