Sunday, September 15, 2013

Bristol BEAUFIGHTER MK VI F Paper Model

Bristol BEAUFIGHTER MK VI F Paper Model


Type 156 Beaufighter
The Bristol Beaufighter papercraft model is also the name of a car produced by Bristol Cars in the 1980s.

Type 156 Beaufighter
Beaufighter, armed with rockets
Role Heavy fighter / strike aircraft
Manufacturer Bristol Aeroplane Company
First flight 17 July 1939
Introduction 27 July 1940
Retired 1960 (Australia)
Primary users Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Produced May 1940 – 1946
Number built 5,928
Developed from Bristol Beaufort



The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design. The name Beaufighter is a portmanteau of "Beaufort" and "fighter".

Unlike the Beaufort, the Beaufighter had a long career and served in almost all theatres of war in the Second World War, first as a night fighter, then as a fighter bomber and eventually replacing the Beaufort as a torpedo bomber. A unique variant was built in Australia by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) and was known in Australia as the DAP Beaufighter. paper model


Design and development papercraft model

The idea of a fighter development of the Beaufort was suggested to the Air Ministry by Bristol. The suggestion coincided with the delays in the development and production of the Westland Whirlwind cannon-armed twin-engined fighter. By converting an existing design the "Beaufort Cannon Fighter" could be expected to be developed and produced far quicker than starting a completely fresh design. Accordingly the Air Ministry produced specification F.11/37 written around Bristol's suggestion for an "interim" aircraft pending proper introduction of the Whirlwind. Bristol started building a prototype by taking a part-built Beaufort out of the production line. The prototype first flew on 17 July 1939, a little more than eight months after the design had started and possible due to the use of much of the Beaufort's design and parts. A production contract for 300 machines had already been placed two weeks before the prototype flew, as F.17/39.

In general the differences between the Beaufort and Beaufighter were minor. The wings, control surfaces, retractable landing gear and aft section of the fuselage were identical to those of the Beaufort, while the wing centre section was similar apart from certain fittings. The bomb-bay was omitted, and four forward-firing Hispano 20 mm cannons were mounted in the lower fuselage area. These were initially fed from 60-round drums, requiring the radar operator to change the ammunition drums manually — an arduous and unpopular task, especially at night and while chasing a bomber. As a result, they were soon replaced by a belt-feed system. The cannons were supplemented by six 0.303 inch (7.7 mm) Browning guns in the wings; four in the starboard wing and two to port. The areas for the rear gunner and bomb-aimer were removed, leaving only the pilot in a fighter-type cockpit. The navigator / radar operator sat to the rear under a small perspex bubble where the Beaufort's dorsal turret had been located.

The Bristol Taurus engines of the Beaufort were not powerful enough for a fighter and were replaced by the more powerful Bristol Hercules. The extra power presented problems with vibration; in the final design they were mounted on longer, more flexible struts, which stuck out from the front of the wings. This moved the centre of gravity (CoG) forward, a bad thing for an aircraft design. It was moved back by shortening the nose, as no space was needed for a bomb aimer in a fighter. This put most of the fuselage behind the wing, and moved the CoG back where it should be. With the engine cowlings and propellers now further forward than the tip of the nose, the Beaufighter had a characteristically stubby appearance.

Production of the Beaufort in Australia, and the highly successful use of British-made Beaufighters by the Royal Australian Air Force, led to Beaufighters being built by the Australian Department of Aircraft Production (DAP), from 1944 onwards. The DAP's variant was an attack/torpedo bomber, known as the Mark 21: design changes included Hercules CVII engines, dihedral to the tailplane and enhanced armament.

By the time British production lines shut down in September 1945, 5,564 Beaufighters had been built in England, by Bristol and also by Fairey Aviation Company, (498) Ministry of Aircraft Production (3336) and Rootes (260).
When Australian production ceased in 1946, 365 Mk.21s had been built.

Operational service
Bristol Beaufighter Mk 1 in No. 252 Squadron, North Africa

By fighter standards, the Beaufighter Mk.I was rather heavy and slow. It had an all-up weight of 16,000 lb (7,000 kg) and a maximum speed of only 335 mph (540 km/h) at 16,800 ft (5,000 m). Nevertheless this was all that was available at the time, as the otherwise excellent Westland Whirlwind had already been cancelled due to production problems with its Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines.

