Yokosuka K5Y

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokosuka_K5Y

The (Yokosuka K5Y? kuusanshikichuukanrenshuuki) was a two-seat unequal-span
biplane trainer (Allied reporting name: "Willow") that served in the Imperial
Japanese Navy during World War II. Due to its bright orange paint scheme
(applied to all Japanese military trainers for visibility), it earned the
nickname "aka-tombo", or "red dragonfly", after a type of insect common
throughout Japan.

A K5Y of the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps 3rd Ryuko Squadron was credited with
sinking the destroyer USS Callaghan on July 29, 1945, the last US warship lost
to kamikaze attack during the war.

The aircraft was based on the Yokosuka Navy Type 91 Intermediate Trainer, but
stability problems led to a redesign by Kawanishi in 1933. It entered service in
1934 as Navy Type 93 Intermediate Trainer K5Y1 with fixed tail-skid landing
gear, and remained in use throughout the war. Floatplane types K5Y2 and K5Y3
were also produced. After the initial 60 examples by Kawanishi, production was
continued by Watanabe (556 aircraft built), Mitsubishi (60), Hitachi (1,393),
First Naval Air Technical Arsenal (75), Nakajima (24), Nippon (2,733), and Fuji
(896), for a total of 5,770. These aircraft were the mainstay of Imperial
Japanese Navy Air Service's flight training, and as intermediate trainers, they
were capable of performing demanding aerobatic maneuvers. Two further land-based
versions, the K5Y4 with a 358 kW (480 hp) Amakaze 21A engine and the K5Y5 with a
384 kW (515 hp) Amakaze 15, were projected but never built.


Role
Intermediate trainer

Manufacturer
Various, see text

First flight
1933

Introduction
1934

Primary user
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

Produced
1934-1945

Number built
5,770

Indonesian People's Security Force (the precursor of Indonesian Air Force)
operated derelict aircraft against Dutch colonial rule. On July 29 1947,
Indonesia using 2 units of Yokosuka K5Y (Called "Cureng/Churen" by Indonesian
fighters) with one "Guntei Bomber" (Mitsubishi Ki-51 from Maguwo Air Force Base,
Yogyakarta for bombing Dutch strategic positions in Ambarawa, Salatiga and
Semarang. On its original plan, Nakajima Ki-43 "Hayabusa" also planned to be
involved too in this operation, but cancelled as the aircraft suffered technical
difficulties. It is currently on display at Jakarta.

Specifications (K5Y1)

General characteristics
Crew: Two
Length: 8.05 m (26 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 27.7 m² (298.2 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Hitachi Amakaze 11 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 224
kW (300 hp)

Performance
Maximum speed: 212 km/h (115 knots, 132 mph)
Cruise speed: 138 km/h (75 knots, 86 mph)
Range: 1,019 km (550 nmi, 633 mi)
Service ceiling: 5,700 m (18,700 ft)

Climb to 3,000 m (9,845 ft): 13 min 32 sec

Armament

Guns: 1× fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 97 aircraft machine gun and
1× flexible, rearward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun
Bombs: Up to 100 kg (220 lb) of bombs on external racks





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