Photo from open sources
An article recently published on esoreiter.ru about underground tanks aroused great interest. We continue the story about attempts by military engineers to create exotic types of combat technicians. Today we will talk about underwater aircraft carriers.
World War One Submarine Carriers
The first attempts to combine the seemingly incompatible: aviation and a submarine fleet was launched back in World War I. The pioneers were Germans. In 1915, the boat U-12 reached Pas de Calais, the flying seaplane FF-28 reached the Thames and safely came back. The operation had no practical value: the submarine was on the surface, carrying the plane on its deck. The effect of stealth was completely absent.
However, the idea proved its viability and the Germans in 1917 set about creating a submarine with a hangar for airborne airplanes. Built U-142 during tests showed low stability and poor handling. To bring to mind the Germans did not in time: after the defeat for all military-technical work in Germany a firm veto was imposed.
Carrier submarines of Britain, France, Italy.
After the war, everyone was creating aircraft-carrying submarines leading countries of Europe. In 1923, the British built the M-2 boat, for which a special seaplane “Peto” was created. Airplane stored in a hangar when folded, descended into the water by a crane. The boat commander ensured that the plane soared into the sky after 5 minutes after giving the command to take off. Success inspired, but in 1932 the boat sank with the entire crew. It turned out prematurely the wings of the hangar opened. British chilled to the idea and more no submarine carriers were built.
Photo from open sources
Photo from open sources
In 1929, the French launched Surkuf. On board there was hangar, in which the seaplane reconnaissance aircraft was stored in an unassembled form MV.411. At the time of assembly 4 minutes were allotted. Launch and rise aboard carried all the same crane. Before appearing in 1942 Surkuf I-400 Japanese Submarines remained the largest submarine boat in the world. Subsequently, the French submarine fought in the ranks Allied Navy, died in 1942.
Photo from open sources
The Italians built the “Ettora Firamoska”. However available on her board the plane never took off. In the USSR in 1935 considered a project of an underwater giant aircraft carrier with 12 fighters and 4 bombers on board, but the Soviet Navy idea did not support the project.
Gradually, all European countries abandoned the construction underwater aircraft carriers. The only country that continued to develop the idea was Japan.
Japan Submarine Carriers
In 1931, the Japanese Navy received an underwater the I-5 cruiser, followed by I-6, I-7, I-8 and a whole series of almost 30 pieces of project “B”. If previously the submarine aircraft performed intelligence functions, then the Japanese began to equip submarines bombers, and in 1933 they took another step forward: equipped the boat with a pneumatic catapult.
Since February 1942, the Japanese began using underwater aircraft carriers for their intended purpose: the cities of Australia and New Zealand Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland and Wellington. And in September 1941, for the first time, US territory was bombed. Damage from several fire bombs dropped on a forest in Oregon, was miserable, but the psychological effect was amazing. The Americans first felt that the ocean was no longer an obstacle. From above Japanese bombers appeared in the United States them a mystery until the very end of the war. This bombardment by the US Japanese was the first and last.
Underwater monsters
The apotheosis was the submarines of the “I-400” series. On each the submarine was supposed to deploy not 1 but 3 bombers each. It was planned to build 18 submarine aircraft carriers ultra-long actions capable of performing operations anywhere in the world. In January-April 1944, 3 boats of this series were launched, which until the appearance of the submarines remained the largest submarines in the world. Boats were prepared for the attack on the Panama Canal in July-August 1945 year. Honshu Ball Island built a small copy facility where the pilots practiced bombing.
Photo from open sources
By 1945, plans had changed. I-400 and I-401 got the task destroy American aircraft carriers at Truk Atoll. July 27th submarines went on a military campaign. Kamikaze pilots were put on planes. Attack was scheduled for August 17, but on August 15, Emperor Hirohito announced on the radio about the surrender of the country. Boat commanders received order to destroy documentation, weapons and head to the closest Japanese seaport for submarines to the Americans. The commander of I-401, bringing the submarine to the port, shot himself.
The ends – into the water!
The Americans towed all captured boats of the I-400 series to their base at Pearl Harbor, where they began to study the surviving trophies. In early 1946, the Soviet side declared rights and demanded one of the captured boats. To none of the Japanese the USSR did not get the submarine carriers; all three boats were withdrawn at sea, shot by torpedoes and flooded.
This is the end of the story of submarine aircraft carriers. In 1963 in The United States was considering a project to create a nuclear submarine carrier, but things went further than sketches. Submarines armed ballistic missiles – weapons far more formidable than a lone bomber.
War Water Aircraft USSR USA Japan
