Ohka bomb

World War II Japanese Military
#21

[edit] Japanese versions
In 1943, an Argus pulse jet engine was shipped to Japan by German submarine. The Aeronautical Institute of Tokyo Imperial University and the Kawanishi Aircraft Company conducted a joint study of the feasibility of mounting a similar engine on a piloted plane. The resulting design was based on the Fieseler Fi-103 Reichenberg (Fi103R, a piloted V-1), and was named Baika (“ume blossom”).

Baika never left the design stage but technical drawings and notes suggest that two versions were under consideration: an air-launch version with the engine mounted under the fuselage, and a ground-launch version that could take off without a ramp.

Intelligence reports of the new “Baika” weapon are rumored to be the source of the name given to the Yokosuka MXY-7, a rocket-propelled suicide plane better known as the “Baka Bomb”. However, as baka means idiot in Japanese, and the MXY-7 was officially designated the “Ohka” (“Cherry Blossom”), the true origin is unknown. The MXY-7 was usually carried by the G4M2e version of the Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” naval bomber, then the pilot lit the solid-fuel rockets and guided his flying bomb into a ship. During the Boeing B-29 firebomb attacks on Japanese cities, the Baka was deployed against American bombers.

Another Japanese Fi 103 version was the Mizuno Shinryu, a proposed rocket-powered kamikaze aircraft design, but it was not built.

#22


baka drop

#23

great pictures panzerpete ive not seen many pictures of baka bombs I used to call them okha but baka is more fitting thats what im calling them from now on

#24

you can find many pictures if u put the time into it

#25

The Okha could be launched as far as 70 miles away. Why was it stupid? It was a better kamakazi device than a Zero in that it could not be intercepted once underway due to its speed. If the Okha was stupid then the whole kamakazi endeavour was stupid depending on your point of view and cultural values. When one man could sink an entire ship by sacrificing his life the value was apparent.

#26

If they had a better way to be delivered I think they woulda been more effective. Riding on an outdated bomber probably wasnt the best…but what else could they do anyway at that point.

#27

There’s an Okha in the Indian Air Force Museum that was found in Japan and bought back by pilots of No.4 Squadron (RIAF) who formed part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan after its surrender to the allies.

Okha-1.jpg
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Okha-2.jpg
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#28

I can see your point, Twitch, but in all respect, would you want to ram yourself into the side of a ship? Also, I think you should check your research.
Both me and Panzerpete have read that the Bakas were dropped from 25 miles when their rocket’s range was 23 miles. I think if our sourses are the same, that’s 2 against one. I have also read the Baka’s success rate was extremely low and more bakas were destroyed in their transport bombers than were ever successfully launched.

#29

Kamikaze exploding and going down in flames before it’s mission was accomplished. Waste of lifes.

#30

Does anyone know the success rate of kamikazies in wwII? I dont think it is very high.

#31

Although not often thought of as a precision weapon, the various Kamikaze attackers that first appeared in the fall of 1944 functioned much like modern antishipping missiles, and thus can legitimately be considered a part of the precision weapon story. The Kamikaze was the deadliest aerial antishipping threat faced by Allied surface warfare forces in the war. Approximately 2,800 Kamikaze attackers sunk 34 Navy ships, damaged 368 others, killed 4,900 sailors, and wounded over 4,800. Despite radar detection and cuing, airborne interception and attrition, and massive antiaircraft barrages, a distressing 14 percent of Kamikazes survived to score a hit on a ship; nearly 8.5 percent of all ships hit by Kamikazes sank. As soon as they appeared, then, Kamikazes revealed their power to force significant changes in Allied naval planning and operations, despite relatively small numbers. Clearly, like the antishipping cruise missile of a later era, the Kamikaze had the potential to influence events all out of proportion to its actual strength

From: https://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/EARS/Hallionpapers/precisionweaponspower.htm

#32

well, now i have a new percspective for kamakazies!

the 14 percent that scored a hit did lots of damage.

cool and thanks

#33

Gee Sherman man 2 against one? Is some sort of pissing contest or what? Don’t get your panties in a bunch dude. The Oka 11 & 22 was normally launched 25-50 miles from its intended target. 70+ mile was the alleged range for the forthcoming Oka 30-40-50 series with turbojets.

