Author: Terry

Mitsubishi Ki-15 / C5M

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C5M

In July 1935 the Imperial Japanese Army drew up its specification for a new two-seat reconnaissance aircraft, and Mitsubishi responded with a can¬tilever low-wing monoplane, the Mit¬subishi Ki-15.

The Ki 15, or Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft, owed its inception to Lieutenant¬ Colonel Yuzo Fujita of the army air force, who collaborated closely in its design with the Mitsubishi engineers Kono, Kubo and Mizumo. It was among the first strategic reconnaissance aircraft to be adopted by any air force. Two prototypes, one military and one civil, were completed, the former making the type’s first flight in May 1936.

Shortly afterwards, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper group purchased the second prototype, which as the Karigane I (wild goose) made a historic flight from Tachikawa to Croydon, a distance of 15 356 km. (9542 miles) in April 1937 in a flying time of approximately 51¼ hours.

Service testing was completed without difficulty and the type was ordered into production under the official designation Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance Plane Model 1. In May 1937, a year after the first flight, delivery of production aircraft to the army began.

The military Ki 15 was a clean, low wing monoplane, with a 640 hp Nakajima Ha 8 nine cylinder radial engine and a ‘trousered’ and spatted main undercarriage. The pilot and radio operator/observer (who also doubled up as the gunner) sat in tandem cockpits under a long greenhouse canopy. A single 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine gun formed the only defensive armament.

C5M

The army’s Ki-15-I had been received in time to make a significant impact at the beginning of the war with China. The Ki 15 I became operational during the second Sino Japanese war, and was joined in service in late 1939 and early 1940 by the Ki 15 II.

Plans had already been made to upgrade performance of the KI-15-I, this being achieved by installing the 671-kW (900-hp), smaller-diameter Mitsubishi Ha-26-I engine, its in¬corporation providing an opportunity to overcome what had been the major shortcoming of the type, a poor forward field of view past the large-diameter Nakajima engine. The improved version entered production for the army in September 1939 as the Ki¬-15-II, but before that the Japanese navy, impressed by the performance of this aircraft, ordered 20 examples of the Ki-15-II under the official designation Navy Type 98 Reconnaissance Plane Model 1, Mitsubishi designation C5M1 in 1938 (with 780 hp Mitsubishi Suisei 12 radials). The navy acquired two years later 30 C5M2 aircraft that were generally similar except for installation of the more powerful 708-kW (950-hp) Nakajima Sakae (Prosperity) 12 engine. These aircraft serving with two Sentais (air corps) of the naval air force.

The Ki 15 III, with the 1050 hp Ha 102 version, although capable of 530 km/h (329 mph), was itself surpassed by the more modern Mitsubishi Ki 46.

When production ended almost 500 of all versions had been built, the majority being in first-line service when the Pacific war started. Given the Allied codename ‘Babs’, the type was relegated to second-line roles in early 1943, but many survived to be used in kamikaze attacks at the war’s end.

Mitsubishi built 439 in successive models between 1936 40.

Ki-15
Engine: Naka¬jima Ha 8, 640 hp.
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun
Crew: 2

Ki-l5-I
Powerplant: one 477-kW (640-hp) Nakajima Ha-S radial piston engine
Maximum speed 480 km/h (298 mph) at 4000 m (13,125 ft)
Cruising speed 320 km/h (199 mph) at 5000 m(16,405 ft)
Service ceiling 11400 m (37,400 ft)
Range 2400 km (1,491 miles)
Empty weight 1400 kg (3,086 lb)
Maximum take-off 2300 kg (5,071 lb)
Wingspan 12.00 m (39 ft 4.4 in)
Length 8.70 m (28 ft 6.5 in)
Height 3.35 m (11 ft 0in)
Wing area 20.36sq.m (219.16 sq ft)
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun
Crew: 2

Ki 15 II
Engine: Mitsubishi Ha 102, 850 hp.
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun
Crew: 2

Ki 15 III
Engine: Mitsubishi Ha 102, 1050 hp
Max speed: 530 km/h (329 mph)
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun
Crew: 2

C5M1
Engine: Mitsubishi Suisei 12, 780-hp
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun
Crew: 2

C5M2
Engine: Naka¬jima Sakae (Prosperity) 12, 708-kW (940-hp)
Span: 12m (39 ft 4 in)
Length: 8.70m (28 ft 7 in)
Gross weight: 2345 kg (5170 1b)
Maxi¬mum speed: 487 km/h (303 mph)
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun
Crew: 2

