Published in Poland in 2009 by STRATUS s.c. Po. Box 123, 27-600 Sandomierz 1, Poland Japanese Special Attack...... 5 e-mail:[email protected] for The culture of Kamikaze...... 5 Mushroom Model Publications, 36 Ver Road, Redbourn, Kamikaze - the last chance for the Japanese Empire...... 7 AL3 7PE, UK. The creators of Japanese Special Attack...... 7 e-mail: [email protected] © 2009 Mushroom Model Establishment of the Kamikaze suicide units...... 8 Publications. Kamikaze pilot training...... 10 http://www.mmpbooks.biz Last moments before a suicide mission...... 13 All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the pur- Kamikaze over the Philippines...... 16 pose of private study, research, The last air combats over the Philippines...... 21 criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Kamikaze in defence of Iwo Jima...... 32 Patents Act, 1988, no part of this Fighting at Okinawa...... 37 publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or The last Kamikaze attacks in defence of the Japanese Islands...... 49 transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, The effects of Kamikaze...... 50 chemical, mechanical, optical, The fate of the Kamikaze godfathers...... 50 photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written Kamikaze effectiveness...... 52 permission. All enquiries should List of the most important suicide units and formations...... 53 be addressed to the publisher. Suicide units of the Army and Navy participating in actions over the Philippines....53 Suicide units of the Army and Navy participating in actions over Okinawa...... 53 ISBN Organisation of some aircraft suicide units...... 55 978-83-89450-12-8 Ships damaged and sunk during attacks by Kamikaze or Shimpū suicide units...... 57 Editor in chief Kamikaze (or Shimpū) aircraft...... 61 Roger Wallsgrove Special attack aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Army...... 65 Editorial Team Kawasaki Ki-48 (‘Lily’)...... 65 Bartłomiej Belcarz James Kightly Kawasaki Ki-119...... 73 Robert Pęczkowski Kokusai Ta-Go...... 77 Artur Juszczak Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Helen)...... 82 Colour Drawings Mitsubishi To-Go and Ki-167 ...... 90 Artur Juszczak Nakajima Ki-115 Tsurugi...... 96 Zygmunt Szeremeta Krzysztof Wołowski Rikugun single jet-engine fighter...... 106 DTP Tachikawa Ki-74 ‘Patsy’...... 106 Artur Bukowski Tachikawa Ta-Go...... 113 Translation The Experimental Single-seat Attack Aeroplane...... 115 Wojtek Matusiak Special attack aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy...... 117 Printed by: Aichi M6A Seiran/Nanzan...... 117 Drukarnia Diecezjalna, Kawanishi Baika...... 129 ul. Żeromskiego 4, 27-600 Sandomierz Kugisho D3Y Myojo...... 135 tel. +48 (15) 832 31 92; fax +48 (15) 832 77 87 Kugisho D4Y Suisei (‘Judy’)...... 140 www.wds.pl [email protected] Kugisho MXY7 Ohka (Baka)...... 149 PRINTED IN POLAND Kokukyoku Jinryu ...... 174 Nakajima Kikka...... 181 Nakajima Toka...... 194 Remote controlled flying bombs of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy...... 196 Army...... 196 Fu-Go bomber balloon...... 197 2 Rikugun Maru-Ke (Ke-Go) homing bomb ...... 201 Kawasaki I-Go-1 Otsu (Ki-148)...... 207 Mitsubishi I-Go-1 Ko (Ki-147)...... 216 Rikugun I-Go-1 Hei...... 223 Tokyo University I-Go infra-red guided missile...... 224 Rikugun AZ and Maru-Ko flying torpedoes...... 224 Tokushu Kogata Bakugekki and Sa-Go...... 225 Navy...... 226 Kugisho Funryu remote controlled missile...... 226 Kugisho Kudan flying bomb...... 231 Kugisho Kurai flying anti-submarine torpedo...... 232 Kokukyoku Shusui-shiki Kayaku Rocket...... 236 Bibliography...... 240 Colour profiles...... 241

All photos via the author To Makiko and Takuya, my beloved wife and son except where stated. Ryusuke Ishiguro 3 The last air combats over the Philippines

The next stage of the Japanese attacks by suicide aircraft commenced in late November 1944 when the units in the Philippines were reinforced with 450 aircraft from Taiwan. These were used immediately to form new Kamikaze units. One of these, the 3rd Shimpū Tokubetsu Kogekitai, assembled at Nichols Field and Mabalacat. The unit was equipped with Mitsubishi A6M ‘Zero’ fighters, Kugisho D4Y Suisei ‘Judy’ dive-bombers and twin-engined Kugisho P1Y Ginga ‘Frances’ land-based bombers. It began operations on 25 November 1944. The first to go into action was the Yoshino tai unit, under Sub-Lieutenant Masami Takatake. Six ‘Zero’ fighters and two ‘Frances’ bombers arrived over the American fleet commanded by Admiral Gerald F. Bogan at 1130, and two more attack groups followed. The first group was met with heavy AA fire from the carrier USS Cabot, but two Kamikazes hit the ship. Only slight damage resulted, but 15 American sailors were killed and 16 were wounded. Two more Japanese aircraft hit the carrier USS Intrepid: the first struck a gun position and destroyed it, before falling onto the deck and causing a fire to start. The other Kamikaze exploded on the deck, from which 75 aircraft had just taken off. Damage to the deck was substantial meaning aircraft from the USS Intrepid had to find alternative places to land. The carrier lost 79 sailors killed and 43 wounded. The third target of the attack was the carrier USS Hancock, which came under attack by four ‘Zero’ fighters. Two of these were shot down by AA fire and the third burst into flames after American fighters intervened. When the fourth flew into the dense AA fire, its wings were shot off and most of the remaining wreckage missed the carrier but hit the destroyer next to her. The destroyer sustained slight damage. A few fragments of wing and fuselage fell onto the carrier, causing no damage. The last to be attacked was the flag carrier, USS Essex. One of the attacking aircraft was shot down, but another crashed into the flight deck and 15 sailors were killed. A total of eighteen Kamikaze aircraft were shot down. The attacks continued into the next day and respite only came

