Kamikaze Planes
KAMIKAZE PLANES
The Japanese word for Kamikaze actually means ‘God Wind or Divine Wind’ but referred to by the Japanese as ‘Special attack unit’. Kamikaze planes were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan, aiming at attacking Allied ships in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Designed to destroy warships more effectively than what was possible with conventional attacks. Exact numbers vary, but it is known that at least 47 Allied vessels from PT boats to escort carriers were sunk by kamikaze attacks, with around 300 damaged. During World War II nearly 4000 kamikaze pilots were sacrificed. Even with all the lives sacrificed only about 14% of kamikaze attacks managed to hit a ship. These attacks started in October 1944. Kamikaze aircrafts were essentially pilot-guided explosive missiles. Pilots would attempt to crash their aircraft into enemy ships in what was called a "Body Attack”. Planes were loaded with a combination of explosives, bombs, torpedoes and full fuel tanks. Accuracy was much better than a conventional attack, and the payload larger. A kamikaze could sustain damage which would have disabled a conventional attacker and still achieve its objective. The goal of crippling or destroying large numbers of Allied ships, particularly aircraft carriers, was considered to justify sacrificing pilots and aircraft. While the term ‘Kamikaze’ usually refers to the aerial strikes, the term has sometimes been applied to various other intentional suicide attacks. The Japanese military also used or made plans for Japanese Special Attack Units, including those involving submarines, human torpedoes, speedboats and divers. Germany formed its own group of suicide aircraft pilots called the Leonidas Squadron, but the German commanders were more reluctant to use them. Often if someone was chosen to perform the task of a suicide attack and did not follow through the task, shame would be brought to them and their families
The Japanese word for Kamikaze actually means ‘God Wind or Divine Wind’ but referred to by the Japanese as ‘Special attack unit’. Kamikaze planes were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan, aiming at attacking Allied ships in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Designed to destroy warships more effectively than what was possible with conventional attacks. Exact numbers vary, but it is known that at least 47 Allied vessels from PT boats to escort carriers were sunk by kamikaze attacks, with around 300 damaged. During World War II nearly 4000 kamikaze pilots were sacrificed. Even with all the lives sacrificed only about 14% of kamikaze attacks managed to hit a ship. These attacks started in October 1944. Kamikaze aircrafts were essentially pilot-guided explosive missiles. Pilots would attempt to crash their aircraft into enemy ships in what was called a "Body Attack”. Planes were loaded with a combination of explosives, bombs, torpedoes and full fuel tanks. Accuracy was much better than a conventional attack, and the payload larger. A kamikaze could sustain damage which would have disabled a conventional attacker and still achieve its objective. The goal of crippling or destroying large numbers of Allied ships, particularly aircraft carriers, was considered to justify sacrificing pilots and aircraft. While the term ‘Kamikaze’ usually refers to the aerial strikes, the term has sometimes been applied to various other intentional suicide attacks. The Japanese military also used or made plans for Japanese Special Attack Units, including those involving submarines, human torpedoes, speedboats and divers. Germany formed its own group of suicide aircraft pilots called the Leonidas Squadron, but the German commanders were more reluctant to use them. Often if someone was chosen to perform the task of a suicide attack and did not follow through the task, shame would be brought to them and their families