Mitsubishi Ki-15 / C5M

Mitsubishi Ka-8

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In 1933, the Imperial Navy, influenced by trends in Western Europe and the USA, issued both Mitsubishi and Nakajima with a request for proposals for a two-seat shipboard fighter. The Mitsubishi contender, the Ka-8 designed by Jojo Hattori who was assisted by Eitaro Sano and Konosuke Nakainura, was a single-bay equi-span staggered biplane of mixed con¬struction, the fabric-covered wings having duralumin spars and wooden ribs, and the similarly-covered fuselage being of steel tube. An unusual feature of the design was its use of twin endplate fins and rudders. Powered by a 580 hp Nakajima Jupiter II nine-cylinder radial, the Ka-8 carried an armament of two fixed forward-firing 7,7-mm guns and a similar weapon on a rotating mount in the rear cockpit. The first of two prototypes was completed in January 1934, both being delivered to the Navy during the early summer. However, the second prototype broke up in the air over Yokosuka airfield on 16 September, resulting in the suspension of the test programme and the subsequent abandonment of further development.

Engine: Nakajima Jupiter II nine-cylinder radial, 580 hp
Max speed, 178 mph (286 km/h) at 9,840 ft (3 000 m)
Empty weight, 2,542 lb (1153 kg)
Loaded weight, 3,748 lb (1700 kg)
Span, 32 ft 9 2/3 in (10,00 m)
Length, 24 ft 2 19/20 in (7,39 m)
Height, 11 ft 0 in (3,35 m)
Wing area, 279.87 sq ft (26,00 sq.m)
Armament: 3 x 7,7-mm mg

Mitsubishi Ka-8

Mitsubishi Ki-2 / Type 93

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The Mitsubishi Ki-2 light bomber was developed from the Junkers K 37, an example of which had been imported from Germany in 1931 and donated by public subscription to the Japanese army.

A three-seat cantilever low-wing monoplane, powered by two 425kW Nakajima Kotobuki radials, the Ki-2 prototype flew for the first time in the spring of 1933. It was distinguished easily by its corrugated metal alloy decking and twin fins and rudders, and had fixed divided landing gear, with spat-type main wheel fairings often discarded on service aircraft.

Production of the initial version totalled 113, and the type went into operation against the Chinese with great success under the designation Ki-2-l or Army Type 93 Twin-engined Light Bomber.

The achievements of the Ki-2-l led to the development of the Ki-2-ll, or Army Type 93-2 Twin-engined Light Bomber, the Type 93 then being redesignated retrospectively as the Type 93-1. The Type 93-2 retained the same general configuration, but had a fully-enclosed manually-operated nose turret, an enclosed cockpit for the pilot, and main landing gear legs which semi-retracted forward into the engine nacelles.

The Ki-2-ll had two 559kW Ha-8 radials giving much improved overall performance with maximum speed increased to 283km/h. In total 61 Ki-2-l Is were built, and these joined the Ki-2-ls in operations against the Japanese. Both versions ended their flying careers in the training role.

Ki-2-ll Type 93

Col. MacCoy gave the Ki-2-ll Type 93 the code name ‘Loise’ after his wife although this was later changed to Louise’.

A civilianised version of the Ki-2-ll named Otori (Phoenix) was bought by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and made a number of long-range record-breaking and ‘goodwill’ flights from 1936 to 1939. Registered J-BAAE, it covered the 4930km from Tachikawa military air base to Bangkok in 21 hours 36 minutes flying time in December 1936, and in early 1939 achieved a round-China flight of some 9300km.

It was thought that the Ohtori was also in Nay service as a Type 96 bomber and coded ‘Eva’. The name was later simplified to ‘Eve’ to avoid phonetic difficulty. When the type was not met in combat, the name was ultimately dropped.

Ki-2-I / Army Type 93 / Type 93-1
Engine: 2 x Nakajima “Kotobuki”, 425kW
Span: 19.96 m (65 ft 6 in)
Length: 12.6 m (41 ft 4 in)
Max take-off weight: 4550 kg / 10031 lb
Max. speed: 225 km/h / 140 mph
Range: 900 km / 559 miles
Armament: 2 x 7.7mm machine-guns, 500kg of bombs
Crew: 3

Ki-2-ll / Army Type 93-2
Engine: 2 x 559kW Ha-8 radials
Span: 19.96 m (65 ft 6 in)
Length: 12.6 m (41 ft 4 in)
Gross weight: 4645 kg (10240 lb)
Maximum speed: 281 km/h (175 mph)

Mitsubishi Ki-1 / Type 93

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The Ki 1 was an angular cantilever low-wing monoplane with a crew of four, it had fixed landing gear, a tail unit incorporating twin fins and rudders.

