Built by the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal. A manned flying bomb carried underneath a Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty'. On release the pilot would glide towards the target then ignite the three solid fuel rockets for the final approach. Serial not known.

This Ohka was received by the museum from the Naval Supply Depot at Norfolk, Virginia in 1968. At that time the original markings were gone. It was restored in the early 1980s, and again in 2006, both times with "I-13" painted on the nose. It is currently on display at the USMC Museum at Quantico, VA.

Ohka means 'cherry blossom' and was a rocket powered piloted aircraft to be carried and launched from a 'Mother' aircraft, glide as far as possible before making a final rocket powered approach to impact on its target. This example was captured by US forces in 1945 at Yontan Airfield, Okinawa.

The Ohka (Cherry Blossom) was a purpose-built, rocket-powered kamikaze plane. Its short range made its missions almost as deadly for the crews of the launching G4M2 'Betty' bombers as for the suicide pilots themselves, but a few US ships were sunk or damaged by Ohka attacks in the spring of 1945. This machine was coded I-13 on the nose when it was captured on Okinawa. It carries the number 10461 on the wing root which I presume is the serial number.

Unfortunately this Ohka has no serial but was first noted at the Science Museum in 1963. I would be happy to hear if anyone has more definitive information on its provenance. It is now stored in the Fleet Air Arm's Reserve Collection at Cobham Hall.

My visit to MAN was aborted due to terrible weather in Manchester so settled instead for a visit to the super Museum of Science and Industry. This, unfortunately, unmarked Ohka was brought to Britain after WWII for rocket research and is just one of many interesting exhibits.

This is just one of many interesting exhibits to be seen at the RAF Museum.