Kawanishi N1K
| Kawanishi N1K | |
|---|---|
|
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| Type: | Fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
May 6, 1942 ( Kyofu ) |
| Number of pieces: |
105 Kyofu |
The Kawanishi N1K was a fighter aircraft made by the Japanese manufacturer Kawanishi and used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Forces during World War II . Originally designed as a pure float plane, it was developed into one of the most successful Japanese land-based fighter planes.
history
N1K1 Kyofu
In the version N1K1 Kyofu ( Mighty Wind ; allied code name: Rex ) the N1K was a catapult and ocean-going interceptor aircraft . Designed as a float plane from the start, it was not a makeshift solution like the Nakajima A6M2-N , which was only a carrier fighter set on floats . Their task should be to support the marine infantry from the air during sea landings until they had conquered the coastal airfields so that land-based air units could be relocated there. The machine was a cantilevered middle-decker in all-metal construction with a central float and normal tail unit. Attempts to make the outer floats retractable were too complicated and unsuccessful. Initially, a Mitsubishi MK4C Kasei 13 was chosen as the engine , which powered a three-bladed propeller. The armament consisted of two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannons.
The first flight took place on May 6, 1942 and soon after its introduction to the troops in July 1943 it was clear that it could not hold its own against the opposing fighter pilot associations, which is why series production was discontinued in March 1944 after 105 units. The originally planned use to support offensive operations did not take place due to the course of the war, instead the available aircraft were used in an interception unit stationed on Borneo . In the final stages of the war, a kyofu unit was deployed on the island of Honshu in the air defense system.
N1K1-J Shiden
The N1K1-J Shiden ( violet flash ; allied code name: George 11 ) was the first land-based variant of the aircraft, which Kawanishi had initially designed himself from August 1942 and made its maiden flight on December 27, 1942. It was equipped with the much more powerful NK9H Homare engine from Nakajima, which is why it also received a larger four-bladed propeller in order to be able to make optimum use of the higher engine power. The armament was reinforced to four 20 mm cannons in addition to the two 7.7 mm machine guns. Furthermore, the Shiden had an innovation with automatic buoyancy aids , which relieved the pilot in air combat and ensured high maneuverability. Since the middle-decker design of the Kyofu was retained, the landing gear was very long and a complicated retraction mechanism was used, which often led to problems when landing. The still immature and failure-prone engine turned out to be a further problem. Due to the remarkable flight performance, in particular the higher speed compared to the Mitsubishi A6M5 Reisen and the significantly higher range compared to the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden , series production was ordered immediately after tests by the Navy in July 1943.
The Shiden was added to the troops from the end of 1943, where it proved itself through its good performance and very good maneuverability. The aircraft experienced its first major combat operations when the Americans retook the Philippines at the end of 1944, and later it was used in large numbers in the Battle of Okinawa . As one of the best Japanese fighters of the war, it was on a par with the F6F Hellcat . Of this model, including the four prototypes, 1,007 pieces were built at the main Kawanishi plant in Naruo near Osaka and in Himeji .
N1K2-J Shiden-Kai
A good year after the Shiden , the improved N1K2-J Shiden-Kai ( violet lightning - improved ; allied code name George 21 ) took off for its maiden flight on December 31, 1943 and was taken into series production shortly afterwards. It differed from the N1K1-J primarily in its design as a low-wing aircraft, the modified tail unit and the fuselage section that was almost a meter longer. In addition, the chassis has been simplified as much as possible. Only about 1/3 of the components were taken over by the Shiden , the use of simplified materials resulted in a weight saving of 225 kg. The machine gun armament was dispensed with.
