Like other nations in the race for air supremacy, the Japanese army and
naval air forces underwent a drive toward modernization in the middle to late
1930s. The Japanese produced some remarkable results - and got to show them off
in their war with China against various Italian, American, and Russian aircraft
in China (1937-41) and in Mongolia during the 1939 Russo-Japanese
Nomonhan
Incident. Nate (Nakajima Ki.27) and Claude (Mistubishsi A5M) were highly
maneuverable as well as fast (for their day). Many of these aircraft were still
in action when Japan attacked the western powers in December 1941.
In general, the Japanese design paradigm was shaped by:
A need to produce light aircraft to stretch range (important to an
island nation)
A need stretch limited industrial capacity and material
A philosophic preference for maneuverability over speed
The aircraft represented by these 9 ADCs (available in one 900 Kb
PDF file) were the first "team" the japanese
sent to China. These were being replaced after service life in the early to mid-30s by the next set of aircraft. The naval aircraft were those that Japan used to develop its
carrier doctrines.
Aichi D1A2 (Susie) - Japanese Naval Army Air Foprce's first
divebomer. Attacked the gunboat USS Panay in 1937 as well as many other locations in China in the late 1930s.
Nakajima A2N2 (Type 90) - JNAF's first home-developed biplane fighter.
Nakajima A4N1 (Type 95) - JNAF's last carrier-borne biplane fighter.
Mitsubishi B2M2 (Jean) JNAF mid-30s carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber. Was being replaced by the B4Y1 when the war in China started.
Yokosuka B4Y1 (Jean) JNAF's last carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber. Filled same role as B5N Kate.
Mitsubishi Ki.10-II (Perry) - JAAF's last (and best) biplane fighter.
Nakajima Type 91 - JAAF's first monoplane fighter, a maneuverable little parasol wing fighter.
Mitsubishi Ki.2 - JAAF's monoplane medium bomber of the mid-30s. Stil in use at the beginning of the war in China.(2 ADCs)
The aircraft represented by these ADCs (available in one 150 Kb
PDF file) were active 1936-1941. These aircraft were a technologic leap for Japan
(see previous set of ADCs). Most were withdrawn
from frontline service after the initial Japanese assault (Dec-41 to Apr-42).
Nakajima Ki.27b (Nate) - Japanese Army Air Foprce's first
monoplane fighter, introduced into combat over northern China in 1937. Very
maneuverable and fast though lightly armed, the Ki.27 performed well against
the Chinese aircraft and against Russian biplane fighters. Still in use in
1941, Nates were the fighters most encountered by the AVG in the beginning of
the war before being supplanted by Ki.43 Oscars.
Mitsubishi Ki.30 (Ann) - JAAF light bomber similar in layout
to the US A-17 Nomad. Flew in China in 1940-41 and over the Philippines.
Withdrawn from service in early 1942.
Nakajima Ki.51 (Sonia) army ground support bomber - Developed
from Ki.30, served through the war mostly in Asia.
Mitsubishi A5M4 (Claude) carrier-borne fighter - A5Ms were the
Japanese Navy's first monoplane fighter, entering production a year behind the
Ki.27. The A5m was carrier-borne, and fought over China, SE Asia and Indonesia,
and the Philippines. In December, 1941, it was still the most numerous IJN
carrier-borne fighter available.
The Japanese were the most succcessful users of floatplane fighters,
although many Western navies had a few. In the Pacific, early in the war,
floatplane fighters were used offensively, operating in forward areas before
airfields could be seized. This worked quite well until mid-'42 when better US
and British equipment began to reach the area. Then, the tactical penalty of
carrying around a float no longer compensated for the (typically Japanese)
extreme operational flexibility this form offered. This
set of 4 ADCs (90 Kb) includes:
Kawanishi N1K1 Kyufo (Rex) - By the time this aircraft
reached production, the Japanese had ceased the offensive actions it was
designed to support. But it's potential was noticed, and production was halted
in favor of a land-based (J) version - the Shiden.
Aichi M6A Seiran - Attack seaplane designed to be
stored aboard submarines for surprise attacks.
The Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe and Mistubishi F1M2 Pete were published with
Whistling Death, and my versions were withdrawn from this set.
Japanese Recon Seaplanes
The Japanese also extensively used recon seaplanes from both land bases,
and seaplane tenders and cruisers at sea - again, more aggressively and
thoroughly than in Western navies. However, by late 1942, the quality and
quantity of US air strength made operation of these aircraft increasingly
perilous. This set of 5 ADCs (102Kb)
includes:
Kawanishi E7K2 (Alf) - Pre-war light recon seaplane still
found on many IJN cruisers into 1943.
Nakajima E8N2 (Dave) - Pre-war long-range recon seaplane still
usedd on IJN cruisers in 1942.
Aichi E13A1 (Jake) - Light Recon seaplane used throughout the
war from cruisers, battleships, seaplane tenders, and shore bases. Replacement
for E7K2.
Yokosuka E14Y1 (Glen) - collapsible light recon seaplane flown
form submarines. One bombed the continental US.