The Beaufighter found itself coming off the production line at almost exactly the same time as the first British Airborne Intercept (AI) radar sets. With the four 20 mm cannons mounted in the lower fuselage, the nose could accommodate the radar antennas, and the general roominess of the fuselage enabled the AI equipment to be fitted easily. Even loaded to 20,000 lb (9 t) the plane was fast enough to catch German bombers. By early 1941 it was an effective counter to Luftwaffe night raids. The various early models of the Beaufighter soon commenced service overseas, where its ruggedness and reliability soon made the aircraft popular with crews.

A night-fighter Mk VIF was supplied to squadrons in March 1942, equipped with AI Mark VIII radar. As the faster de Havilland Mosquito took over in the night fighter role in mid to late 1942, the heavier Beaufighters made valuable contributions in other areas such as anti-shipping, ground attack and long-range interdiction in every major theatre of operations.

In the Mediterranean, the USAAF's 414th, 415th, 416th and 417th Night Fighter Squadrons received 100 Beaufighters in the summer of 1943, achieving their first victory in July 1943. Through the summer the squadrons conducted both daytime convoy escort and ground-attack operations, but primarily flew defensive interception missions at night. Although the Northrop P-61 Black Widow fighter began to arrive in December 1944, USAAF Beaufighters continued to fly night operations in Italy and France until late in the war.

By the autumn of 1943 the Mosquito was available in enough numbers to replace the Beaufighter as the primary night fighter of the RAF. By the end of the war some 70 pilots serving with RAF units had become aces while flying Beaufighters. model kits

Coastal Command

1941 saw the development of the Beaufighter Mk.IC long-range heavy fighter. This new variant entered service in May 1941 with a detachment from No. 252 Squadron operating from Malta. The aircraft proved so effective in the Mediterranean against shipping, aircraft and ground targets that Coastal Command became the major user of the Beaufighter, replacing the now obsolete Beaufort and Blenheim.

Coastal Command began to take delivery of the up-rated Mk.VIC in mid 1942. By the end of 1942 Mk VICs were being equipped with torpedo-carrying gear, enabling them to carry the British 18-inch or the US 22.5-inch torpedo externally. The first successful torpedo attacks by Beaufighters came in April 1943, with No. 254 Squadron sinking two merchant ships off Norway.

The Hercules Mk XVII, developing 1,735 hp at 500 feet, was installed in the Mk VIC airframe to produce the TF Mk.X (Torpedo Fighter), commonly known as the "Torbeau." The Mk X became the main production mark of the Beaufighter. The strike variant of the "Torbeau" was designated the Mk.XIC. Beaufighter TF Xs would make precision attacks on shipping at wave-top height with torpedoes or RP-3 rockets. Early models of the Mk Xs carried metric-wavelength ASV (air-to-surface vessel) radar with "herringbone" antennae carried on the nose and outer wings, but this was replaced in late 1943 by the centimetric AI Mark VIII radar housed in a "thimble-nose" radome, enabling all-weather and night attacks.

The North Coates Strike Wing (Coastal Command), based at RAF North Coates on the Lincolnshire coast, developed attack tactics combining large formations of Beaufighters on anti-flak suppression with cannon and rockets while the Torbeaus attacked on low level. These tactics were put into practice in mid 1943 and in a 10-month period 27,000 tonnes of shipping were sunk. Tactics were further adapted when shipping was moved from port during the night. North Coates Strike Wing operated as the largest anti-shipping force of the Second World War, and accounted for over 150,000 tons of shipping and 117 vessels for a loss of 120 Beaufighters and 241 aircrew killed or missing. This was half the total tonnage sunk by all strike wings between 1942-45.
Pacific war
Beaufighter of No. 30 Squadron RAAF over the Owen Stanley Range, New Guinea, 1942.(AWM OG0001)

The Beaufighter arrived at squadrons in Asia and the Pacific in mid-1942. It has often been said — although it was most probably a propaganda invention — that Japanese soldiers referred to the Beaufighter as "whispering death", supposedly because attacking aircraft often were not heard (or seen) until too late. (The Beaufighter's Hercules engines featured sleeve valves which lacked the noisy valve gear common to poppet valve engines. This was most apparent in a reduced noise level at the front of the engine.)

South east Asia

In the South-East Asian Theatre the Beaufighter Mk VIF operated from India on night missions against Japanese lines of communication in Burma and Thailand. The high-speed, low-level attacks were highly effective, despite often atrocious weather conditions, and makeshift repair and maintenance facilities.

