- Yes
- No
Kawasaki Ki-102C (川崎 キ102丙)
The Kawasaki Ki-102C was a Japanese prototype night fighter, the construction of which began at the end of 1944. Two prototypes were created, which were heavily damaged during production, and their repair continued until September 1945, when Japan capitulated.
History
In 1944, the Japanese home islands were increasingly and intensively bombed by American bombers, which were almost uninterceptable by Japanese fighters during night raids. The Japanese Imperial Air Force in 1944 did not have a specialized night fighter, which made it difficult to counter this threat. The Japanese were well aware of the successes of German night fighters equipped with radar and armed with Schräge Musik. In November 1944, the Army Air Force Command commissioned the Kawasaki plant to create a new night fighter based on the Ki-102 aircraft, which was to be used to destroy the B-29. Design work began immediately and a little later on the prototype. The aircraft, compared to the other Ki-102s, was heavily modified, which meant that the design work lasted until May 1945. At that time, work was already underway on both prototypes, the first of which was to be ready in July 1945, and the second in August of the same year. Work went smoothly until June 1945, when on June 26, the first prototype was destroyed during an air raid on the Gifu plant. Probably then the second prototype was also damaged and all the effort was directed at it to repair it. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the war ended in September 1945, and the second prototype was not repaired until that moment. The further fate of this fighter is unknown, but it was probably destroyed by the designers so that it would not fall into American hands.
Model Kawasaki Ki-102C
Comparison of Ki-102C vs Ki-102A
Construction description
All modifications to the Ki-102C were intended to make the aircraft operate as a night fighter in the best possible way. Modifications made to the Ki-102C compared to the Ki-102B:
- Enlarging the leaf area to 40 m2 and extending them to 17.25 meters.New two-segment kalpas were installed on the wings.
- Changed the outline of the vertical stabilizer (unfortunately it is not known if it has been enlarged)
- The plane lost its characteristic hump, which was replaced by a glass cockpit in the shape of a teardrop (similar to what is the KI-96)
- The position of the second crew member has been moved further back. It was supposed to operate the radar. His position was protected by a small dome made of plexiglass, and he sat facing the direction of flight.
- The Ha-112-II engine was replaced with the Ha-112-II Ru engine equipped with a Ru-102 compressor
- Two Ho-155-II cannons were mounted between the crewmen, directed at an angle of 45 degrees upwards.
- The fuel tanks in the hull have been reduced, but it is not known exactly how much.
- In the lower part of the fuselage, as in the Ki-102B, there were cannons mounted either two Ho-5 cannons or two Ho-155-II cannons
- In the nose of the machine, instead of the Ho-401 cannon, the Ta-Ki 1 Model 1/2 or Ta-ki 2 Model 1/2 radar was installed
- The aircraft was also to have Ta-Ki 15 Aircraft Guidance Device Receiver
Technical sketches of the Kawasaki Ki-102C
Aircraft equipment
Ta-Ki 1 Model 2 Airborne Surveillance Radar
The Ta-Ki 1 Model 2 Air Surveillance Radar is a Japanese radar created in 1945 to detect aircraft. It operated at frequencies of 375 MHz, had a power of 2 kW and weighed 120 kg. The Ta-Ki 1 radar was able to detect large aircraft (B-29) at a distance of 3000 m, and large surface targets at a distance of 8000 m. For this purpose, he used Yagi-type antennas; a transmitting antenna in the nose under a dielectric shield and four receiving antennas on each side of the fuselage (to determine the azimuth of the target) and antennas above and below the fuselage (to determine the elevation of the target)
Ta-Ki 15 Aircraft Guidance Device Receiver
The receiver of the Ta-Ki 15 homing device was used to work with the Ta-Chi 13. The transponder operated at 175/184 MHz (transmitter/receiver) and had a power of 100 W. The aircraft, thanks to the Ta-Ki 15/Ta-chi 13 system, was guided from the ground to the detected formation of enemy aircraft until the Ta-Ki 1 system began to operate.
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 13,15 m
- Wingspan: 17,25 m
- Height: 3.7 m
- Wing area: 40,00 m2
- Empty weight: 5,200 kg
- Gross weight: 7,500/7,600 kg
- Powerplant: 2 × Mitsubishi Ha112-II Ru 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) each
- Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 580/600/610 km/h (Sources are given differently)
- Range: 2,200 km or 1,900 km (?)
- Service ceiling: 13,500 m
- Climbing force: 18 min to 10,000 m
Armament
- 2 × 30 mm Ho-155-II cannon (Schräge Musik)
- 2 × 20 mm Ho-5 cannon in the belly (200 rounds per gun) or 2 x 30 mm Ho-155-II
Additional systems
- Ta-Ki 1 Airborne Surveillance Radar or Ta-Ki 2 Airborne Surveillance Radar
- Ta-Ki 15 Aircraft Guidance Device Receiver
Summary
The Kawasaki Ki-102C would be a great aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. It is a heavy night fighter comparable (if not better) to most German night fighters. The Ki-102C has powerful armament supported by guidance systems that will allow it to shoot down any enemy bomber it encounters. If there are ever night air battles, this plane will be a real monster. History did not allow this plane to fly, so I hope that War Thunder will give it a chance. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this topic.
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
キ102 (航空機) - Wikipedia
Kawasaki Ki-102 – Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia
Kawasaki Ki-102 Randy Fighter-attack Aircraft (airpages.ru)
Kawasaki Ki-102 (Randy) Ground Attack / Heavy Fighter / Night Fighter Aircraft (militaryfactory.com)
Kawasaki Ki 102c [Randy] : Kawasaki (valka.cz)
Imperial Japanese Aviation Resource Center - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Kawasaki Ki-102 Randy - night fighter, attacker (aviastar.org)
Уголок неба ¦ Kawasaki Ki-102 (airwar.ru)
Kawasaki Ki-102 (“Randy”) variants and Ki-108 | Secret Projects Forum
【戦闘機】『戦闘機・襲撃機 キ102（五式複戦、五式双発襲撃機）』太平洋戦争中期に完成しながらも不採用となった高性能双発機 : トイレで読む向けブログ (blog.jp)
Kawasaki Ki-102 Army Type 4 Assault Plane (historyofwar.org)
Kawasaki Ki-102 (Randy): Photos, History, Specification (tvd.im)
Kawasaki Ki-102-Hei (“Randy”) (A+V Models, Resin) | ModelPlanes.de
worldmilitary.net/2-Aviation/Japan/Kawasaki/Ki.102/index_aviation_data_japan-kawasaki-ki102c.html
Il bimotore da attacco giapponese Kawasaki Ki-102 (lasecondaguerramondiale.org)
List of Japanese World War II radars - Wikipedia
Book sources
- “日本陸軍海軍の夜間戦闘機。モデルアートNo.595” (Japanese army navy night fighter. Model art No.595) October 2001 extra issue p.76
- “Lotnictwo Numer Specjalny 20” (Aviation Special Issue 20) April 2018 page 44-45
[Lotnictwo Ns 20.pdf](file:///C:/Users/polit/Downloads/Lotnictwo%20Ns%2020.pdf)