Approved in August of 1944 - a full year BEFORE WWII ended, Japan okayed the Divine Thunder God Corp. (Jinrai Butai) a suicide flying bomb program that would feature the Yokosuka MXY-11 Ohka (Cherry Blossom) rocket-powered, human-guided Kamikaze (Divine Wind) attack plane.
Check out the photo above - a replica of the Japanese Ohka at the Yasukuni Shrine (Photo by: Max Smith).
So... what the heck is it with the Japanese and all of the suicide attacks—the Kamikaze flying the airplanes into Allied ships; the Fukuryu sea divers poking mines onto the submerged hulls of Allied ships; and now the Jinrai Butai and their rocket planes!
Japan has a long-held belief in the powers of ritualistic suicide as a way for atoning for failures or misdeeds via harakiri and seppuka.
In fact, Japanese soldiers when faced with capture by Allies often chose to kill themselves - who knows why? Possibly because they failed in their job as soldiers.
But to volunteer for missions where one is piloting a suicide machine? Well... one could chalk it up to a fanatical devotion to the Emperor of Japan who is considered to be descended from the gods.
God, god, god... what's with all the crazy countries and their fanatical devotion to god? Hey, God Save the Queen and In God We Trust. I'm just saying, we all have our own cross to bear.
And WTF is up with the 'Cherry Blossom' name? Japan sure does love its cherry blossoms. So pretty when you sit under a blooming cherry tree and sip sake during hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties in the Spring... and then the divine winds blow its gentle zephyrs wafting the cherry blossoms from the trees and into the air where the cherry blossoms suddenly get it into their head that they should dive bomb the stupid humans below, whipping its petals in a floral frenzy of death and destruction. I may never look at a cherry blossom again unless it's one of those awesome Canadian sugar bomb chocolates: HERE.
Anyhow... let's look at the rocket plane and their pilots, the Divine Thunder Gods... there's that whole god-thing again.
The MXY-7 Ohka was a manned rocket with an armed warhead in the nose that was usually transported to within target range by a Mitsubishi G4M2e "Betty" Model 24J bomber plane (henceforth to be called 'Betty'). When in range, the pilot would climb down from the bomber into the Ohka, would release the rocket from the bomber and would glide a little ways towards the target before engaging the three solid-fuel rockets - either one at a time or all three in unison for ultimate speed and then pilot the rocket into the intended target. To hopefully hit the target and thus kill himself.
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| Ohka rocket plane being released from a Mitsubishi Betty Model 24J bomber. |
SPECIFICATIONS
Specs on the Ohka - Model 11 variant... the only one to actually fly in combat:
- Crew: One
- Length: 6.06 m (19 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 5.12 m (16 ft 9½ in)
- Height: 1.16 m (3 ft 9⅓ in)
- Wing area: 6 m² (64.583 ft²)
- Empty weight: 440 kg (970 lb)
- Loaded weight: 2,140 kg (4,718 lb)
- Engine: Three Type 4 Mark 1 Model 20 rocket motors, each using a solid fuel, 2.60 kN (587 lbf)
- Maximum speed: 804 kilometers (576 miles per hour) a in dive
- Range: 36 kilometers (23 miles)
- Wing loading: 356.7 kg/m² (73.1 lb/ft²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.38
- Dive speed (3× Rocket motors Full-Boost): 1,040 km/h (650 mph)
- 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) Ammonal warhead—an explosive made up of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder.
Obviously liking the idea of death dealing by self-sacrifice (sarcasm), the Imperial Japanese Navy had Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal (Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsushoalso known as Kugisho) build it.
While models 1-10 were not built, a total of 155 Ohka Model 11's were manufactured at Yokosuka-shi in Kanagawa-ken and 600 more constructed at the Kasumigaura Naval Air Arsenal in Ibaraki-ken.
Other versions of the Ohka were developed though none, excluding the Model 11, were actually operational.
VARIATIONS OF THE OHKA
- Ohka K-1 was an unpowered trainer version with water ballast instead of warhead and engines, to provide pilots with handling experience. There were 45 of these built by Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho.
- Model 21, which had thin steel wings manufactured by Nakajima Hikōki Kabushiki Gaisha (Nakajima Aircraft Company). It had the engine of the Model 11 and the airframe of the Model 22.
- Model 22 was designed to overcome the short standoff distance problem by using a Campini-type thermojet engine known as the Tsu-11. This engine was successfully tested, and 50 Model 22 Ohkas were built at Yokosuka to accept this engine. The Model 22 was to be launched by the Yokosuka P1Y3 Ginga "Frances" bomber, which meant needed a shorter wing span a smaller 600-kilogram (1,320 pound) warhead. None appear to have been used operationally, and only three of the experimental Tsu-11's engines are known to have been produced.
- Model 33 was a larger version of the Model 22 to be powered by an Ishikawajima Ne-20 turbojet with a 800-kilogram (1,760-pound) warhead. It was to have been ferried by the Nakajima G8N Renzan, but the project never got off the ground after they realized they would not be able to use the Renzan airplane for this.
- Model 43A was to have folding wings enabling it to be launched from submarines.
- Model 43B, was to have been catapult/rocket-assisted version with folding wings so that it could be easily hidden in caves.
