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Kawanishi N1K3-A (試製紫電改二)
The Kawanishi N1K3-A is a Japanese prototype small-series carrier-based aircraft created in September 1944. It was the only aircraft to take off from the aircraft carrier Shinano.
History
In September 1944, the Japanese Navy was facing a great shortage of carrier-based fighters. Some aircraft carriers no longer had air crews at all, and work on Japan’s most powerful aircraft carrier, Shinano, was at the final stage. The Japanese Naval Air Command believed less and less in the Mitsubishi A7M project, so they decided to create a carrier-based aircraft from the successful Kawanishi N1K fighter. The basis for the new carrier-based fighter was to be the prototype N1K3-J aircraft (the third and fourth prototypes). Work on the N1K3-A aircraft went very quickly and the first prototype was ready on September 20, 1944, and the second in October. On 12 November, both of these aircraft were sent to Tokyo Bay to conduct take-off and landing tests on the carrier Shinano. The pilot of one of the N1K3-A planes was Second Lieutenant Shigehisa Yamamoto. The tests were observed by Kawanishi engineer Shizuo Kikuhara, who noticed the nervousness and inexperience of the carrier’s crew. Tests of the N1K3-A aircraft were considered successful, but unfortunately 2 weeks later the aircraft carrier Shunano was sunk by an American submarine. As a result, the Japanese no longer had any suitable aircraft carriers for the Kawanishi N1K3-A aircraft, so its serial production was not undertaken. The further fate of the Kawanishi N1K3-A aircraft is unknown.
Construction description
The Kawanishi N1K3-A is similar to the Kawanishi N1K2-Ja, but there are a few differences.
- The nose of the aircraft has been lengthened by 150mm
- Reinforced the rear part of the hull
- A landing hook was installed on aircraft carriers
- Modified cockpit glazing to make it easier to land on an aircraft carrier
- Changed the propeller of the machine to a different one (the new propeller is VDM 4)
- Two Type 3 model 1 13.2 mm machine guns were installed in the nose
Technical sketches
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: Length: 9,49 m
- Wingspan: 12 m
- Height: 3,96 m
- Wing area: 23,50 m2
- Empty weight: 2687 kg
- Gross weight: 4880 kg
- Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima NK9H Homare 21 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, with a take-off power of 1,471 kW (2,000 hp)
- Propellers: Four-bladed fixed-speed VDM 4 propeller with a diameter of 3,300 mm.
Performance
- Maximum speed: 586 km/h
- Cruise Speed: 345 km/h
- Range: 1750 km
- Maximum Range: 2000 km
- Service ceiling: 11200 m
- Time to Climb to: 7,45 min to 6000 m
Armament
- Guns:
- 4 x Type 99 Model 2 20mm cannons in the flanks (probably 900 rounds)
- 2 x Type 3 Model 1 Machine Guns caliber 13.2mm in nose (600 rounds)
- Bombs:
- 4 x 30 kg bombs
- 4 x 50 kg bombs
- 2 × 250 kg bombs
- Rocket:
- 2 x Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1 rockets (?)
- 2 x Type 5 No.1 Mod.9 rockets (?)
- 2 x Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1 rockets (?)
- 2 x Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rockets (?)
- Fuel dump tanks
- 1 x 400 l in additional tanks
Special thanks
Summary
The Kawanishi N1K3-A is an interesting aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. In the game, just like in real life, it would be the last Japanese carrier-based aircraft to have very powerful armament. This aircraft would be a strong aircraft in air battles and would be able to provide support for ground troops. 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
紫電改 - Wikipedia
Kawanishi N1K - Wikipedia
Kawanishi N1K “Shiden” unbuilt variants and derivatives | Secret Projects Forum
Kawaniši N1K3-A 41 Šinden-KAI 2 [George] : Kawaniši / Šin-Meiwa
Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden (Violet Lightning) and N1K2-J Shiden Kai
信濃 (空母) - Wikipedia
Book sources
- Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War page 320-329
- Japanese Aircraft of Wolrld War II : 1937-1945 ,Thomas Newdick, Edition 2 2017, page 49
- Lotnictwo 8/2021 (aviation 8/2021) page 93-94
- Technika wojskowa historia numer specjalny 4/2012 (Military Technology: History Special Issue 4/2012) page 6-7
- Aviation (ModelArt) - Kawanishi N1K1, N1K1-J, N1K2-J
(Aviation) - (ModelArt) - Kawanishi N1K1, N1K1-J, N1K2-J PDF | PDF - Bunrindo - Famous Airplanes of The World 53 - Kawanishi N1K ‘Kyofu’, Shiden, Shidenkai
Bunrindo - Famous Airplanes of The World 53 - Kawanishi N1K ‘Kyofu’, Shiden, Shidenkai | PDF
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