Nakajima YM / A4N / Type 95

The 1930s Nakajima set to work to build a conventional single-seat biplane fighter. The resulting YM prototype being an unequal-span biplane of mixed construction and clearly owing much to the obsolescent A2N. Nevertheless, it was considered essential by the Navy until more modern types could be perfected and Nakajima was authorised to proceed with development of the biplane concept.

The resulting Navy Type 95 Carrier Fighter (Nakajima A4N1) had a divided landing gear designed to cope with carrier landings, a tailwheel instead of a tail-skid, and other minor changes. The increase in speed being due entirely to the more powerful Hikari engine.

Production totalled 221 between 1935 and 1937.

A4N1
Engine: 1 x Nakajima "Hikari", 544kW
Wingspan: 10 m / 32 ft 10 in
Length: 6.64 m / 21 ft 9 in
Height: 3.07 m / 10 ft 1 in
Wing area: 22.89 sq.m / 246.39 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 1760 kg / 3880 lb
Loaded weight: 1276 kg / 2813 lb
Max. speed: 350 km/h / 217 mph
Ceiling: 7740 m / 25400 ft
Range: 845 km / 525 miles
Armament: 2 x 7.7 mm machine-guns, 120kg of bombs
Crew: 1