South west Pacific

Before DAP Beaufighters arrived at Royal Australian Air Force units in the South West Pacific theatre, the Bristol Beaufighter Mk IC was employed in anti-shipping missions.

The most famous of these was the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in which they co-operated with USAAF A-20 Bostons and B-25 Mitchells. No. 30 Squadron RAAF Beaufighters flew in at mast height to provide heavy suppressive fire for the waves of attacking bombers. The Japanese convoy, under the impression that they were under torpedo attack, made the fatal tactical error of turning their ships towards the Beaufighters, leaving them exposed to skip bombing attacks by the US medium bombers. The Beaufighters inflicted maximum damage on the ships' anti-aircraft guns, bridges and crews during strafing runs with their four 20 mm (0.787 in) nose cannons and six wing-mounted .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns. Eight transports and four destroyers were sunk for the loss of five aircraft, including one Beaufighter.
Postwar

From late 1944, RAF Beaufighter units were engaged in the Greek Civil War, finally withdrawing in 1946.

The Beaufighter was also used by the air forces of Portugal, Turkey and the Dominican Republic. It was used briefly by the Israeli Air Force.

Variants

Beaufighter Mk IF
Two-seat night fighter variant.

Beaufighter Mk IC
The "C" stood for Coastal Command variant; many were modified to carry bombs.

Beaufighter Mk II
However well the Beaufighter performed, the Short Stirling bomber program by late 1941 had a higher priority for the Hercules engine and the Rolls Royce Merlin XX-powered Mk II was the result.

Beaufighter Mk IIF
Production night fighter variant.
Beaufighter Mk III/IV
The Mark III and Mark IV were to be Hercules and Merlin powered Beaufighters with a new slimmer fuselage carrying an armament of 6 cannon and 6 machine guns which would give performance improvements. The necessary costs of making the changes to the production line led to the curtailing of the Marks. [1]

Beaufighter Mk V
The Vs had a Boulton Paul turret with four 0.303 machine guns mounted aft of the cockpit supplanting one pair of cannons and the wing-mounted machine guns. Only two Mk Vs were built.

Beaufighter Mk VI
The Hercules returned with the next major version in 1942, the Mk VI, which was eventually built to over 1,000 examples.

Beaufighter Mk VIC
Torpedo-carrying variant dubbed the "Torbeau".

Beaufighter Mk VIF
This variant was equipped with AI Mark VIII radar.

Beaufighter Mk VI (ITF)
Interim torpedo fighter version.

Beaufighter TF Mk X
Two-seat torpedo fighter aircraft. The last major version (2,231 built) was the Mk X, among the finest torpedo and strike aircraft of its day.

Beaufighter Mk XIC
Built without torpedo gear for Coastal Command use.

Beaufighter Mk 21
The Australian-made DAP Beaufighter. Changes included Hercules CVII engines, a dihedral tailplane, four 20 mm in the nose, four Browning .50 in the wings and the capacity to carry eight five-inch High-Velocity Aircraft Rockets (HVAR), two 250 lb bombs, two 500 lb bombs and one Mk13 torpedo.

Beaufighter TT Mk 10
After the war, many RAF Beaufighters were converted into target tug aircraft.






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Monday, August 19, 2013

Mitsubishi G4M (Betty) samolot bombowy Betty

Mitsubishi G4M (Betty)



samolot bombowy

II wojna światowa 1939-1945, → samoloty, Japonia

Mitsubishi G4M (Betty)

Samolot bombowy.

Edycja

Przypisy

G4M1 Model 11 : szturmowy samolot bombowy.
G4M1 Model 12 : szturmowy samolot bombowy.
G4M2 Model 22 : szturmowy samolot bombowy.
G4M2 Model 24 : samolot szturmowy.
G4M2 Model 24J : samolot - nosiciel samolotów kamikadze z napędem rakietowym, Yokosuka MXY7 Okha.
Mitsubishi G4M2a.
G4M3 : szturmowy samolot bombowy.
G4M3 Model 34 : szturmowy samolot bombowy.

