{"product_id":"10324","title":"IJN I-53 \u0026 Kaitens ;  Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)  (Lindberg, 1\/72)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe I-53 was a significant vessel for the Imperial Japanese Navy, but by late in the war, its role shifted to something pretty desperate. Originally a C3-class cargo submarine, it was modified to carry 'Kaiten' human-steered suicide torpedoes into battle. Its most famous moment came in July 1945, when the crew launched these piloted weapons in an attack that successfully sank the USS Underhill. It’s a dark story, but it highlights just how intense the naval warfare had become in the Pacific right before the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs for the machine itself, the I-53 was a C3-class sub specifically adapted to be a 'Kaiten' carrier. Its main feature was the capacity to haul six Type 1 Kaiten submersibles on its deck. These weren't entirely new inventions; they were actually modified Type 93 'Long Lance' torpedoes fitted with a tiny pilot compartment. This setup turned the sub into a mothership for guided weapons, using the massive hull to get those deadly, human-guided torpedoes within striking distance of their targets.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WW2 Bunker","offers":[{"title":"1\/72","offer_id":44899618488422,"sku":"70818","price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/4926\/4998\/files\/Tegvp9aRZxe3be3HnNifMt4wheAcI0afsbpfiTA56x0.jpg?v=1772923983","url":"https:\/\/ww2bunker.com\/products\/10324","provider":"WW2 Bunker","version":"1.0","type":"link"}