Nakajima L2D
| Nakajima L2D | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Transport plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
October 1939 |
| Production time: |
1940–194? |
| Number of pieces: |
about 450 |
The Nakajima L2D was a Japanese transport aircraft and in this capacity the most important type of air force in Japan during World War II . About 450 copies were made of this license build of the American DC-3 . The allied code name is tabby .
history
After Nakajima Hikōki had bought the license to build the DC-2 three years earlier , the company acquired the rights to replicate the DC-3 in 1938 for $ 90,000. The pattern has been changed a bit and adapted to Japanese production standards. Two local Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 radial engines were used as drives . The L2D was designed as a cantilever low wing aircraft in all-metal construction.
The prototype L2D1 flew for the first time in October 1939. From 1940 Nakajima began manufacturing the series specimens called L2D2 , which ended in 1942 after the 71st machine.
In March 1942 Shōwa Hikōki Kōgyō took over the production and brought out some versions with different engines. The L2D was in use in all Japanese theaters of war and was also used for maritime surveillance.
Versions of Shōwa
- L2D2-1 : Transporter with enlarged loading hatch
- L2D3 and L2D3-1 : Versions with two Mitsubishi Kinsei 51 engines of 975 kW (1,325 PS) each
- L2D3a and L2D3-1a : Series with two Mitsubishi Kinsei 53 engines, each with 975 kW (1,325 PS)
- L2D4 and L2D4-1 : armed versions with a 13 mm machine gun in a rotating turret on the back of the fuselage and a 7.7 mm machine gun on the left and right in the fuselage
- L2D5 : Economy version, due to the duralumin shortage due to the war, made of wood using some steel components with two Mitsubishi Kinsei 62 engines of 1,170 kW (1590 PS) each
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data (L2D3-1a) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nakajima / Showa |
| Year of construction (s) | 1940–? |
| crew | 2-5 |
| length | 19.51 m |
| span | 28.96 m |
| height | 5.18 m |
| Wing area | 91.7 m² |
| Empty mass | 7,218 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 12,500 kg |
| drive | two air-cooled 14-cylinder double radial engines Mitsubishi Kinsei 53 |
| power | 975 kW (1,326 hp) each |
| Top speed | 392 km / h |
| Marching speed | 241 km / h |
| Rise time | 16:02 min at an altitude of 5,000 m |
| Service ceiling | 6,500 m |
| Range | Max. 3,000 km |