On March 21, 1945 the 1st attack was launched with Oka 11s 60 miles from the US fleet. It really doesn’t matter the range since US air superiority ruled. If they were 100 miles out the Hellcats would have carved up the G4Ms carrying them. . All sixteen Bettys and OKAs were destroyed despite thirty Zero escorts.

During the savage Okinawa struggle on April 16, 1945 seventy-four OKAs were airborne under the Bettys. Fifty-six were dropped early or shot down while attached. Some OKAs did find their target but exactly how many and other details remain uncertain. The destroyer USS Abele was definitely sunk by an OKA. But remember the Okas arrived very late on the war scene, were very few in number and had no viable opportunity to prove themselves thanks to the Hellcat screens.

During the aforementioned Okinawa operation- designated Kikusui (Floating Chrysanthemum), from April 6- June 22, 1945 the largest kamikaze force yet was unleashed using Zeros, Judys, Francis, Bettys, Nells, Jills, Kates plus the antique Claudes and recon aircraft with bombs. Out of 1,462 planes 846 from Japan hit targets. A further 357 aircraft from Formosa were flown with forty-eight hitting vessels.

Seventeen U.S. vessels were sunk and 198 damaged. Killed by kamikaze operations to that point were over 4,900 U.S. sailors and wounded 4,800 more. The U.S. Army’s casualties to secure Okinawa alone amounted to 7,613 killed and 31,800 wounded. The nearer to the homeland the Americans got the more fierce the resistance was.

All kamikazes used a total of over 2,500 planes and 1,189 scored hits. They subsequently sank thirty-four ships and damaged 368.

Whether I would desire to become a kamikaze pilot is a moot point since the Japanese history, culture, philosophy and bushido code of the era was completely alien to Americans and has no bearing whatsoever on Western values. The important thing is that the concept was viable to the Japanese borne out of their desperation.

In that the Emperor was considered a living god it was completely logical to sacrifice ones life relative to those times under those circumstances. Certainly no American would do the same for a president.

In that the US Navy’s highest losses to that point in the war was attributable to kamikaze attacks it would be difficult not to conclude that they were successful to some degree.

#34

i just read a book about the japanese and the bushido code, spirit warriors, indiustrialation etc. and u are dead on, u are absolutely right that that

“era was completely alien to Americans and has no bearing whatsoever on Western values. The important thing is that the concept was viable to the Japanese borne out of their desperation.
In that the Emperor was considered a living god it was completely logical to sacrifice ones life relative to those times under those circumstances.”

good post, and by the way, the book i read was FLYBOYS by james bradley,

P.S. i think that sherman wasn’t trying to be offensive.

best
regards

#35

The “Baka” bomb was nothing at all like a German V-2.

It was MUCH closer to a German V-1, but did not run on a pulse jet like the V-1; it had rockets for propulsion.

From the comments, not many today apparently understand the WW2 Japanese devotion to country and emperor. The emperor was a God to be obeyed without question. That may SEEM strange 70 years later, but that is the way it was.

To this day, there are people that devoted to causes, just not to emperors. Think about it. There are still people williling to drive a car bomb into an area and blow themselves up. What is the difference between them and a Kamakaze pilot? What about the people who bombed the USS Cole? Or flew airplanes into the World Trade Center on 9/11?

Is there really any difference?

#36

Baka is the name the Allies gave this weapon… Baka is the Japanese word for fool.

#37

Um… yeah… they were fighting more for their loved ones than one entity.

#38

Mostly, according to Japanese friends I know, very few, if any, Japanese soldiers fought for family or anything personal; they were fighting for the Emperor, Duty and Homeland.

This is not a flame contest … it’s what the Japanese themsleves SAY they were fighting for …

If you disagree, that’s OK.

Suicide bombers today are fighting for whatever cause they believe is worth their life, but their determination is the same; get the job done at the cost of their own life.

#39

Hey Twitch, I see you live in Los Angeles. Come out to the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino airport any Saturday and ask for Greg in the restoration hanger. I’ll show you around and we can talk.

  • Greg :slight_smile:
#40

Ok. thanks for the correction.