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Ohka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The "Baka bomber" - Baka being Japanese for idiot, it was actualy called the Ohka, or "Cherry Blossom".
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It was a manned flying bomb that was carried underneath a Mitsubishi G4M "Betty", Yokosuka P1Y Ginga "Frances" (guided Type 22) or planned Heavy Nakajima G8N Renzan "Rita" (transport type 43A/B) bomber to within range of its target; on release, the pilot would first glide toward the target and when close enough he would fire the Ohka's rocket engine and guide the missile towards the ship that he intended to destroy. The final approach was almost unstoppable (especially for Type 11) because the aircraft gained tremendous speed. Later versions were designed to be launched from coastal air bases and caves, and even from submarines equipped with aircraft catapults, although none were actually used this way. It appears that the operational record of Ohkas used in action includes three ships sunk or damaged beyond repair and three other ships with significant damage. Seven US ships were damaged or sunk by Ohkas throughout the war.
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The problem was that these things were virtually unsteerable. But when your pilot doesn't come back you have no way of knowing that. It wasn't discovered until tests conducted after the war.
