Chris,
  If I understand correctly, I think you're trying to create a max of 9
tabs... each to hold one subform record.
  I would think this would be "somehow" be possible, but only after many
hours of effort and a lot of experienced coding, and in the end, be
extremely cumbersome and difficult to work with.
  Try creating just a normal continous subform with 9 records, and displays
just those very critical fields you need to see from the Main form.  Maybe 8
or 9 fields that you need to assist the user in identifying the diffrence
between the subform records.
  Create a "jump" function that... when you double click on a subform
record, a new, full sized form opens up to that particular record, and
displays ALL the ancillary fields that you need to edit or view.  Upon
working on that record, and upon closing of that "jump" form, you'll return
right back to your normal form.
   Practically all commercial software uses this same method.  If you want
to edit a deposit in your checkbook program, you jump out to the deposit
slip... do your work, and return to the checking account you came from.