The Shiden-Kai was used as a naval interceptor in Formosa , Okinawa and the Philippines , among others . Some were also used for kamikaze missions towards the end of the war . In air combat, the aircraft was a strong and feared opponent who was at least equal to all contemporary Allied fighters . Kinsuke Muto alone shot twelve Grumman Hellcats with this guy . With the Shiden-Kai , Japanese pilots were able to assert themselves in a tactically unfavorable position against the American units, which were always in great numerical superiority. The Shiden-Kai proved to be less successful in defending against high-flying American bomber formations, mainly because of the drop in engine power and thus rate of climb at high altitudes. It was not developed for this purpose, but to intercept enemy tactical combat aircraft at low to medium altitude. Here it surpassed the climbing performance of enemy fighters.
In total, only 428 machines were built from the Shiden-Kai due to massive American bombing attacks against the Shiden-Kai's production facilities . By far the most common version was the N1K2-Ja fighter- bomber variant with 415 units.
Versions
N1K1 Kyofu
- N1K1 : the only series-produced float fighter aircraft that was used from spring 1943
- N1K2 : reserved designation for a planned further development with a more powerful engine, not implemented
N1K1-J Shiden
- N1K1-J : first prototype of the Shiden or the first series, equipped with Homare 11 engines, two 7.7 mm MG and four 20 mm MK
- N1K1-Ja : variant with reduced armament (only four automatic cannons )
- N1K1-Jb : Version with revised wings to accommodate all four MKs and with outstations for two 250 kg bombs
- N1K1-Jc : Version with four bomb suspensions with a total of 1,000 kg bomb load for use as a fighter-bomber
N1K2-J Shiden-Kai
- N1K2-J : further developed series model in low -wing design and with an elongated fuselage, built 423 times as an interceptor
- N1K2-K : two-seater school version
Other versions
- N1K3-J : Variant with the motor moved to the front to improve the longitudinal stability; only two test samples built
- N1K3-A : planned version for use on aircraft carriers, not implemented
- N1K4-J : more powerful further development with Homare 21 engine, two 13 mm MG in the fuselage and four 20 mm MK in the wings
- N1K4-A : planned, non-built aircraft carrier version
- N1K5-J : Further development with Mitsubishi MK9A engine, only one copy built
Technical specifications
| Parameter | N1K1 Kyofu | N1K1-J Shiden | N1K2-J Shiden-Kai |
|---|---|---|---|
| crew | 1 | ||
| length | 10.59 m | 8.29 m | 9.35 m |
| span | 11.90 m | 12.00 m | |
| height | 4.60 m | 4.06 m | 3.96 m |
| Wing area | 23.50 m² | ||
| Empty mass | 2700 kg | 2897 kg | 2657 kg |
| Takeoff mass | normal 3500 kg maximum 3712 kg |
maximum 4321 kg |
maximum 4860 kg |
| Cruising speed | 350 km / h at an altitude of 5700 m | ? | ? |
| Top speed | 482 km / h at an altitude of 5700 m | 584 km / h at an altitude of 5900 m | 595 km / h at an altitude of 5600 m |
| Landing speed | 130 km / h | ? | ? |
| Rate of climb | 600 m / min | ? | ? |
| Rise time | ? | 7.8 minutes at an altitude of 9000 m | ? |
| Summit height | 10,560 m | 12,500 m | 10,760 m |
| Range | normal 1060 km maximum 1690 km |
1432 km | 2335 km with additional tank |
| Radius of action | 670 km | ? | ? |
| Flight duration | normal 3 h maximum 4.8 h |
? | ? |
| Seaworthy up to | Sea state 3 | - | - |
| Engines | a 14-cylinder double radial engine Mitsubishi Kasei 13 (1460 hp take-off power) |
a radial piston radial engine Nakajima NK9H Homare 21 (1484 kW / 1990 PS) |
|
| Armament | two rigid 20 mm MK Type 99 two rigid 7.7 mm MG Type 97 60–100 kg fragmentation bombs |
two 7.7 mm MG in the fuselage, four 20 mm MK Type 99 in the wings |
four 20 mm MK Type 99 in the wings up to 500 kg bombs under the wings |
