[Milsurplus] Question ( RBS; submarine )

[Hubert Miller]

The subs ( "I-boats" ) didn't stick around and i don't recall reading that
any plane was scrambled in time to catch one. Their subs also shelled
something like a refinery on the CA coast.
The incendiary balloons were launched from Japan later in the war. I think
their submarine-based float plane also dropped incendiaries. Dropping
incendiaries west of the Cascades
in WA or the coastal range in Oregon  is not likely to be a big success. (
Thank goodness for that, because there actually are plentiful forests. )  
A company called "Webb Research" put out a large-format book, about one inch
thick, about the fire balloon story. I have the book but don't recall the
exact title. It is *very* detailed
and even has photos of a couple of Forest Service radios used by beach
patrol. 
James Barrows W7BCT, SK, told me years ago that when working for the
FCC-FBIS in the war, used to hear the tracking transmitters from the
balloons. What he actually told me was
the signal was around 17-18 MHz and it had a wheedle-wheedle sound. He said
he thought it was either a Japanese aircraft carrier beacon of some kind, or
a balloon tracker. I know
the carriers didn't use anything like this for a beacon for their planes, so
it "maybe" was the second possibility. 
-H 

As I recall, a jap sub also shelled Astoria, Oregon.  I got that from a B-17
pilot who at the time was an aircraft mechanic in the AAF in Portland or
Hillsboro.  He was working on an A-26 when they got the word.  A pilot
"conscripted" him to go with him taking an A-26 after the sub.  I can't
remember if he said they found the sub or not.  Those subs off the Pacific
NW coast were mostly launching "fire baloons" trying to burn the forests. 
If I am not mistaken there were one or two children killed by one of those
baloons.  The pilot was so impressed with his abilities that he recommended
him for pilot training for which he was accepted.  After training, he went
to Foggia,Italy, as a replacement pilot for the 15 AF.  He was stationed
about 100 miles north of where my father was a pilot with the 449th heavy
bombardment group (B-24).  .

73,
George
W7HDL