Mitsubishi G4M1 Model 11 (Betty).
[Chant Chris: Samoloty II wojny światowej. Warszawa 2000. s.238:]
Mitsubishi G4M1 "Betty". Kraj produkcji Japonia, typ - (G4M1 Model 11) siedmiomiejscowy średni bombowiec szturmowy, napęd - dwa czternastocylindrowe silniki dwugwiazdowe Mitsubishi MK4A Kasei 11 o mocy 1141 kW (1530 KM), osiągi - prędkość maksymalna 428 km/h, czas wznoszenia na wysokość 7000 m - 18 min, zasięg 6033 km, masa własna 6800 kg, maksymalna masa startowa 9500 kg, wymiary - rozpiętość skrzydeł 25,00 m, długość 20,00 m, wysokość 5,00 m, uzbrojenie - ruchome dziłko 20 mm na tylnym stanowisku strzeleckim, ruchomy tylny karabin maszynowy 7,7 mm w kopule grzbietowej, po jednym karabinie maszynowym 7,7 mm w każdym z bocznych stanowisk strzeleckich, ładunek 800 kg bomb i torped na podwieszeniach zewnętrznych.

[Gazety Wojenne. Nr 79. s. 1571:]
MITSUBISHI G4 M1. Jedna z wielu wersji tego bombowca, dostosowana w roku 1944 do przewozu pod kadłubem samobójczego odrzutowca Yokosuka MXY7 wz. 11 "Okha" (kwiat wiśni).
Typ - bombowiec dalekiego zasięgu, wymiary - długość 19,50 m, rozpiętość skrzydeł 25,00 m, wysokość 6,00 m, napęd - 2 silniki Mitsubishi MK4T Kasei 25 o mocy 1 850 KM, szybkość maksymalna 470 km/godz., masa na pusto 8 350 kg, masa maksymalna startowa 10 500 kg, zasięg 4 3350 km, pułap 10 000 m, uzbrojenie - 2 działka wz. 99 kal. 20 mm, 4 km kal. 7,7 mm.


Mitsubishi G4M2 Model 22 (Betty).
[Chant Chris: Samoloty II wojny światowej. Warszawa 2000. s.239:]
Mitsubishi G4M2 "Betty". Kraj produkcji Japonia, typ - (G4M2 Model 22) siedmiomiejscowy średni bombowiec szturmowy, napęd - dwa czternastocylindrowe silniki dwugwiazdowe Mitsubishi MK4P Kasei 21 o mocy 1342 kW (1800 KM), osiągi - prędkość maksymalna 438 km/h, czas wznoszenia na wysokość 8000 m - 30 min 24 s, zasięg 6059 km, masa własna 8161 kg, maksymalna masa startowa 12 500 kg, wymiary - rozpiętość skrzydeł 25,00 m, długość 20,00 m, wysokość 6,00 m, uzbrojenie - dwa ruchome karabiny maszynowe 7,7 mm w stanowisku dziobowym, ruchome działko 20 mm w wieżyczce grzbietowej, po jednym ruchomym działku 20 mm w każdym z bocznych stanowisk strzeleckich, ruchome działko 20 mm na stanowisku ogonowym, ładunek 800 kg bomb i torped.

[Gazety Wojenne. Nr 39. s.771:]
Mitsubishi G4M2 "BETTY". Ten bombowiec o dalekim zasięgu został zbudowany podczas lata 1941. Byłby on newątpliwie bardziej skuteczny, gdyby od początku wyposażono go w odpowiednie opancerzenie i skuteczny system przeciwpożarowy.
Typ - dwusilnikowy bombowiec o dalekim zasięgu, wymiary - długość 20 m, rozpiętośc skrzydeł 25 m, wysokość 5,99 m, napęd - 2 silniki gwiazdowe 14 cylindrowe Mitsubishi Kasei 21 o mocy 1 530 KM każdy, prędkośc maksymalna 445 km/godz., pułap 8 500 m, zasięg 2 400 km, maksymalna masa startowa 15 000 kg, uzbrojenie - 4 karabiny maszynowe kal. 7,7 mm i 2 ruchome działka 20 mm oraz bomby o masie 2 200 kg.


Mitsubishi G4M2a (Betty).
[brak informacji o autorze i źródle informacji:]
Okres używania: 1941-1945; wyprodukowano: 2479 samolotów wszystkich wersji; załoga: 7 osób; silniki: 2 x 1850 kM; wymiary - rozpiętość 25,0 m, długość 20,0 m, ciężar całkowity 12500 kg, ciężar własny 8370 kg, prędkość maksymalna 435 km/h, pułap 8950 m, zasięg 3600 km, uzbrojenie - 1 km 7,7 mm, 4 działka 20 mm, 1000 kG bomb.

