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The
Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka ("cherry
blossom") was a purpose-built
kamikaze aircraft employed by
Japan towards the end of
World War II.
US servicemen gave the aircraft the
Japanese name
Baka ("fool") out of spite.
It was a small
flying bomb that was carried underneath a
bomber to within range of its target; on release, the pilot would fire
the Ohka's engine and begin his dive towards the target.
The first operational Ohkas (Type 11 and Type 21) were
powered by solid fuel
rocket motors, which provided great speed but only very limited range.
This was problematic as it required the carrier aircraft to approach close
to the target, making them very vulnerable to fighter defences.
The Ohka Type 22 was designed to overcome this problem by
using a
thermojet style
jet engine, the
Tsu-11. This engine was successfully tested, and Ohkas were built to
accept this engine, but none appear to have been used operationally.
The final stage in Ohka development was the Type 43,
which was intended to be powered by an
Ne-20
turbojet. Two trainer versions were also under development for this
version, the K-1 and the K-1 Kai, the former being a
glider, and the latter fitted with a single rocket motor.
Some 850 were built, mostly Type 11. Surviving Ohkas
include:
- Type 11 -
Royal Air Force Museum,
Cosford
- Type 11 -
Fleet Air Arm Museum,
Yeovilton
- Type 11 -
Manchester Air and Space Museum,
Manchester
- Type 11 -
Defence Explosives Ordinance School,
Kent
- Type 11 -
Indian Air Museum,
New Delhi
- Type 11 -
Iruma Air Force Base,
Saitama
- Type 11 -
USMC Air Ground Museum,
Quantico, Virginia
- Type 22 - Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum,
Washington DC (recently restored)
- Type 43 K-1 (rebuilt to represent a
Type 11) -
USAF Museum,
Dayton, Ohio
- Type 43 K-1 -
Navy Memorial Museum,
Washington DC
- Type 43 K-1 Kai - Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum,
Washington DC
Operational History
March 21,
1945 - fifteern Ohka carrying
Betty
bombers escorted by about thirty
Zeros fly to attack Taskgroup 58.1 (USS
Hornet,
USS Bennington,
USS Wasp,
USS Belleau Wood). Attack force
intercepted and destroyed some 70 miles from the target. None of the Bettys
return.
April 1,
1945 - Six Bettys attack the US Fleet off
Okinawa. At least one makes a sucessful attack, with its Ohka hitting
one of the 16" turrets on the
USS West Virginia, causing extensive damage.
USS Alpine,
USS Achernar, and
USS Tyrrell are also hit by kamikaze
aircraft, but it is unclear whether any of these were Ohkas from the other
Bettys. None of the Bettys return.
April 12,
1945 - nine Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa.
USS Mannert L Abele is hit, breaks
in two, and sinks.
USS Jeffers destroys an Ohka with
AA fire fifty yards from the ship, but the resulting explosion is still
powerful enough to cause extensive damage, forcing the Jeffers to withdraw.
USS Stanly is targeted by two Ohkas.
One strikes just above the waterline, with the charge punching through the
other side of the hull before detonating, causing little damage to the ship,
and the other Ohka narrowly missed (collecting the Stanly's
ensign!) and crashed into the sea. One Betty returns.
April 14,
1945 - seven Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa. None return. None
of the Ohkas appear to have been launched.
April 16,
1945 - six Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa. Two return, but no
Ohkas hit their targets.
April 28,
1945 - four Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa at night. One
returns. No hits.
May 4,
1945 - seven Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa. One Ohka hits the
bridge of the
USS Shea, causing extensive damage
and casualties. Vessel judged beyond repair. The
USS Gayety is also damaged by a
near-miss by an Ohka. One Betty returns.
May 11,
1945 - Four Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa.
USS Hugh W Hadley is hit, suffers
extensive damage and flooding. Vessel judged beyond repair.
May 25,
1945 - eleven Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa. Bad weather forces
most of the aircraft to turn back, and none of the others score hits.
June 22,
1945 - six Bettys attack the US Fleet off Okinawa. Two return, but no
hits were scored.
Technical Summary
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Type 11 |
Type 22 |
Type 43 |
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Span: |
5.1m |
4.1m |
9.0m |
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Length: |
6.1m |
6.9m |
8.2m |
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Height: |
1.2m |
1.2m |
1.2m |
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Wing Area: |
6.0 sq m |
4.0 sq m |
13.0 sq m |
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Weight: |
2,140kg |
1,450kg |
2,270kg |
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Warhead |
1,200kg |
600kg |
800kg |
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Powerplant: |
3 x rocket motors producing 800kg |
Tsu-11 thermojet producing 200kg |
Ne-20 turbojet producing 475kg |
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Max speed: |
630km/h |
430km/h |
540km/h |
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Range: |
36km |
126km |
270km |
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