Mystery of the lost WWII Japanese mega submarine that could travel around the world 1.5 times before

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2517395/Lost-WW2-Japanese-mega-submarine-near-Hawaii. ^ | 17:48 EST, 3 December 2013 | Ted Thornhill

[BenLurkin]

A Japanese submarine that was preparing to attack the Panama Canal during World War Two has been discovered off the coast of Hawaii.

The 400-foot (122-meter) ‘Sen-Toku’ class vessel - among the largest pre-nuclear submarines ever built - was found by chance in August off the southwest coast of Oahu.

It has been missing since 1946 according to scientists at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The I-400 and its sister ship, the I-401, which was found off Oahu in 2005, were able to travel one and a half times around the world without refuelling.

[Utilizer]

Posted yesterday evening: http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3097965/posts

[colorado tanker]

These things were huge. They could carry and launch three bombers.

[Kip Russell]

Then there was the French Surcouf-class submarine, built in 1927, which had 2 8-inch(!) guns and a floatplane:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_submarine_Surcouf

[Alex Murphy]

Like there was any mystery as to what really happened to it!

[knarf]

It as ALWAYS fascinating to discover “man” at the bottom of the ocean(s)

[JRios1968]

Then there was the French Surcouf-class submarine, built in 1927, which had 2 8-inch(!) guns and a floatplane.

And a majestic white flag.

[Utilizer]

(Lots more info, pics, and interesting links there as well -love the one with the IJN model-kit)

[Red Steel]

LoL.

[Sequoyah101]

It has not been missing. The Navy sunk it to keep it from the russkies. They knew exactly where they sank it.

[JoeProBono]

[GeronL]

and carried a fourth disassembled

[Tallguy]

The British M-class submarine mounted a 12-inch naval gun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_M-class_submarine

These types of submarines were outlawed under the Washington Naval Treaties.

[colorado tanker]

Wow. I'd heard of the big Japanese boats, but had not heard of the Surcouf. According to Wiki she was built as an "undersea cruiser" to avoid the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty. But the London Naval Treaty limited subs, so no more of the class were built.

Quite a mystery how she sank. Of course, DeGaulle and most French thought it was a deliberate American plot.

(The Naval Treaties were quite effective in preventing WWII, eh?)

[colorado tanker]

Did some googling and discovered this was a pet project of Yamamoto, who thought a fleet of these things could bring Doolittle-like raids to major US cities. After he was killed the project was scaled back considerably.

High command planned an attack on the Panama Canal, the theory being that would choke US supplies and ship movements. After Okinawa fell and the Home Islands were the next target the Panama plan was abandoned and a new plan hatched for kamikaze attacks on US carriers readying attacks on the Home Islands in the Ulithi anchorage. That never happened, either. One of the boats was discovered running on the surface and was sunk. Very interesting boat that had no impact on the war.

[GeronL]

There were smaller versions that could carry 2 planes and many countries tested ones that could carry a seaplane but nobody deployed those I think

[VanDeKoik]

If Japan and Germany just had one extra year, we would have been in a world of hurt.

Some of the stuff they were putting out was mind blowing.

[esoxmagnum]

That picture has piqued my interest. What is the story behind it?

[Tallguy]

Of course after the war the US was mounting Regulus missiles onto purpose-built submarines. It was essentially marrying a V-1 buzz-bomb with a nuke warhead. Same theory with updated technology.

All that was invalidated by nuclear propulsion and sub-launched ballistic missiles.

[GeronL]

bump