Mitsubishi G4M3 (Betty).
[Chant Chris: Samoloty II wojny światowej. Warszawa 2000. s.240:]
Mitsubishi G4M3 "Betty". Kraj produkcji Japonia, typ - (G4M3) siedmiomiejscowy średni bombowiec szturmowy, napęd - dwa czternastocylindrowe silniki dwugwiazdowe Mitsubishi MK4T Kasei 25 o mocy 1361 kW (1825 KM), osiągi - prędkość maksymalna 470 km/h, czas wznoszenia na wysokość 7000 m - 20 min 10 s, pułap praktyczny 9200 m, zasięg 4335 km, masa własna 8350 kg, maksymalna masa startowa 12 500 kg, wymiary - rozpiętość skrzydeł 25,00 m, długość 19,50 m, wysokość 6,00 m, uzbrojenie - dwa ruchome karabiny maszynowe 7,7 mm w dziobie, ruchome działko 20 mm w wieżyczce grzbietowej, po jednym ruchomym działku 20 mm w stanowiskach w belce ogonowej, ruchome działko 20 mm na stanowisku ogonowym, ładunek 800 kg bomb.

"Chant Chris: Samoloty II wojny światowej. Warszawa 2000.",
"Gazety Wojenne.",

Ki-46-III KAI DINAH

Mitsubishi Ki-46



Ki-46
A Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" in flight.
Role Twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer Mitsubishi
First flight September, 1939
Introduction July, 1941
Retired 1945
Primary user Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built 1,742
The Mitsubishi Ki-46 was a twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Its Army Shiki designation was Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft (一〇〇式司令部偵察機); the Allied nickname was "Dinah".

Contents

  • 1 Development and design
  • 2 Operational history
  • 3 Survivors
  • 4 Variants
  • 5 Operators
  • 6 Specifications (Ki-46-II)
  • 7 See also
  • 8 References
  • 9 External links

Development and design

On 12 December 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force issued a specification to Mitsubishi for a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-15. The specification demanded an endurance of six hours and sufficient speed to evade interception by any fighter in existence or development, but otherwise did not constrain the design.[1]
The resulting design was a twin-engined, low-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It had a small diameter oval fuselage which accommodated a crew of two, with pilot and observer situated in individual cockpits separated by a large fuel tank. Further fuel tanks were situated in the thin wings both inboard and outboard of the engines, giving a total fuel capacity of 1,490 L (328 imperial gallons). The engines, two Mitsubishi Ha-26, were housed in close fitting cowlings developed by the Aeronautical Research Institute of the Tokyo Imperial University to reduce drag and improve pilot view.[1][2]

Mitsubishi Ki-46-III white painted with a green cross on the rear fuselage as a sign of surrender, captured by KNIL forces on October 3, 1945. Menado, Celebes.
The first prototype aircraft, with the designation Ki-46, flew in November 1939 from the Mitsubishi factory at Kakamigahara, Gifu, north of Nagoya.[3] Tests showed that the Ki-46 was underpowered, and slower than required, only reaching 540 km/h (336 mph) rather than the specified 600 km/h (373 mph). Otherwise, the aircraft tests were successful. As the type was still faster than the Army's latest fighter, the Nakajima Ki-43, as well as the Navy's new A6M2, an initial production batch was ordered as the Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Plane Model 1 (Ki-41-I).[2]
To solve the performance problems, Mitsubishi fitted Ha-102 engines, which were Ha-26s fitted with a two stage supercharger, while increasing fuel capacity and reducing empty weight to give the Ki-46-II, flying in March 1941. This met the speed requirements of the original specification, and was ordered into full-scale production, with deliveries starting in July.[4][5]
Although at first the Ki-46 proved almost immune from interception, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force realised that improved Allied fighters such as the Supermarine Spitfire and P-38 Lightning could challenge this superiority, and in July 1942, it instructed Mitsubishi to produce a further improved version, the Ki-46-III.[6] This had more powerful, fuel-injected Mitsubishi Ha-112 engines, and a redesigned nose, with a fuel tank ahead of the pilot and a new canopy, smoothly faired from the extreme nose of the aircraft, eliminating the "step" of the earlier versions. The single defensive machine gun of the earlier aircraft was also omitted. The new version first flew in December 1942, demonstrating significantly higher speed (630 km/h (391 mph) at 6,000 m (19,700 ft).[7] The performance of the Ki-46-III, proved superior to that of the aircraft intended to replace it (the Tachikawa Ki-70), which as a result did not enter production.[8]
In an attempt to yet further improve the altitude performance of the Ki-46, two prototypes were fitted with exhaust driven turbosupercharged Ha-112-II-Ru engines, flying in February 1944, but only two prototypes of this version were built[9]
Mitsubishi factories made a total of 1,742 examples of all versions (34 units Ki-46-I, 1093 units Ki-46-II, 613 units Ki-46-III, 4 units Ki-46-IV)during 1941-44.[10]

