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It is also a way to force the enemy to spread their forces.

Sorry it took me so long to respond with some pics of the model assembly instructions, but I have been down sick the last two days.

Here is a pic from the instructions showing how torps are loaded into the sub.
This appears to be how the sub itself is stocked for its forward tubes and not as ordnance for the planes.

This is a pic of the data on the planes. It states that they were stowed with ordnance loaded and that they could be launched with either 800kg bombs or torpedoes.

Don't think there were any torpedo reloads for the planes.

Thanks. Doesn't seem to have torpedo quantities there or i am missing it?

According to CombinedFleet.com, "The Sen Toku submarines carried four aerial torpedoes, three 800kg bombs, and twelve 250kg bombs to arm these aircraft."

http://www.combinedfleet.com/ships/i-400

Thanks. So 1 torp for each aircraft plus a reserve.

The model intructions don't indicate where ordnance stores for the aircraft were kept nor the process of reloading.

Well maybe someone should mod it...
My allied opponent is quite startled...
And they attack the next turn as well.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Portland Roads at 93,130

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
M6A1 Seiran x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
M6A1 Seiran: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Cheleb, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x M6A1 Seiran launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Interesting I am building them and wonder if they can do night attacks against Derek's aircraft carriers at night...

Or if the CV are near home waters maybe they will be flying no CAP?
That would be the biggest prize. I am using the I400 with about 8 Glen boats who do the looking - I have about 3 normal boats moving into the way of the convoy.

I have the I401 completing in about 10 days. Its March 44 in my game - do not go near where allied ASW will be high in the air or at sea.

25/2/44
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Bowen at 97,146

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
M6A1 Seiran x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAKL Siberoet, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
114 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x M6A1 Seiran bombing from 7000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

27/2/44

Morning Air attack on TF, near Rockhampton at 100,150

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
M6A1 Seiran x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Edwin M. Stanton, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x M6A1 Seiran launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

29/2/44

Morning Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 96,144

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
M6A1 Seiran x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
M6A1 Seiran: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK John Bartram

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x M6A1 Seiran launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

MISSED!!!!

You already expended more than 4 torpedoes [:'(]

Maybe they stored them in the tubes as well ?

That is an option yes. But you cannot use the submarine for torpedoing.
I mean if the mission is designed to be only aerial attack then i don't think is gamey to allow for that and use the space inside torpedo tubes to have more aircraft torpedoes.

That leds me to think that IJN could have designed that the submarine fired aerial torpedos too instead of the usual 533mm submarine torpedos. Then they would have had much more mission flexibility.

Fair comments - We are playing scn 2 so its a bit of a what if anyway. My plan is only to use the I400 and her sister soon to arrive only to hunt with the planes.So far she has bagged 3 or 4 ships. The allied player is hunting her and her consorts at the moment.

Check this:

http://navy.memorieshop.com/Subs/I-400.html

Apparently it had a big infestation problem... I cannot take out of my head the image of how the living conditions might had been for the 200+ men ... plus hundreds of rats and thousands of roaches... all cozy together in that dark and cramped space

"While you were at Sasebo I was in Yokosuka with the Proteus group. When the I-400 entered Yokosuka I was detailed, along with a few marines, to accompany the squadron doctor for a medical inspection of the boat. This was quite an experience - as you so eloquently described in your report. The sub was incredibly filthy, with a layer of grease and left-over food on the decks and rats running freely in every compartment. The stench was almost unbearable, particularly near the heads where one of our party lost his breakfast as he was hovering over the sanitary tank opening.
Despite the unhygienic conditions we witnessed, the physical appearance of the crew was remarkably good. Everyone seemed to be lean and alert. I think that in the closing weeks of the war, the Japanese submarine crews realized the collapse of the Empire was imminent and morale dropped sharply. Incidentally, when we questioned the ship's officers as to the total complement, the reply was 187. By our count it was 213, I believe. "

Maybe the Air Unit is not considered part of the sub's complement, the way a CV air group is separate from the host ship.

Found an interesting pic of a Seiran at the NA&SM in Washington:

14/3/44
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Belep Islands at 109,150

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 65 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
M6A1 Seiran x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAP Thomas A. Edison, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x M6A1 Seiran bombing from 7000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

About 3 subs with I400 have now been sunk allies hunting with a CV and CVE - One jap sub I6 sinks the CVE in the preceeding turn...