Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:57:41-1:58:08

Starling's escort group is a poor opponent for I-400

Captain Frederic John Walker and HMS Starling would defeat an I-400 once contact was made because the large Japanese submarine maneuvered poorly underwater.

Anti-Submarine WarfareFrederic John WalkerHMS StarlingI-400 Class SubmarinesSubmarines
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Question

Who wins between Johnny Walker in HMS Starling and an I-400 submarine?

Short answer

Starling wins once it finds the submarine; I-400's only realistic chance is to avoid detection.

Notes

This matchup pits an exceptionally experienced anti-submarine escort against one of the least maneuverable submerged submarines of the war. I-400's size and specialized aircraft mission do not help once a hunter-killer group fixes its position. Its best defense is therefore evasion before detection rather than fighting through the attack. Strategic novelty does not erase tactical vulnerability.