Japanese submarine I-5 facts for kids
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|} The Japanese submarine I-5 was a special kind of submarine used by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It was the very first Japanese submarine that could carry and launch an airplane!
I-5 was built by Kawasaki in Kobe and launched on June 19, 1931. It carried a small Yokosuka E6Y floatplane. At first, the plane was launched by putting it into the water. Later, a special catapult was added in 1938 to launch it faster. However, the ability to carry an aircraft was removed in 1940, and I-5 became a regular attack submarine.
I-5 was involved in many important events. It served in the Second Sino-Japanese War and patrolled near the Hawaiian Islands during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. It also helped in the Dutch East Indies campaign and sank a merchant ship in the Indian Ocean. Later, it supported the Aleutian Islands campaign. In 1943, I-5 was changed into a transport submarine to deliver supplies to distant Japanese bases. It even carried a special landing craft to help move people and goods.
I-5 disappeared in 1944. It is believed that the United States Navy destroyer escort USS Wyman sank it near the Mariana Islands on July 19, 1944. Sadly, no one survived.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan |
|
| Name | I-5 |
| Builder | Kawasaki Dockyard Co., Kobe |
| Laid down | 30 October 1929 |
| Launched | 19 June 1931 |
| Completed | 31 July 1932 |
| Stricken | 10 September 1944 |
| Fate | Believed sunk 19 July 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Junsen I Mod. |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 97.5 m (319 ft 11 in) |
| Beam | 9.22 m (30 ft 3 in) |
| Draft | 4.94 m (16 ft 2 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 93 |
| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | 1 × Yokosuka E6Y floatplane |
Building a Submarine with Wings
Japanese naval experts became very interested in submarines that could carry airplanes after World War I. They started looking into this idea as early as 1924. Their goal was to create a submarine bigger than their current ones, capable of launching a single reconnaissance floatplane. This led to the creation of the Junsen 1 Mod. (巡潜一型改) class, which I-5 belonged to.
Size and Speed
The I-5 was a large submarine. It was about 97.5 metres (319 ft 11 in) long, which is about the length of a football field. It was 9.22 m (30 ft 3 in) wide and 4.94 m (16 ft 2 in) deep. When on the surface, it weighed about 2,279 tonnes (2,243 long tons). When underwater, it weighed even more, about 2,968 tonnes (2,921 long tons).
Two powerful diesel engines helped it move on the surface at a top speed of 18.8 knots (34.8 km/h; 21.6 mph) (about 21 miles per hour). These engines also charged batteries. When underwater, electric motors powered the submarine, allowing it to travel at 8.1 knots (15.0 km/h; 9.3 mph) (about 9 miles per hour). The submarine could travel for a very long distance on the surface, about 24,000 nautical miles (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at a slower speed. Underwater, it could travel for 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) at a slow speed. The I-5 could dive to a depth of 80 m (260 ft). It had a crew of 93 sailors and officers. Because of its large size, it could also serve as a flagship, meaning it could lead other ships.
Weapons and Aircraft
The I-5 had six torpedo tubes at the front, which could fire powerful torpedoes. It could carry 20 torpedoes. It also had a large 14 cm (5.5 in) deck gun on its top deck. For protection against airplanes, it had a small 7.7 mm (0.30 in) machine gun on its conning tower.
The most unique feature was its airplane. A single Yokosuka E6Y floatplane was stored in two special waterproof containers behind the conning tower. One container held the wings, and the other held the body and floats. To launch the plane, the submarine had to stop. Then, the parts were taken out, put together, and the plane was launched into the sea. This process took a long time, making the submarine an easy target. Later, a catapult was added to launch the plane faster, but it still took time to get the plane ready.
I-5's Journey and Missions
I-5 was built at Kawasaki Dockyard Co. in Kobe. Its construction started on October 30, 1929. It was launched on June 19, 1931, and officially started service on July 31, 1932.
Early Service and Changes
After joining the Yokosuka Naval District, I-5 went through training. In 1933, it received its catapult. In 1936, its deck gun was temporarily changed to a different type. In 1937, during the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, I-5 joined the Third Fleet. It patrolled and blockaded the coasts of China. It also helped protect larger warships that were transporting troops.
By 1940, Japan had newer, more advanced aircraft-carrying submarines. So, the aircraft features on I-5 were removed. Instead, a second deck gun was added at the back, and a 25 mm (1 in) anti-aircraft gun was put on an extended bridge. I-5 then became a regular attack submarine.
World War II Operations
In November 1941, I-5 sailed with other submarines to the coast of Hawaii. Its job was to patrol west of Oahu and attack any US Navy ships that tried to leave during the Japanese attack. On December 7, it was patrolling north of Molokai just before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In early 1942, after a brief search for the American aircraft carrier USS Lexington, I-5 returned to Japan for repairs. Then, it went to support the Dutch East Indies campaign. While patrolling near Timor, it was mistakenly attacked by Japanese planes, which caused minor damage and injured three officers. After repairs, I-5 was sent to the Indian Ocean to attack enemy shipping. On April 5, it sank the American merchant ship SS Washingtonian.
Later, I-5 was transferred to the Aleutian Islands campaign in June 1942. It helped Japanese forces land on Attu Island.
Becoming a Transport Submarine
As the war continued, Japan faced problems getting supplies to its distant forces. So, in November 1942, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto ordered that submarines be used to carry supplies. I-5 was one of 13 submarines chosen for this new role.
On March 17, 1943, a special Daihatsu-class landing craft was added to I-5. This made it easier to transfer people and supplies quickly. Nine days later, I-5 began its first of many supply runs between Lae and Rabaul. It also delivered supplies to the Aleutian Islands. In between these missions, I-5 also helped rescue pilots whose planes had been shot down by US forces.
Final Mission
In June 1944, Japan learned that the Mariana Islands would be attacked. I-5 was sent to patrol east of the islands. It then went on a supply run to Pohnpei from July 5 to 9, and then sailed to Truk. From Truk, it departed on July 16.
On July 19, the US Navy destroyer escort USS Wyman detected a submarine about 360 nautical miles (670 km) east of Guam. The Wyman fired Hedgehog bombs, which are special anti-submarine weapons. The submarine was destroyed. It is believed that this was I-5. There were no survivors. I-5 was officially removed from the Navy List on September 10, 1944.
