Kaiten Midget Sub / Manned Suicide Torpedo (1944)
Suicide Kaitens achieved minimal success with only the USS Mississinewa and USS Underhill recorded as being sunk to Kaiten action.
As well as the obvious advantage of providing guidance for the torpedo, Kaitens could be launched from a submerged submarine, unlike the unmanned Type 93 torpedo which was deck launched from the surface. Mother submarines carried up to six Kaitens. The manned torpedo was launched around 8300 yards from its target. About 550 yards the torpedo submerged to about 13 feet on its final run. However they were not nearly as effective round-for-round as the highly successful Type 93 torpedo on which they were based. The American sources state that the only sinkings achieved by Kaiten attacks were the tankers USS Mississinewa and the USS Underhill. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Kaiten
Midget Sub / Manned Suicide Torpedo
Country of Origin: Imperial Japan
Initial Year of Service: 1944
Operators: Imperial Japan
Crew: 1
Length: 45ft (13.72m)
Beam: 3.3ft (1.01m)
Draught: 0ft (0.00m)
Displacement: 8tons
Machinery: 1 x H2O diesel engine developing 550hp.
Surface Speed: 0kts (0mph)
Submerged Speed: 30kts (35mph)
Range: 13miles (21km)
Armament:
1 x 3,000lb (1,360kg) contact explosive warhead
Ship Class: Kaiten
Number-in-Class: 400
Ships-in-Class: Not Applicable
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