Japan's Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka (cherry blossom) suicide attack plane
Allied code name: Baka

Photos

 

Design

In the summer of 1944 Ensign Mitsuo Ohta (transport pilot with 405th Kokutai) came up with the idea of a rocket powered suicide aircraft. With help of the Aeronautical Research Institute of the University of Tokyo plans were developed and then submitted to the Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho at Yokosuka. Masao Yamana, Tadanao Mitsugi, and Rokuro Hattori led a team that developed the final plans.

The Ohka was to be attached to a large aircraft, usually a G4M2e, which would then carry the Ohka near it's target and then release it.

Materials

Wood was the primary construction material of the Ohka.

Pilots

The Ohka was designed to be flown by inexperienced pilots so the most rudimentary instruments were installed.

Rockets

There were three solid propellant rockets in the tail. The pilot could fire them all at once or individually.

Prototype

The first unpowered flight was in October 1944. In November 1944 powered flights were conducted.

Production

• Prototypes: 10
  • Production: September 1944
• Yokosuka Model 11: 755
  • Manufacturer: Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho at Yokosuka (155), Dai-Ichi Kaigun Kokusho at Kasumigaura (600)
  • Production: September 1944 - March 1945
• Yokosuka Model 22: 50
  • Manufacturer: Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho at Yokosuka
• Yokosuka Model K-1: 45
  • Manufacturer: Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho at Yokosuka
• Yokosuka Model 43 K-1 KAI: 2
  • Manufacturer: Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho at Yokosuka
• Total: 852
  • Manufacturer: Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho at Yokosuka (252), Dai-Ichi Kaigun Kokusho at Kasumigaura (600)

Variants

• Yokosuka Model 11, Navy Suicide Attacker Ohka Model 11:
• Yokosuka Model 22: Turbojet powered.
• Yokosuka Model K-1: Trainer. Had water ballast in the nose.
• Yokosuka Model 43 K-1 KAI Wakazakura (young cherry): Two seat trainers.

Usage

On March 21, 1945, the first Ohka mission was flown by the 721st Kokutai. Mitsubishi G4M bombers carried 16 Ohkas and were intercepted by United States Navy Hellcats. All the G4Ms were shot down and all the Ohkas crashed into the sea.

On April 1, 1945, the USS West Virginia and three transports were damaged by Ohkas. The destroyer USS Mannert L Abele was sunk on April 12, 1945, off of Okinawa, which became the first Allied ship sunk.