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Julian Shawyer
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Submarine Aircraft Carrier.

October 25, 2017 · in Ships · · 25 · 2.7K

This is the 1/350th scale I-400 with Tamiya Detail up etched parts set. Painted with Tamiya acrylics and white ensign enamels.
The I-400 was constructed as a submergible aircraft carrier able to launch 3 Aichi M6M1 Seiren aircraft. The intention was to attack the U.S. East Coast and the Panama Canal. Although never used in combat, the I-400 remains the largest conventional submarine ever built.

Reader reactions:
9  Awesome

7 additional images. Click to enlarge.


25 responses

  1. Nice lookin' build...don't ever recall seeing that concept before - they carried the aircraft inside the sub, huh? Guess ya learn sumthin' new every day!

  2. Nice work. It's amazing still how they get those aircraft out of that tiny hole!

  3. At least one of the Japanese submarine aircraft carriers was enroute to bomb the Panama Canal late in the war, just before the surrender. That got cancelled, and then they were to attack the U. S. fleet at Ulithi. The surrender skotched that, and they deep sixed the Seirians before surrendering to the Allies.Reputedly, while underway, they's painted the aircraft silver and put bogus U. S. insignia on them, thus the desire to hide the evidence. Shades of the Bogart movie "Across the Pacific" (same target, anyway). The French had a sub that carried an aircraft, the Surcouf. The U. S navy experimented with collapsable aircraft on subs in the 20s, the TS-1.

  4. Beautiful work, Julian, as usual!

  5. Interesting concept, and the model is beautifully built and finished like David says above, as usual.

  6. Beautiful! Interesting sub, too.

  7. Beautifully done! You've inspired me to get to the I-19 I've got in my stash.

  8. Hi Julian.
    I love this build and think the presentation just shows it to perfection. Inspired work to capture this beautiful, almost futuristic, design.

  9. Nice work, Julian. I believe it was actually I-400 herself that was on the way to hit Panama at war's end.

  10. Thank you Tom. Yes, I believe it was ordered to surrender before it reached the target. I think there were three in the class built.

  11. Hello Julian,
    Thanks for sharing this submarine model with us. The Japanese had some very interesting designs. I think personally, this one belongs in their top 3.
    The American navy investigated a few in and out after the war.
    Regards, Dirk / The Netherlands.

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