- Yes
- No
Japanese Curtiss-Wright CW-22B
The Japanese in the Dutch East Indies in 1942 definitely had three Japanese Curtiss-Wright CW-22B aircraft. These aircraft were used in Japanese service as training or liaison planes by the 75th Air Squadron, the 50th Air Squadron, and the 9th Training Squadron.
History
After the surrender of Dutch forces on the island of Java on March 12, 1942, the Japanese sent a special commission from the Technical Research of Military Aviation to the island to locate Allied aircraft and technologies. At the Andir airfield in Bandung, the Japanese found abandoned Dutch aircraft, including Curtiss-Wright CW-21B, Curtiss-Wright CW-22B, Brewster B-339C and D, Curtiss P-40E, and many others. The Andir airfield in Bandung was one of the main military airfields in the Dutch East Indies, and the speed of the Japanese offensive meant that the Dutch were unable to evacuate the base, leaving many spare parts behind. Japanese specialists from the Technical Research of Military Aviation quickly established a main base at the Andir airfield for repairing and servicing captured aircraft, to later send them to Singapore or Japan. From the abandoned, damaged, and wrecked Curtiss-Wright CW-22B aircraft, the Japanese managed to recover at least three fully operable planes. After tests showed that the aircraft were not suitable for front-line service because they were too slow and too lightly armed, but were suitable for training and liaison purposes, one CW-22B went to the 75th Air Division, where it was used to train crews for the Kawasaki Ki-48 aircraft used in the unit. Another CW-22B went to the 50th Air Squadron, where it served as a liaison aircraft until the aircraft’s engine failed. Due to a lack of spare parts, the aircraft was abandoned at Sembawang Airfield in Singapore. The last confirmed unit to use captured Curtiss-Wright CW-22Bs was the 9th Training Squadron, where the aircraft was used for training and liaison purposes. On September 24, 1944, Major Goro Katsunura, the unit commander, was returning to Lohta Airfield in Sumatra when his CW-22B was intercepted by an American P-38 fighter. The CW-22B was shot down, and Major Katsunura along with passenger Maneharu Tamagi were killed.
Construction description
The Curtiss-Wright CW-22B is based on the Curtiss-Wright CW-21 aircraft, but it has undergone a number of modifications.
- The crew cabin was moved forward and made longer to fit a second crew member.
- The engine was replaced from a Wright R-1820-G5 Cyclone engine with a power of 630 kW (850 hp) to a Wright R-975-28 Whirlwind engine with a power of 340 kW (450 hp)
- The armament was reduced to a single 7.62mm Browning M1919 machine gun in the nose of the aircraft
- A movable Browning M1919 7.62mm machine gun was added at the rear of the cockpit
- The propeller was changed from a three-blade to a two-blade one
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 8.23 m
- Wingspan: 10,67 m
- Height: 3,02 m
- Wing area: 16,14 m2
- Empty weight: 1241 kg
- Gross weight: 1451 kg
- Maximum Take-off Weight: 1718 kg
- Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-975-28 Whirlwind 9-cylinder, air-cooled radial piston engine with a takeoff power of 340 kW (450 hp)
- Propellers: two-blade metal propeller with variable pitch
Performance
- Maximum speed: 323 km/h
- Cruise speed: 311 km/h
- Range: 1255 km
- Service ceiling: 6645 m
- Time to Climb to: ?
- Rate of climb: 8,4 m/s m/s
Armament
- 1 x Fixed Browning M1919 7.62 mm machine guns in the nose
- 1 x Movable Browning M1919 7.62mm machine gun at the rear of the cockpit
Special thanks
Summary
The Curtiss-Wright CW-22B is an interesting aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. This plane would be an intriguing lowest-era fighter with good maneuverability, capable of surprising enemy planes using the rear gunner. This aircraft could be added as a premium plane for Japan and as a researchable plane for the Netherlands. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
カーチス・ライト CW-22 - Wikipedia
Curtiss-Wright CW-22 - Wikipedia
CURTISS-WRIGHT FALCON · The Encyclopedia of Aircraft David C. Eyre
Randy’s Warbird Profiles: Curtiss-Wright CW-A22 (Falcon) - Vintage Aviation News
Curtiss-Wright CW-22 / SNC-1 Falcon – All Aero
Curtiss CW22 “Falcon” – the KNIL’s mystery plane… | The Java Gold’s Blog
Curtiss SNC Falcon / CW-22
Уголок неба ¦ Curtiss-Wright CW-22 Falcon II
Curtiss-Wright SNC-1 Falcon : Curtiss
Book sources
- 日本軍鹵獲機秘録 (Secret records of captured aircraft of the Japan army) page 68-69
- 日本航空機総集 輸入機篇 (Japan Aircraft Catalogue Imported Aircraft Edition) Shuppan Kyosha, 1972, page. 174
- Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947 ,page 463-465
Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947 PDF | PDF | Airplane | Aviation - 敵機解剖 : 大東亜戦・鹵獲・撃墜撃破飛行機写真集 - NDL Digital Collections
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