Aichi E16A1 (Paul) - Designed as a higher-speed, better armed
replacement for E13A1, the E16A1 was being phased into service during the last
year of the Pacific war.
The Japanese planners gave little thought to specialized night fighters
until midway through the war, when there was little enough time to develop
them.. In almost all cases, Japanese nightfighters were variants on existing
aircraft - medium fighters or recon aircraft - their goal was to take an
existing platform that could carry heavy armament at good speed. And their
opposition was tougher than the British or Germans faced - the Japanese tried
to should down the powerful B-29 bomber.
The Japanese were behind in radar development all through the war, and
furthest behind in the development of airborne intercept radar. While they
developed a decent airborne surface search radar, they did not develop a
production model AI during the war. The Japanese did pioneer the use of fixed,
inclined guns.
Nakajima J1N1-S (Irving) - the first Japanese nightfighter
first encountered Solomons. It was developed from a long-range recon
aircraft.
Nakajima C6N1-S Saiun (Rex) - A few nightfighter
versions were devised from the C6N1 carrier-borne recon aircraft, taking
advantage of its high speed.
Kawasaki Ki.45 KAIcToryu (Nick) - IJAAF's first
nightfighter, variant of a heavy fighter.
Mistubishi Ki.46 III KAI(Dinah) - Very fast recon aircraft
with weaponry added to create a nightfighter.
Kawasaki Ki.102b (Randy) - Fast, heavy fighter developed from
Ki.45 in a (high-altitude fighter), b (heavy ground attack used on Okinawa),
and c (nightfighter) variants. The nightfighter version was not quite in
production when the war ended, but I included it for interest.
The Japanese did not develop what USA or RAF would consider heavy
bombers. They did fly a number of twin-engin medium bombers. The Japanese Army
and Navy were very uncooperative (for historical and political reasons) and
developed completely separate sets of aircraft:
G3M Nell (2 ADCs) - First modern Japanese twin engine
monoplane medium bomber. Particularly noted for a surprising good range.
Developed more as a long-range torpedo bomber (as used against the HMS Prince of Wales)
than as a B-25/He111 analog. However, it learned to perform that function too over China, where its range was used
against distant Chinese cities in the interior.
P1Y1 Frances - A late war light bomber also used as a
night fighter.
WW2 brought forth a selection of flying boats from all nations. While
they faought over all oceans and seas affected by the war, they were
particularly active in the Pacific (patrol, ASW, SAR, recon). The Japanese Navy
produced some of the best flying boats in the world. This
set of ADCs (109 Kb) features the two major
Japanese flying boats as well as some of those flown by their opponents:
Kawanishi H6K4 Mavis: 2nd longest ranged flying boat of the
war. Used 1941-1943, when it was replaced by the H8K2 Emily
Dornier Do24K-1: A Dutch-built licensed version of a Dornier
product. Used by the NEIAF in 1941-42. Also flown by the Kreigsmarine.
Short Sunderland III: A large British flying boat, very tough.
Used in all three oceans. Effective against U-boats, once armed with ASV radar
in 1942.
The PBY-5A Catalina and H8K2 Emily were published with
Whistling Death.
The Japanese did try to develop more powerful aircraft throughout the
war. Not having as robust or deep an industrial base as is opponents,
stratregic bombing was effective enough to delay aircraft development,
especially on toward the end of the war.
These three ADCs (along with the C6N1 ADC in the Japanese night
fighters) represent the last team of carrier-borne aircraft, and the most
innovative Japanese design of the period.
This PDF file (210 Kb) contains the
following ADCs:
Mitsubishi A7M2 Reppu (Sam) - This carrier-borne
fighter was to replace the Zero, retaining the Zero's maneuverability while
gaining the speed, power, and hitting power to take on the US late-war
designs.
Aichi B7A2 Ryusei (Grace) - Designed to take the place
of both the B6N and D4Y attack and dive bombers. The B7A did make combat from
land-based squadrons..
Kyushu J7W1 Shinden - High-speed radical-design
fighter. This interesting looking aircraft showed promise. However, development
was delayed by US bombing so flight-testing was not begun until July, 1945
(four months late), and production tool up had not even started when the war
ended.
Nakajima G8N1 Renzan (Rita) - This project was the
development of a four-engine heavy bomber.
Nakajima Kikka - A Japanese jet attack bomber designed
after pictures and descriptions of the Me262, but with little technical data.
Flight tested 7-Aug-44.
Mitsubishi Ki.83 - Japanese Army twin-engine interceptor of a
particularly clean design.
Just as the Germans worked to develop standoff weapons, so did the US
and Japan, for much the same reasons. As US aircraft technologically improved
and multiplied, the Japanese looked to technology as a force multiplier.
However, the Japanese did not have the breadth and depth of resources and
facilities that the Germans or the US had and their progress was slow. Still,
by 1944, they had produced a couple promising designs.
Even more advanced is the US design here, a fire-and-forget munition
deployed during the final months of the war.
Japanese
Aircraft