Yokosuka unpowered trainer K-1 Ohka

Plastic model kit for a Yokosuka MXY7 K-1 Ohka trainer aircraft

• 1:48 scale
• Approx. 50 parts
• Detailed reproductions of components differing from the Model 11, such as the fuselage, landing gear (skids), and cockpit seat.
• 3 marking options
• Unassembled, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The Yokosuka MXY7 K-1 Ohka was the unarmed training version of the rocket-powered Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka special attack weapon. It was designed to familiarize trainee pilots with the Ohka's unique flight characteristics without carrying an engine or warhead. Instead, water tanks served as ballast within the fuselage, simulating the weight and center of gravity of the operational version. The water was jettisoned shortly before landing to allow for a lighter and safer touchdown. A total of 45 K-1 units were produced.

Unlike the operational Ohka, the K-1 featured neither rocket motors nor a warhead. After being released from the carrier aircraft, it was flown as a glider. To enable repeated use, it was equipped with landing flaps and a distinctive landing skid instead of standard landing gear. Nevertheless, the K-1 was considered challenging to fly; even as a trainer, it reached a high landing speed of around 210 km/h and was unforgiving of pilot error.

Training with the K-1 was intended to prepare pilots for the flight behavior of the operational aircraft and to give them a feel for the controls, gliding flight, and the landing approach. Only after completing this training did pilots transition to the armed Ohka Model 11. This made the K-1 one of the most unusual training aircraft of World War II—developed solely to prepare for missions from which the pilots were not expected to return.

The K-1 is of particular interest to scale modelers because it differs from the combat version in several distinctive details. Instead of three rocket motors, it features a smooth tail section; the warhead is replaced by ballast tanks; and a characteristic landing skid is located beneath the fuselage. Furthermore, these trainers were often painted in conspicuous orange or orange-and-white schemes to enhance visibility during training flights. These differences make the K-1 an exceptional and historically significant subject within the Ohka family.