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SUB-9a: IJN I-201 (bow)

HURL Artifact No.	SUB-9a	*Denotes approximations and speculations


Name:	I-201 (bow section)	Lost:	23-May-46
Artifact Type:	Submarine	Found:	15-Feb-09
Nationality:	Japanese	Dive No:	PIV-208
Class or Make:	I-200	Location:	Barber's Pt.
Model:	Sen Taka	Depth (m):	777m
Purpose:	High Speed Attack	HURL crew:	Kerby, Wollerman/Cremer, Kelley, Smith
Serial Number:	n/a	Additional Dives:	PIV-209, PIV-210/PV-714
Built/Launched:	2/2/45

Length:	65' (259'')
Width:	19'
Height:	18'



Circumstance of Loss:	Torpedoed	Crew Personnel/Position:	31 Officers and Men

Reason of Loss:	Used as target (Sunk by USS Queenfish SS-393)	Crew Survivals/Fatalities:	n/a

Artifact History:	World War II ended before I-201 was ever able to participate. After the war a US submarine crew manned the sub and conducted some sea trials with it, but eventually it was towed with the I-203 to Guam, Eniwetok, and finally to Pearl Harbor. After intelligence studies were completed the I-201 was sunk as a target with a Mk 18 torpedo.

Artifact Condition:	The bow section was severed from the main body forward of the sail and about 15' aft of the retractable capstan. Unlike the larger subs the break is very clean without a lot of jagged metal. The bow is lying flat on it's port side. The wood decking on it's top side is amazingly enacted and only marginally depleted unlike the larger I-boats. Red paint marks the sub in 5' increments appears like new. The bow planes are neatly tucked in and there is almost no damage or decay to this portion.

Additional Information:	The Sen Taka class was capable of speeds of 19 knots submerged for 1 hour. Nearly 3 times faster than any US submarine of that era. It carried 4,192 battery cells for it electric motors and had a maximum depth of 360'. Also unique to this design were the retractable 25mm AA craft guns forward and aft of the sail and the retractable capstans providing a sleek profile.

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