The prototype was powered by two Rolls Royce Buzzard engines, but production aircraft had two 701kW / 940 hp Mitsubishi Ha 2 2 radial engines, giving a maximum speed of 220km/h, the Mitsubishi Ki-1-l heavy bomber flew for the first time in 1933. Pilot and co-pilot were seated in tandem under an enclosed canopy, while there were semi-enclosed nose and dorsal turrets and a retractable ventral ‘dustbin’, each armed with a single 7.7mm machine-gun. Offensive load was up to 1500kg of bombs.

The original ver¬sion went into service as the Type 93 Model 1 Heavy Bomber in support of the army fight¬ing in China during the mid 1930s.

The Ki-1-II development had 723kW Ha-2-3 engines and airframe improvements which increased maximum speed to 230km/h.

The two versions went into service as the Army Type 93-1 and Army Type 93-2 respectively, and saw limited use in the fighting against China. Total production of both versions was 118.

Ki-1-l
Engines: 2 x Ha-2-2, 701kW
Wing span: 26.50m / 86 ft 11 in
Length: 14.8 m (48 ft 7 in)
Maximum take-off weight: 8100kg / 17858 lb
Max. speed: 220 km/h / 137 mph
Armament: 3 x 7.7mm machine-guns
Bomb load: 1000 kg (2205 lb)

Ki-1-II
Engines: 2 x 723kW Ha-2-3
Span: 26.5 m (86 ft 11 in)
Length: 14.8 m (48 ft 7 in)
Gross weight: 8100 kg (17857 lb)
Maximum speed: 230 km/h (143 mph)

Mitsubishi 4MS1/ K3M Pine / Type 90 / Ki-7 / Watanabe K3M3

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Designed by Herbert Smith, the Sopwith designer working in Japan, the Mitsubishi 4MS1 prototype crew trainer made its maiden flight in 1930. A strut-braced high-wing cabin monoplane with fixed wide-track landing gear, the 4MS1 was powered by a single engine. The Ki-7 was the Japanese army prototype of the Mitsubishi K3M naval trainer aircraft. First appearing as the K3M1 in 1931/32 with a 300 hp Hispano-Suiza engine, and was an adaptation of the Fokker Universal for training purposes. The first K3M2 production version entered naval service in 1932 as the Type 90 Crew Trainer, with the pilot and gunner in separate open cockpits, and instructor and two pupils in the enclosed cabin. Later liaison/passenger variants accommodated five passengers in the cabin.

The principal JNAF service version was the K3M2 with a 300 hp Amakaze 11 radial, of which 317 were built by Mitsubishi. Production continued until 1941, and examples pressed into service as liaison aircraft in the postwar period were to be found in a variety of national markings.

Watanabe built 301 K3M3, entering production in 1939. Several, as K3M3-L, were employed on transport duties.

The K3M3 was known as “Pine” during the war.

K3M3
Engine: Nakajima Kotobuki II-Kai-I, 580 hp / 435kW
Wingspan: 15.78 m / 51 ft 9.25 in
Wing area: 34.5 sq.m / 371.35 sq ft
Length: 9.54 m / 31 ft 4 in
Height: 3.82 m / 12 ft 6 in
Max take-off weight: 2200 kg / 4850 lb
Empty weight: 1360 kg / 2998 lb
Max. speed: 230 km/h / 143 mph
Ceiling: 6390 m / 20950 ft
Range: 790 km / 491 miles
Bombload: 2 x 132 lb / 4 x 30-kg bombs
Armament: 1 x 7.7 mm mg
Crew: 3-5

Mitsubishi K3M PINE

Mitsubishi J8M1 Shusui

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In July 1944, the Imperial Navy issued a l9-Shi specification for a rocket-propelled target defence interceptor to be based on the Messcrschmitt Me 163B. The task of developing this aircraft was assigned to Mitsubishi under the Navy designation J8M1, but as it was a joint Navy-Army venture it received the designation Ki-200 from the latter service and the name Shusui (Sword Stroke) was also adopted. Development of the Messerschmitt Me 163B rocket-powered fighter in Germany prompted Japan to acquire rights to build this aircraft and its Walter rocket engine.

