Main article: French submarine Surcouf French submarine Surcouf However, just as in the German experiment, the aircraft were carried unprotected on the deck and the submarine was unable to submerge without losing them.īetween the wars France It was capable of launching two Sopwith Schneider floatplanes in 1916. The British also experimented with the aircraft-carrying submarine concept when HMS E22 was fitted out in a manner similar to the German U-boat but for the purpose of intercepting German airships as they crossed the North Sea. The first type was designed in 1917 for use aboard the Cruiser submarines that never went into service. Two of the aircraft designs created for that purpose were the biplane Hansa-Brandenburg W.20 and LFG Stralsund V 19 Putbus low-wing monoplane. ![]() The plans were reinvestigated in 1917 in the hope that they would increase the striking power of new German subs such as the long-range cruiser-type Unterseeboote, which were to be equipped with small scouting seaplanes that could be assembled and dismantled onboard and stored in special compartments on deck – but the idea was abandoned as the war came to an end. After gaining altitude, Arnauld left for the British coast which he apparently flew along undetected before returning to Zeebrugge.Īlthough the aircraft had been carried out to sea and had safely floated off the submarine's deck, it was obvious improvements were needed in the procedure and setup.Īrnauld and Forstmann proposed further experiments to the German Naval Command, but were vetoed as their project was considered impractical. Arnauld originally intended to rendezvous with the sub, but decided against it. U-12 carried the FF-29 for 30 miles before flooding the forward tanks and letting the seaplane float off the deck without much difficulty, after which the plane took off. ![]() The aircraft was then lashed athwartships again and the submarine left the harbour, seemingly dwarfed by the 53 ft 2 in (16.21 m) wingspan of the biplane, which stretched almost ⅓ of the 188 ft (57 m) length of the small coastal patrol submarine. On 6 January 1915, U-12 made a launch of an FF-29 off its deck in Zeebrugge within the safety of the breakwater Zeebrugge Mole. On this first bombing mission it was apparent that the aircraft suffered more from a lack of range.Įncouraged by this success, Arnauld and Forstmann theorised that they could increase the range by carrying the aircraft off the British coast on the deck of a submarine in a takeoff position, then launching the aircraft by partially submerging, allowing the seaplane to float off. It was pursued by British fighters but returned to base safely. On 25 December 1915, one of the newly modified aircraft flew across the English Channel and up the River Thames, dropping bombs on the outskirts of London, although they caused only minor damage. The unarmed FF-29 seaplanes were modified to carry 26 + 1⁄ 2-pound (12.0 kg) bombs. One of the first U-boats to arrive at the Zeebrugge base was Kapitänleutnant Walther Forstmann's SM U-12, which was to play the role of a submarine aircraft carrier. ![]() Germany was the first nation to experiment with submarine aircraft carriers, initiated by the Imperial German Naval Air Service commander Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich von Arnauld de la Perière who commanded a unit of two Friedrichshafen FF.29 reconnaissance seaplanes in Zeebrugge. This is in contrast to the typical surface aircraft carrier, whose main function is serving as a base for offensive aircraft.Įarly history (World War I) SM U-12 with a seaplane on deck ![]() Most operational submarine aircraft carriers, with the exception of the I-400 and AM classes, used their aircraft for reconnaissance and observation. The most famous of them were the Japanese I-400-class submarines and the French submarine Surcouf, although small numbers of similar craft were built for other nations' navies as well. These submarines saw their most extensive use during World War II, although their operational significance remained rather small. HMS M2 launching her Parnall Peto seaplaneĪ submarine aircraft carrier is a submarine equipped with aircraft for observation or attack missions. JSTOR ( January 2013) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: "Submarine aircraft carrier" – news Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
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