Ohka

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Tanaka
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Ohka

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The Ohka was the Yokosuka MXY7, Navy Suicide Attacker Ohka (Cherry Blossom). The first version was the Model 11 carrying a 1,200 kg (2,646 pound) warhead in the nose and designed to fit in the bomb bay of a specially modified Mitsubish G4M2e, Navy Type 1 Attack Bomber Model 24J, Allied Code Name "Betty." The Ohka had three Type 4 Mk. I Model 20 rocket motors with a combined thrust of 800 kg (1,764 pounds) that would fire for eight to ten seconds. While flying level at 3,500 meters (11,485 feet), the Ohka could reach a top speed of 250 knots (288 mph or 463 km/h) without power and 350 knots (403 mph or 649 km/h) with full thrust. The terminal dive velocity of the Model 11 was 500 knots (576 mph or 927 km/h).

A total of 755 Ohka Model 11s were built between September 1944 and March 1945. Their first operational mission was on 21 March 1945 when 16 G4M2e bombers were intercepted and dropped their loads short of the target. The first successful mission was on 1 April 1945 when Ohkas damaged the battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48], attack transports USS Hinsdale (APA-120) and USS Alpine (APA-92), and tank landing ship USS LST-884. The first ship sunk by an Ohka was the destroyer USS Mannert L. Abele (DD-733) on 12 April 1945.

The second version, the Ohka Model 22, was planned to be an improved version of the weapon to be carried by the faster Yokosuka P1Y1, Navy Bomber Ginga, Allied Code Name "Frances." In order to accommodate the Ohka in the bomber, the wing span was reduced and a smaller warhead was carried. The Ohka 22 was also fitted with a small turbojet engine instead of rocket motors so that it could be launched further away. Unlike the Model 11 which had a 20-mile (32 km) range, the Model 22 had a 70-mile (113 km) range. Fifty Model 22s were built; one test flight was made in July 1945 but auxiliary rocket motors installed under the wings fired accidentally just after release and the Ohka crashed. I do not believe that any operational missions were flown with this aircraft.

The third version, the Ohka Model 33, also had a turbojet but carried a larger payload. This aircraft was intended to be carried by a four-engine Nakajima G8N1 Navy Experimental 18-Shi Attack Bomber Renzan (Mountain Range), Allied Code Name "Rita." The program was cancelled before any were completed.

There were several other Ohka models that did not go into production.
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Re: Ohka

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Some more Ohka photos

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Ki-115

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The Ki-115

The aircraft's intended purpose was to be used in Kamikaze attacks on U.S shipping and invasion fleet involved in the future invasion of Japan, Operation Downfall which in the end did not take place.

As the Japanese High Command thought that Japan did not have enough obsolete aircraft to use for kamikaze attacks, it was decided that huge numbers of cheap, simple suicide planes should be constructed quickly in anticipation for the invasion of Japan
The aircraft was very simple, being made from "non strategic" materials (mainly wood and steel). It was to use a droppable take-off (there was no landing) gear to save weight, so a simple welded steel tube landing gear was attached to the aircraft. The cross section of the fuselage was circular and not elliptic as for the most of planes of this size and type at that time. Such fuselage is easier to make.

However Tsurugi had the instrument panel with some flight instruments, rudder pedals in addition to the rudder lever and also the foreseen place for the radio. Flight controls included both ailerons and (in production version) flaps.

The Ki-115 was designed to be able to use any engine that was in storage for ease of construction and to absorb Japan's obsolete stocks of engines from the 1920s and 1930s. The initial aircraft (Ki-115a) were powered by 1,150 hp Nakajima Ha-35 radial engines. It is not known if any other engine was ever actually fitted.

After testing the first production aircraft were fitted with improved gear and two rocket assist take-off units (other source states that these were designed for the final acceleration towards the target).

The aircraft had a top speed of 512 km/h (320 mph) and could carry up to an 800 kg bomb, enough to split a U.S warship in two. However it had no weapons to defend itself on the way, being an easy target for the enemy fighter aircraft.

The controls were crude, the vision was terrible and the performance abysmal. Due to simple, rigid gear and bad ground visibility Tsurugi had very poor take-off and landing performance and could not be flown by anyone other than experienced pilots. There were fatal crashes during testing and training. However the new, better versions with improved controls and better visibility were under intensive development. The Japanese High command had plans to construct some 8,000 per month in workshops all across Japan.

The war, however, ended before they could be used. Individually they would have been rather inefficient weapon, but used in waves of hundreds or thousands they could have been quite destructive.


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