Operational history

This aircraft was first used by the Japanese Army in Manchukuo and China, where seven units were equipped with it, and also at times by the Japanese Imperial Navy in certain reconnaissance missions over the northern coasts of Australia and New Guinea.
The Japanese Army used this aircraft for the same type of missions (which were not authorized) over present-day Malaysia during the months before the Pacific War. Later, it was used over Burma, Indochina and Thailand, and in operations over the Indian Ocean.
In 1944-45, during the last days of the war, it was modified as a high-altitude interceptor, with two 20 mm cannons in the nose and one 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon in an "upwards-and-forwards" position - almost like the Luftwaffe's Schräge Musik night fighter cannon emplacements - for fighting USAAF B-29 Superfortresses over the metropolitan Japanese islands. It lacked stability for sustained shooting of the 37 mm (1.46 in) weapon, had only a thin layer of armour plating, lacked self-sealing fuel tanks, and was slow to climb.
The Ki-46 was also assigned to two whole Sentai (wings/groups), as well as individual Chutaicho (junior operational commanders) in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, during the Pacific War.
The Allies captured some examples during the conflict which were then repaired and flown for evaluation purposes.

Survivors


Mitsubishi Ki-46-III (Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Plane) at RAF Cosford.
The only known survivor is a Ki-46-III Army Type 100 example, currently on display at Royal Air Force Museum Cosford.

Another picture from the Mitsubishi Ki-46 at RAF Cosford.

Variants

(note:- The Shiki designations must be used in full, as written below, because the Type number only refers to the year of the designs inception.)
Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Plane
The Shiki designation for the Ki-46 Command Reconnaissance Plane
Army Type 100 Air Defence Fighter
The Shiki designation for the Ki-46 Interceptor Fighter
Army Type 100 Assault Plane
The Shiki designation for the Ki-46 Assault Plane
Ki-46
Prototype.
Ki-46 I
Reconnaissance version of the Ki-46.
Ki-46 II
The first operational model of the series.
Ki-46 II KAI
Three-seat training version of the Ki-46. Used for radio and navigation training, with a redesigned cabin, dorsal echeloned extension. Conversions of the Ki-46 II.
Ki-46 III
Ki-46 III-KAI
Defense interceptor/night fighter version of the Ki-46. Equipped with two 20 mm cannons in the nose and one 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon in the "Schräge Musik"-style dorsal frontal position.
Ki-46 III
Land strike version of the Ki-46, without 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon armament.
Ki-46 IIIb
Ground-attack version.
Ki-46 IIIc
Unbuilt design project.
Ki-46 IV
Prototype, equipped with two turbocharged 1,119 kW (1,500 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-112-IIru engines, and more gasoline store capacity.
Ki-46 IVa/b
Series models of reconnaissance/fighter aircraft, unbuilt design projects

Operators

 France
 Japan
 People's Republic of China
  • Chinese Communist Air Force Two captured Ki-46s in communist Chinese hands served as a ground-attack aircraft and a trainer respectively, and the last Ki-46 retired in early 1950s.

Specifications (Ki-46-II)

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[11]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b Air International November 1980, p. 227.
  2. ^ a b Francillon 1979, pp. 169–170.
  3. ^ Francillon 1979, p. 170.
  4. ^ Air International November 1980, p. 230.
  5. ^ Francillon 1979, pp. 170–171.
  6. ^ Francillon 1979, p. 172.
  7. ^ Air International November 1980, pp. 231–232.
  8. ^ Francillon 1970, p. 257.
  9. ^ Air International November 1980, p. 232.
  10. ^ Francillon 1979, p. 176.
  11. ^ Francillon 1979, pp. 176–177.
Bibliography
  • Francillon, Ph.D., Réne J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00033-1. 2nd edition 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
  • Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Three: Fighters. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961. ISBN 0-356-01447-9.
  • Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II. London: Salamander Books Ltd., 1978. ISBN 0-89673-000-X
  • "Mitsubishi Ki. 46...the Aesthetic Asiatic". Air International, November 1980, Vol 19, No 6. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. ISSN 0306-5634. pp. 227–233.