A damaged P1Y1 Ginga bomber from the 763rd Kokutai seen from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ommaney Bay. 21 Kamikaze effectiveness The effect of suicide attacks is quantified by the numbers below. However, this can never be a complete reflection, as in addition to the officially recorded attacks by Kamikaze units, many suicide attacks were not recorded as they were performed by individual pilots or by small groups on their own initiative.

Number of attack missions 1944 31 1945 75 Number of ships destroyed 1944 17 1945 39 Number of ships damaged 1944 112 1945 256

Total pilot casualties , including: 3,913 Imperial Japanese Navy 2,525 Imperial Japanese Army 1,388

The Navy trained a total of 1,727 pilots, whose age varied between 18 and 20 (there were in fact several pilots aged 17). Of these, 110 pilots were students of the military academy. One Vice- Admiral and two Captains were killed, and the others were ranks between Warrant Officer and Lieutenant. Most of them had graduated from the military academy in 1943. In the Army, most pilots had graduated from advanced flying schools. Most pilots were Sub- Lieutenants, and their average age was 25. Warrant Officers were generally aged 18 or 19. On 2 September 1945 The world learned more about the origin and operations of the Kamikaze units through the trials on the USS Missouri of Japanese commanders held after WWII. The principal trial was held in Tokyo by the International in Tokyo Bay Lieuten- Far East Court between 3 May 1946 and November 1948, during which 28 Japanese commanders ant General Richard K. were tried for war crimes. The bill of indictment included 55 charges, mostly crimes against world Sutherland received the peace, the conventions of war, and against humanity. unconditional surrender The 48th charge included the use of suicide units. It was agreed that this was not only a case of the Japanese Empire, of a crime against humanity, but also a crime against their own nation. However, on 25 October signed by Mamoru Shige- 1974, on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the first Kamikaze unit at the Philippine base mitsu. at Mabalacat, a monument with a memorial plaque was unveiled. Later, subsequent monuments were built, wherever Kamikaze units were based. A monument to Yukio Seki, the first of many subsequent pilots who gave their lives for Japan and the Emperor, was also erected. There are more and more documents published about the actions of the special units, mostly memoirs of those who did not see their turn come. The Japanese have not forgotten their sons, sent to certain death in defence of their home.

51 No production Ki-115 Ko aircraft reached combat units. Even so, plans for a further-developed One of eight Ki-115 version designated Ki-115 Otsu were underway. The Otsu variant had a new wing which had prototypes with main increased span and area. The plan was to fit it with normal flaps, and the cockpit was relocated undercarriage fitted with slightly forward to improve visibility. It was going to be built entirely of wood, to minimise the use shock-absorbers. of duralumin. However, although design work had been completed, no prototype of the Ki-115 Otsu was built as the project was overtaken by the end of the war. The Ki-115 Hei variant also remained on paper. This featured significantly improved visibility as a result of locating the cockpit even further forward than on the Otsu. It was also going to be fitted with a manual bomb release so the pilot could jettison the bomb, or use the aircraft like a conventional bomber - previous versions of the Tsurugi had no option to release the bomb from the cockpit, which would have made landing in the event of an aborted mission impossible. Two production Ki-115 Ko aircraft were completed and tested with two solid fuel rocket boosters under the wings. The rockets were intended to accelerate take-off of the aeroplane from hastily prepared air strips, or to increase diving speed in the final phase of the suicide attack. Although 105 Nakajima The Navy was also interested in the Ki-115 Tsurugi. The Kaigun Koku Hombu issued Nakajima Ki-115 Tsurugi suicide its own specification for a similar aeroplane type and placed an order, giving the machine the aircraft were built, none designation of “Experimental Navy special aeroplane Toka” (Wisteria Blossom). Changes included, took part in combat among others, an increased wing area of 13.10m2, and a number of minor modifications in the operations. This is one of equipment (mainly the re-scaling of instruments to knots rather than km/h). According to Nakajima’s the production aircraft in calculations, the introduction of the changes requested by the Kaigun Koku Hombu would reduce the assembly hall.

97 Transport trolley.

G4M2e Model 24J bomber with the Ohka Model 11 bomb attached.

Not to scale.

155 Mitsubishi Ki-147 (I-Go-1 Ko)

0 0,5 1 2 m

1/72 scale.

I-Go-1 Ko missile, code no. 11, attached in the bomb bay of the Mitsubi- shi Ki-67 Hiryū bomber.

219 Mitsubishi Ki-167 with shaped charge bomb Sakura-dan 2 -Go . Aircraft was commanded by Yutaka Fukushima. Kawasaki Ki-48-II Otsu with single probe fuse.

249