Yokosuka P1Y

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokosuka_P1Y

The Yokosuka P1Y Ginga (??, "Galaxy") was a twin-engine, land-based bomber
developed for the Japanese Imperial Navy in World War II. It was the successor
to the Mitsubishi G4M and given the Allied reporting name "Frances".

The P1Y was designed by the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal to Navy
specification 15-Shi, calling for a fast bomber with speed matching the Zero,
range matching the G4M, a 907 kg (2,000 lb) bombload, and the ability to
dive-bomb as well as carry torpedoes. As the result, the construction suffered
from excess complexity, difficulty of manufacture, and poor serviceability.
Problems with the availability of enough reliable Nakajima Homare engines led to
their replacement by the Mitsubishi Kasei in the P1Y2-S night-fighter version.

The streamlined design of the Ginga is attributed to Miki Tadanao, an engineer
who after World War II went on to create a similar aerodynamic design for
Japan's earliest `bullet trains` (Shinkansen), while working with the Japan
National Railways (JNR).


Role
Attack bomber

National origin
Empire of Japan

Manufacturer
Yokosuka (3 × prototype only)
Nakajima
Kawanishi (P1Y2 series only)

First flight
August 1943

Introduction
October 1944[1]

Retired
1945

Primary user
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

Number built
1,102

The first flight was in August 1943. Nakajima manufactured 1,002 examples, which
were operated by five Kokutai (Air Groups), and acted as land-based medium and
torpedo bombers from airfields in China, Taiwan, Marianas, Philippines, Ryukyu,
Shikoku, and Kyushu. During the last stages of the war the P1Y was utilized as a
kamikaze aircraft against the United States Navy during the Okinawa Campaign in
Operation Tan No. 2.

A night fighter version, the P1Y2-S Kyokko (??, "Aurora"), with Mitsubishi Kasei
engines, was equipped with radar and Schräge Musik-style upward-firing as well
as forward-firing 20 mm cannon. A total of 96 were produced by Kawanishi,[5] but
due to inadequate high-altitude performance against B-29s, many were converted
back to Ginga bombers

Specifications (P1Y1a)

General characteristics
Crew: 3
Length: 15.00 m (49 ft 2? in)
Wingspan: 20.00 m (65 ft 7¼ in)
Height: 4.30 m (14 ft 1¼ in)
Wing area: 55 m² (592 ft²)
Empty weight: 7,265 kg (16,020 lb)
Loaded weight: 10,500 kg (23,149 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 13,500 kg (29,762 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Nakajima NK9C Homare 12 18-cylinder radial engines, 1,361 kW
(1,825 hp) (take-off) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 547 km/h (295 knot, 340 mph) at 5,900 m (19,400 ft)
Cruise speed: 370 km/h (200 knots, 230 mph) at 4,000 m (13,125 ft)
Range: 5,370 km (2,900 nmi, 3,337 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,400 m (30,840 ft)
Wing loading: 191 kg/m² (39.1 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.20 kW/kg (0.16 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns:
1× flexible, nose-mounted 20 mm Type 99 cannon
1× flexible rear-firing 13 mm Type 2 machine gun

Bombs: up to 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of bombs or 1× 800 kg (1,800 lb) torpedo




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