Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka
Japanese rocket suicide-attack aircraft / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka (櫻花[1], Ōka, "cherry blossom"; 桜花 in modern orthography) was a purpose-built, rocket-powered human-guided kamikaze attack-aircraft[2] deployed by Japan against Allied ships in the Pacific Ocean theater towards the end of World War II. Although extremely fast, the Ohka had a very short range, so it had to be carried into action as a parasite aircraft by a much larger bomber, which was itself vulnerable to carrier-borne fighters. In action during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, Ohkas succeeded in sinking or damaging some escort-vessels and transport ships, but never sank any major warships. The Japanese developed improved versions in an attempt to overcome the aircraft's shortcomings, but they came too late for deployment.
MXY-7 Ohka | |
---|---|
Ohka Model 11 replica at the Yasukuni Shrine Yūshūkan war museum. | |
Role | Kamikaze (piloted suicide) anti-ship aircraft / missile |
National origin | Japan |
Manufacturer | Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal |
First flight | 21 March 1944 (unpowered), November 1944 (powered). |
Introduction | 1945 |
Retired | 1945 |
Status | Retired |
Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |
Produced | 1944–1945 |
Number built | 852 |
Allied personnel referred to the aircraft as "Baka Bombs" (baka being a Japanese pejorative term meaning "fool" or "idiot").[3]