Aircraft Quiz #56

[Doug Robertson]

There was the a famous (infamous?) aircraft designed to certainly kill its human pilot using only four cockpit flight instruments (no other instruments present). It had alternate engines in a different type model.

1a. Name the aircraft builder, 1b. Aircraft full model name, 1C. Name the second model type of this purpose-built aircraft.

2a. Aircraft propulsion/type and number of for the first model type, 2b. Aircraft propulsion and number of for the second model type.

3. About how many in all were built? Answer may surprise.

4. Bonus for alternate name of this successful aircraft that was used, disparagingly.

As usual, full specs for at least one of the aircraft types will be offered after the quiz is correctly answered. All questions need to be answered correctly in this quiz.

Note: As stated in the past, I do NOT check or use the Web in formulating these quizzes.

[SunvisorFlyer]

I had two thoughts for this quiz, but I think this one makes more sense.

1a. Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal
1b. Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka Model 11
1c. Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka Model 22

2a. 3 Type 4 Model 1 Mark 20 solid-fuel rocket motors
2b. 1 TSU-11 (motorjet engine)

3. 850??

4. The "Baka"?

[Doug Robertson]

Very good, SunvisorFlyer, and I salute you!

The Yokosuka Ohka (Cherry Blossom) was the hair-brained Kamikaze idea of a Japanese transport pilot suggesting a rocket-powered aircraft for suicide missions against allied naval forces in the Pacific that was actually put in service during the latter stages of WWII-1945. Japan quickly developed it in 1944 and they were carried aloft by Mitsubishi G4M ''Betty" naval attack bombers. The G4M2a Model 24B and Model 24C aircraft were modified by removal of their bomb bay doors to accommodate an MXY7 Ohka piloted missile. This made the bombers slow and heavy and an easy target for allied fighter aircraft. The majority of the "Betty" Ohka-carriers were shot down, and only about 15 allied ships were ever sunk by Ohkas. Their first use was on 21 March 1945 when 16 Ohka-carrying "Bettys" were shot down even BEFORE launching their Ohka missiles.

My references say approximately 750 Ohkas were built, and the "vast majority were never launched, being shot down while attached to their carrier aircraft or destroyed or captured on the ground".

Here are the answers.

1a. Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Command, 1b. Yokosuka Ohka Type 11, 1c. Yokosuka Ohka Type 22.

2a. Three Type 4 Model 1 Mark 20 solid-fuel rockets with total thrust of 1,764 lbs. 2b. Turbojet engine with a small auxiliary piston engine acting as a gas generator-I have no further details.

3. About 750 Ohkas were built.

4. Known to allied forces as Baka, which meant "FOOL" in English.

Specs for Ohka Type 11

Powerplant: Three Type 4 Model 1 solid-fuel rockets-total thrust 1,764 lbs
Crew: One pilot
Wingspan: 16' 10"
Length: 19' 11"
Weight: Loaded-4,178 lbs
Max speed: 403 mph
Warhead: 2,645 lb High Explosive warhead in Ohka nose.

The Type 22 Ohka unintentionally crashed on its first (and only) test flight.

Oh, and those four Ohka flight instruments?

Magnetic compass
Airspeed Indicator
Altimeter
Inclinometer-for turn indication

The Ohka was one aircraft actually designed to kill its pilot; judged as such-it could be considered a minor success, but didn't affect the war effort much.

Incidentally, what was your other thought in this quiz?

[SunvisorFlyer]

My other thought was the Nakajima Ki-115.
Real simple little airplane, but since it wasn't ever deployed in combat, I didn't think it was a viable answer.

It is a bit surprising to learn that the decision was made to compromise the main advantages of the G4M (speed / range) in order to carry a human-guided missile for close quarters combat.

[Doug Robertson]

The crude Nakajima Ki-115 Tsurugi was a candidate Kamikaze aircraft with 104 built by war's end, but none of them were used operationally, to my knowledge.

There were quite a few versions of the Mitsubishi G4M, prototype G4M1, then production G4M Model 11, then Model 12 with different engines, then G4M2 Model 22 with laminar flow wings, other changes-different engines again, a Model 22A, a Model 22B, Model 22C, a G4M2a Model 24, a G4M2a Model 24A. Model 24B, Model 24C.

Then experimental variants: a single G4M2b Model 25, two G4M2c Model 26 with turbochargers, and one G4M2d Model 27.

As stated, the designators for Ohka-carrier G4Ms are above.

The final attempt to improve the G4M for combat came with the three prototype G4M3 Model 34s; first being completed in January 1944 with again revised wings. Variants of the G4M3 model 34 included an ASW/transport G4M3a Model 34a not built, and two experimental G4M3 Model 36 aircraft with the turbochargers of the G4M2c Model 26. Whew!!

A heavily armed Navy fighter derived from the basic G4M was designated G6M1 with just 30 built. These were converted to G6M1-K trainers and G6M1-L2 transports. Counting prototypes the total Mitsubishi production of the G4Ms was 2,416, plus the 30 similar G6Ms.

Noted victories-G4M1s sank the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle-cruiser HMS Repulse just three days after the 7 December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack and took part in the first raid of Darwin, Australia. There is more, but finally two G4M1s carried the Japanese surrender delegation to Ie Shima enroute to discuss the final requirements of Japan's unconditional surrender, ending on VJ day.

This has gotten away a bit from the Ohka, but the Mitsubishi G4M was quite a Japanese Navy aircraft in its many versions, spanning 1937 to 1945.