A complete Me 163B plus an example of the Walter HWK 109 509A engine and detailed blueprints were shipped to Japan in mid-1944 but the submarine carrying this precious cargo was sunk en route. A second submarine managed to get through but this only brought a rocket engine and an Me 163 instruction manual, no detailed plans or blueprints.

While work on the Walter HWK 109-509 rocket motor (as the Toku Ro.2) was largely confined to its adaptation for Japanese manufacturing techniques. Yokosuzka Naval Aeronautical Engineering Arsenal was given the task of constructing the eng¬ine. Mitsubishi Jukogyo KK was instructed to build the fighter though inadequate German data on the airframe dictated considerable original structural design work.

With J8M1 prototype design finalised, the 1st Naval Air Arsenal began construction of a full-scale training glider version at Yokosuka under the designation MXY8 Akigusa (Autumn Grass), and this was towed into the air and flown for the first time in December 1944.

A heavier glider, with ballast tanks to approximate the weight of the operational aircraft, was also built under the designation Ku-13 Shusui (sword stroke). Design of the rocket engine resulted in the 1500kg thrust Toko Ro.2, and this powerplant was installed in the first of the J8M1 Navy Experimental Rocket-Powered Interceptor Fighter Shusui prototypes completed by Mitsubishi.

The first Shusui made an unpowered test flight on 8 January 1945. The first powered flight test took place six months later, on 7 July, but the aircraft was destroyed and no further flight testing was undertaken before the termination of hostilities. Four more Shusui interceptors had been completed by this time, and six more were virtually complete.

J8M
Power Plant: One Toku Ro.2 (KR-20) bi-fuel rocket motor with a maximum thrust of 3,307 lb (1 500 kg)
Endurance: 50-55 min.
Fuel capacity totalled 255 Imp gal (1159 lt) of Ko-liquid and 118 Imp gal (536 lt) of Otsu-liquid
Max speed, 559 mph (900 km/h) at 32,810 ft (10000 m)
Time to 19,685 ft (6000 m), 2.26 min
Time to 32,810 ft (10000 m), 3.5 min
Time to 39,370 ft (12 000 m), 3.83 min
Service ceiling, 39,370 ft (12000 m)
Empty weight equipped, 3,318 lb (1 505 kg)
Max loaded weight, 8,565 lb (3885 kg)
Span, 31 ft 2 in (9,50m)
Length, 19 ft 10 ¼ in (6,05 m)
Height (on dolly), 8 ft l0 ¼ in (2,70 m)
Wing area, 190.84 sq ft (17,73 sq.m)
Armament: Two 30-mm Type 5 cannon with 50 rpg
Crew: 1

Mitsubishi J8M Shusui

Mitsubishi J2M Raiden

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The J2M1 Raiden (Thunderbolt) was conceived to meet an Imperial Navy requirement for a shore-based Kyokuchi Sentoki, or Local [defence] Interceptor, usually abbreviated to Kyokusen. Although a 14-Shi (1939) requirement, the definitive specification for the Kyokusen was not formulated until April 1940, design being undertaken by Jiro Horikoshi assisted by Yoshitoshi Sone and Kiro Takahashi.

Mitsubishi J2M Raiden Article

The Japanese navy’s emphasis upon speed and climb rate prompted the designer Jiro Hinkoshi to adopt a squat single-engine design with long-chord radial engine cowling, and high-raked, curved windscreen. Of all metal construc¬tion with a low aspect ratio laminar flow wing, the J2M1 was powered by a 14-cylinder Mitsubishi MK4C Kasei 13 radial rated at 1,430 hp for take-off and which, in order to reduce aerodynamic drag, drove the propeller via an extension shaft, a fan drawing cooling air through a narrow annular intake. Armament comprised two 7,7-mm and two 20-mm guns. The first of three J2M1 prototypes flew on 20 March 1942, but the test programme was plagued with technical difficulties and service test pilots were critical of some of its characteristics. Consequently, Mitsubishi was instructed to introduce numerous changes as the Kyokusen-Kai, or J2M2, these being introduced on the fourth of 14 experimental airframes that had been laid down.

