Japanese Aircrew

[Micdrow]

Here is a nice article of on kamikaze pilots that survived the war. Still looking for the document that mentioned bolting a pilot in cockpit.

The last kamikaze: two Japanese pilots tell how they cheated death

Also found this in a document.

 

[Micdrow]

Another quote from the same document on parachutes. Probably why sources are mixed.

Another on confusion of escorts.

 

[The Basket]

Was that the Ohka rocket thing they were bolted into?

One way death sleigh ride.

 

[Micdrow]

Was that the Ohka rocket thing they were bolted into?

One way death sleigh ride.

I don't think it was the Ohka, I thought it was the one that dropped the landing gear after they took off. Though off hand can not remember the name.

 

[The Basket]

Nakajima Ki-115

 

[tyrodtom]

The Ohka was designed to mostly be delivered by another aircraft. Though for the last ditch defense some were modified for ground launch.

I got both the books, Kamikaze, and Blossoms in the Wind, and have read other books on the Kamikaze, non make any mention of any one being bolted in or locked in their aircraft.

What do you think they did, put little padlocks on their seat belts ?

A aircraft may be hard to get out of in the case having to make a quick exit in case of fire or in flight break up, but if you've got time it's no problem.
I've kicked the plexiglass out of a helicopter to get in it, I've no doubt I could do the same to get out of most WW2 era aircraft if I had time.

Let's just face it, what pushed the reluctant Kamikaze ( If he was reluctant ) to complete his mission was probably peer pressure.

 

[tyrodtom]

When I was stationed in Japan in late 1966, or early 67 I met a middle aged Japanese in a bar in Kokura or Fukoka, who claimed he was a kamikaze who never ended up flying that final mission.

As proof he had a photo of what appeared to be a younger version of him in flight gear.
At the time I had little knowledge of the late WW2 Japanese history and how huge the Kamikaze program was, thousands more pilots trained than ever used. I was skeptical of his claim, and didn't ask any intelligent questions because I was ignorant, and maybe we were all a little drunk too.

 

[The Basket]

If the kamikaze couldn't find a target then they flew back to base.
So wasn't always a one way stop.

Also other suicide weapons such as kaiten was probably more dangerous to its crews than the enemy and Japanese torpedoes were very good so a suicide torpedo was not needed.

By the end of the war, any Japanese Air attack was going to meet serious resistance and pretty much suicide anyway so kamikaze just made it more official.

 

[Micdrow]

: Let's just face it, what pushed the reluctant Kamikaze ( If he was reluctant ) to complete his mission was probably peer pressure.

I have the book Kamikaze, I will have to break it out and read it.

Agreed on peer pressure, but now that we started this discussion I find myself wanted to learn more. about the subject. Still cant figure out where I got it stuck in my mind about the locked canopy but still looking for it.

 

[Micdrow]

If the kamikaze couldn't find a target then they flew back to base.
So wasn't always a one way stop.

Also other suicide weapons such as kaiten was probably more dangerous to its crews than the enemy and Japanese torpedoes were very good so a suicide torpedo was not needed.

By the end of the war, any Japanese Air attack was going to meet serious resistance and pretty much suicide anyway so kamikaze just made it more official.

Yeah I read that as well. It is interesting. One guy went back and forth 3 times.

 

[The Basket]

Maybe the Kaitens were bolted in.
From what I reading... When they were sent out them don't come back. Although they proved a failure and didn't achieve the results the airborne did.

A school of thought is that the air kamikaze tactics were far more successful than conventional tactics would have been and involved less aircraft and less loss of life.

Isn't that ironic.

Kamikaze were volunteers so they did it for whatever reason.

No need to bolt them in.

 

[tyrodtom]

There were several different types of Kaitens, but I don't think they were bolted in either.
Wasn't one of the early Kaitens used at Pearl Harbor ? It's pilot escaped.

There was no provision for the Kaitens to return, how could they find the parent sub they came from, and redock ?
Once the Kaitens were released, the parent sub left on it's own mission.

I think the bolted in rumor is just BS left over from WW2 allied propaganda.

 

[Micdrow]

I found this of interest as I never hear of this before.

 

[tyrodtom]

Was this armor just exclusive to the suicide aircraft, or just part of the general improvement that all the Japanese aircraft went through during late WW2 ?
Or did the Allies just not noticed the improvement until they had a lot of aircraft parts to look at ?

 

[Micdrow]

Was this armor just exclusive to the suicide aircraft, or just part of the general improvement that all the Japanese aircraft went through during late WW2 ?
Or did the Allies just not noticed the improvement until they had a lot of aircraft parts to look at ?

Good questions but document does not say. I wish it did.

 

[Micdrow]

Well a good example of not believing everything you read. At least I don't think I have ever seen this one let alone being manufactured in China for the Japanese. I pulled this from an Intelligence G2 Bulletin number 16 of May 1945. I don't recall any Japanese aircraft of this configuration.

 

[vikingBerserker]

That kind of looks like a Tony.

My mom always told me about the pilots being chained in their aircraft which I researched. I've never found a credible source confirming this, I think it was just something made up to "explain" to the Western World why Japanese Soldiers would do something like this.

 

[Micdrow]

That kind of looks like a Tony.

My mom always told me about the pilots being chained in their aircraft which I researched. I've never found a credible source confirming this, I think it was just something made up to "explain" to the Western World why Japanese Soldiers would do something like this.

Certainly an usual configuration if it was built, I didn't think the Japanese built from scratch any aircraft in China or at least have not heard of any till now if this report is accurate. Brings to mind though why didn't the Japanese build aircraft in China like Germany did using European factories or use China's resources instead of shipping it home to Japan. Nice quote by the way.

 

[The Basket]

I don't think the midget subs at Pearl were suicide missions but the crews were going to be recovered. It was highly dangerous but not a kaiten suicide torpedo which only appeared in 44.

There are plenty reports of Japanese aircraft deliberately crashing well before kamikaze was a thing but this was on a personal ad hoc basis and not a doctrine.

 

[Micdrow]

Here you go Basket, whole bunch of info on your suicide boat, plane and sub and more,