Kaiten - Pilots

Pilots

Kaiten pilots were all men aged between 18 and 20. In the event of their being killed in action, their families were promised to be paid ¥10000 reward. It is thought that because of the wartime economy and political climate there was often little choice but to volunteer for Kaiten (or other suicide) duty.

The island of Otsushima, situated in the Inland Sea was used as a training site. It was equipped with cranes and torpedo testing pits, launching ramps as well as a large shallow bay for test running and firing. The Kaiten Memorial Museum is now situated in that location.

Initial readiness training consisted of piloting fast surface boats by periscope and instrument readings alone. When a pilot had advanced past this basic training, he would begin training on Kaitens. Training craft were fitted with a dummy warhead that contained telemetry equipment and an emergency blowing chamber, that could return the craft to the surface should the trainee dive to a dangerous depth. Kaiten training started with basic circular runs to and from a fixed landmark at a reduced speed; the training advanced to faster and more treacherous runs around rocks and through channels in deeper waters. The more difficult runs required the pilot to surface and check the periscope multiple times and also required conscious adjusting of trim tank levels because of the reducing weight as oxygen was used up. When the instructors were confident of the pilot's abilities, he would be advanced onto training in open waters against target ships. Training now was often done at full charging speed and in the dark or twilight. The final phase of training would be a submarine launch and more open water running at target ships.

Training was dangerous and 15 men died because of accidents, the most common being an accidental impact upon the target vessel. Although the warheads were only dummies, the impact at ramming speed was enough to not only cripple the kaiten but also severely injure the pilot.

In action, the kaiten was always piloted by a single person. However in training the larger models (types 2, 4 and 5) could carry two or even four personnel.

Kaiten pilots who were departing for their final missions would leave testaments and messages behind for their loved ones.