On 13 October 1942, the fourth Kyokusen prototype was flown as the J2M2, this embodying numerous changes. The most noticeable external change was the replacement of the extremely shallow, curved windscreen by one of deeper, more conventional form, with a suitably enlarged canopy and raised aft fuselage decking. The MK4R-A Kasei 23Ko drove a four-rather than three-bladed propeller via a shorter extension shaft, this engine benefiting from water-methanol injection and affording 1,800 hp for take-off. Individual exhaust stacks were introduced, fuel tankage was rearranged, and the pilot’s seat was moved both forward (2.75 in/70 mm) and upward (3.15 in/80 mm). In this form, the Kyokusen, or J2M2, was adopted as the Navy Interceptor Fighter Raiden (Thunderbolt) Model 11, armament remaining as for the J2M1.

Production J2M2 fighters left the factory slowly and entered service with the 381st Kokutai late in 1943.

J2M2

In the event, only eight J2M2 (Model 11) Raidens were built as this version was overtaken by the J2M3 (Model 21) characterised with a stronger wing stressed to mount an armament of four wing-mounted 20-mm cannon, this thus becoming the first service Raiden, the J2M3-Ko (Model 2lKo) differing in the type of cannon installed. The heavier armament now restricted the performance of the Raiden to the extent that it no longer met the original demands, and the J2M4 was an attempt to restore the performance by including a turbocharger.

The J2M4 had a Kasei 23Hei engine with a turbosuper¬charger and two of the wing cannon transferred to the fuselage to fire at an oblique angle. The first of three prototypes of the J2M4 flew on 24 September 1944, but persistent difficulties with its turbosupercharger led to its discontinuation.

The J2M5 (Model 33) and J2M6 (Model 31) were developed in parallel, entering flight test in May and June 1944 respectively and both being committed to production. Whereas the J2M6 differed from the J2M3 essentially in having a wider and taller windscreen, the basic model reverting to J2M2 armament and the J2M6-Ko (Model 3lKo) having four wing cannon, the J2M5 had a 1357kW Kasei 26Ko engine equipped with a mechanically-driven three-stage supercharger. This latter was ordered into production with the Takaza Arsenal and Nihon Kentetsu, as well as Mitsubishi. The J2M5 (34 built) achieved 382 mph (615 km/h) at 22,310 ft (6 800 m.

In all, 476 J2Ms were built.

The Allies selected the reporting name ‘Jack’ for the J2M on the basis of intelligence reports and captured data.

J2M1
Engine: Mitsubishi MK4C Kasei 13 radial, 1,430 hp
Max speed, 359 mph (577 km/h) at 19,685 ft (6 000 m)
Empty weight, 4,830 lb (2 191 kg)
Normal loaded weight, 6,307 lb (2 861 kg)
Span, 35 ft 5¼ in (10,80 m)
Length, 32 ft 5¾ in (9,90 m)
Height, 12 ft 6 3/8 in (3,82 m)
Wing area, 215.82 sq ft (20,05 sq.m)
Armament: two 7,7-mm and two 20-mm guns

J2M2-6 Raiden
Engine: MK4R-A Kasei 23Ko, 1,800 hp

J2M3
Engine: 1 x Mitsubishi “Kasei-23a”, 1350kW
Max take-off weight: 3435 kg / 7573 lb
Empty weight: 2460 kg / 5423 lb
Wingspan: 10.8 m / 35 ft 5 in
Length: 9.95 m / 32 ft 8 in
Height: 3.95 m / 12 ft 12 in
Wing area: 20.05 sq.m / 215.82 sq ft
Max. speed: 580 km/h / 360 mph
Ceiling: 11700 m / 38400 ft
Range: 1900 km / 1181 miles
Armament: 4 x 20mm cannons, 120kg of bombs
Crew: 1

J2M3 (Model 21)
Max speed, 363 mph (584 km/h) at 17,880 ft (5 450 m)
Initial climb, 3,838 ft/min (19,50 m/sec)
Normal range, 655 mls (1055 km)
Empty weight, 5,489 lb (2490 kg)
Loaded weight, 7,584 lb (3440 kg)
Span, 35 ft 5¼ in (10,80 m)
Length, 32 ft 7½ in (9,94 m)
Height, 12 ft 11¼ in (3,94 m)
Wing area, 215.82 sq ft (20,05 sq.m)\Armament: four wing-mounted 20-mm cannon

J2M4
Engine: Kasei 23Hei.

J2M5
Engine: Kasei 26Ko
Max speed: 382 mph (615 km/h) at 22,310 ft (6 800 m)

Mitsubishi J2M Raiden