Kyushu K11W
| Kyushu K11W | |
|---|---|
 K11W with markings (green crosses) that were applied for transfer flights after the armistice |
|
| Type: | Trainer aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
Watanabe Tekkosho or Kyushu Hikoki |
| First flight: |
November 1942 |
| Commissioning: |
1943 |
| Production time: |
1942-1945 |
| Number of pieces: |
798 |
The Kyūshū K11W Shiragiku ( Japanese 白菊 , German white chrysanthemum ) was a trainer aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Forces from 1943 to 1945 ( Pacific War ).
Design and development
In 1940 Watanabe Tekkosho (later restructured to Kyushu Hikoki , hence the type designation) began developing a prototype of the K11W1, also known as a "training aircraft for work on board" (機 上 作業 練習 機, kijō sagyō renshū-ki) . This happened due to a request from the Japanese Navy to find a modern replacement for the Mitsubishi K3M . The machine was designed as a compact and simple middle-decker in metal construction and should be a training aircraft for pilots, shooters, radio operators, navigators and bombers in one. While the pilot and the shooter / radio operator (these positions were occupied by one person) found their way into the glazed area, the lower part of the fuselage was intended for the navigator, bombardier and instructor. The view from the lower part of the fuselage was made possible through several windows. The first production series of the K11W was equipped with a rigid, i.e. non-retractable chassis. The first flight of the first prototype took place in November 1942. Due to the rapid development, the production order was placed in 1942 and the first machines were put into service in summer 1943.
Use and version history
As planned, the K11W was initially used as a pure training machine. The K11W2 version was later developed, a timber construction variant of the K11W1 designed for submarine hunting and transport, which also had a retractable landing gear. Furthermore, the development of the aircraft Q3W1 began, already designated as a submarine fighter (letter Q), which was based heavily on the K11W2. However, the work was discontinued due to unsatisfactory test flight results and finally the end of the war. In the final phase of the Pacific War, the K11W was also used for kamikaze missions ( Shimpū Tokkōtai ). The corresponding machines of the type K11W were each equipped with a 250 kg bomb. The following versions of the K11W existed:
- K11W1: Original version, used as a training aircraft, 798 copies made
- K11W2: wooden version, used as a transporter and for fighting submarines, only produced in small numbers
- Q3W1: submarine fighter based on K11W2, production of a single prototype
Technical details
Technical details of version K11W1:
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 10.24 m |
| span | 14.98 m |
| height | 3.93 m |
| Wing area | 30.50 m² |
| Take-off mass | 2640 kg |
| Top speed | 230 km / h at an altitude of 1700 m |
| Service ceiling | 5620 m |
| Range | 1760 m |
| Engine | Hitachi GK2B Amakaze 21, air-cooled 9-cylinder radial piston engine with 515 PS (379 kW) |
| Armament (training) | 1 × 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun, 2 × 30 kg bomb |
| Armament (kamikaze) | 1 × 250 kg bomb |
literature
- Kenneth Munson: The World War II Planes
- Enzo Angelucci: World Encyclopedia of Airplanes
- René J. Francillion: Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Kristoffer Daus: Kyūshū K11W. The good teacher. In: Classics of Aviation No. 05/2019, pp. 28–31
- ↑ www.militaryfactory.com , accessed June 3, 2015
- ↑ www.mgoon.com , accessed June 3, 2015
- ↑ www.daveswarbirds.com , accessed June 3, 2015
- ↑ Rickard, J (September 1, 2011), Kyushu K11W Shiragiku (White Chrsanthemum), www.historyofwar.org , accessed June 3, 2015
- ↑ a b Rickard, J (September 1, 2011), Kyushu Q3W1 Nankai (South Sea), www.historyofwar.org , accessed June 3, 2015
- ↑ www.pilotfriend.com , accessed on June 3, 2015