- Model 43 K-1 Kai Wakazakura (Young Cherry) was to have been a trainer version for the Model 43s, a two-seater (one for the teacher and one for the student pilot), and fitted with a single rocket motor. The second seat actually took the place of the warhead. Two of these Model 43 K-1 rockets were actually built.
- Model 53 would also use the Ne-20 turbojet, but the plan called for it to be towed like a glider and released near its target.
USE OF THE OHKA MODEL 11
A total of seven U.S. ships were reported damaged or sunk by Ohkas throughout World War II - all near Okinawa.
And... just so you are aware, sailors called the Ohka by the nickname 'baka', a Japanese word meaning 'stupid idiot', perhaps because the first supposed successful attack was on April 1, or because the pilots had to be stupid idiots to die piloting such a crazy weapon.
Here's a video from the History Channel's Dogfights television program, my favorite show ever from this network:
During the first actual attempt to use the Ohka in battle, a total of 80 Ohka were destroyed after the aircraft carriers Shinaro (carrying 50 Ohka) and Unryu (with 30 Ohka) were sunk by U.S. submarines USS Archer-Fish on November 29, 1944 and USS Redfish on December 19, 1944 , respectively, as they attempted to travel into Leyte Gulf to Manilla in the Philippines.
The next big attempt occurred on March 21, 1945 when 16 Mitsubishi G4M2e "Betty" Model 24J bombers were to be escorted by 55 Mitsubishi Zero to attack the US crafts USS Hornet, USS Bennington, USS Wasp and USS Bealleau Wood of Task Group 58.1. However, 25 Zero turned back due to mechanical issues or were unable to actual take-off. The 30 remaining Zero and Betty aircraft were intercepted about 113 kilometers (70 miles) from their intended targets by 16 US Navy Grumman F6 Hellcat fighters, Not wanting a stray bullet hitting the Ohka warhead, the Ohka's were immediately jettisoned by the Bettys (the Ohka pilot was still aboard the Betty's). All Betty's were downed (the Jinrai Butai pilots included) and 15 shot-up Zero returned back home.
Attacks intensified in April 1945. On April 1 1945, six Bettys attacked the U.S. Fleet off Okinawa and at least one made a successful attack with its Ohka thought to have hit one of the 406-millimeter (16-inch) guns on the turrets of the battleship USS West Virginia, causing moderate damage. However, a postwar analysis indicated that no hits were recorded and that a near-miss took place. The transports USS Alpine, USS Achernar, and USS Tyrrell were also hit by kamikaze aircraft, but it is unclear whether any of these were actual Ohkas from the other Bettys. None of the Bettys returned.
On April 12, 1945, nine Bettys again attacked the U.S. Fleet off Okinawa. The destroyer USS Mannert L. Abele was hit by an Ohka, broke in two, and sank - making it the first documented sinking of a U.S. naval vessel by an Ohka. The USS Jeffers destroyed an Ohka flying at it with anti-aircraft fire a scant 45-meters (50-yards) from the ship, but the resulting explosion was still powerful enough to cause extensive damage, forcing the USS Jeffers to withdraw. Next, The destroyer USS Stanly was attacked by two Ohkas - one struck just above the waterline just behind the ship's bow, with the charge punching completely through the other side of the hull before splashing into the sea and detonating like a depth charge, causing little damage to the ship, and the other Ohka narrowly missed (likely due to the pilot being killed by anti-aircraft fire) and crashed into the sea, knocking off the Stanly's ensign in the process. Only one Betty returned.
On April 14 1945, seven Bettys attacked the U.S. Fleet off Okinawa. None returned and none of the Ohkas appeared to have been launched. Two days later on April 15, 1945, six Bettys attacked the U.S. Fleet off Okinawa. Two returned, but again, no Ohkas hit their targets. Later, on April 28,1945, four Bettys attacked the U.S. Fleet off Okinawa at night. One returned. No hits from Ohka were recorded. On May 4, 1945 in the same area, seven Bettys attacked, with one Ohka hitting the bridge of the minesweeper USS Shea, causing extensive damage and casualties. The USS Gayety was also damaged by a near-miss by an Ohka. One Betty returned. On May 11, 1945, four Bettys attacked the area: the destroyer USS Hugh W. Hadley was hit and suffered extensive damage and flooding. The vessel was judged beyond repair. On May 25, 1945, 11 Bettys tried to attacked U.S., but bad weather forced most to turn back and no recorded hits from the others.On June 22, 1945, six more Bettys attacked, but again, no recorded hits.
SUICIDE PILOTS
The design and concept is fantastic if you can find someone willing to die piloting the damn thing—and they didn't have that problem. Check out the photo below of some of the Thunder Gods - the Jinrai Butai who were trained to pilot the Ohka of the 721st Kokutai (Air Wing). Surnames first where applicable.
Standing left to right: Petty Officer Kuwata, Reserve Sub Lieutenant Okamoto Kanae (who may have been the senior officer of three surviving pilots of the Thunder Gods Corps on Kikagashima at the end of the war); Sub Lieutenant Isogai; Sitting left to right: Sub Lieutenant (illegible)-moto; Squad Leader Mori-(illegible); and Sub Lieutenant Hosai.
The image appeared in Parade Magazine in October 1945, a month after the war ended, and when the American public first began to receive details about the suicide rocket program.
As I keep researching, I keep on finding more strange things utilized by the Japanese during World War II. So... if you will indulge me, more to come soon.
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
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