Kawasaki Ki-102

The Kawasaki Ki-102 (Army Type 4 assault aircraft) was a Japanese warplane of World War II. It was a twin-engine, two-seat, long-range heavy fighter developed to replace the Ki-45 Toryu. Three versions were planned: the Ki-102a day fighter, Ki-102b ground-attack and Ki-102c night fighter. This aircraft's Allied reporting name was "Randy".

Ki-102
Kawasaki Ki-102b assault plane Model b
Role Ground attack and night fighter
National origin Japan
Manufacturer Kawasaki Kōkūki Kōgyō K.K.
First flight 1944
Introduction 1944
Retired 1945
Primary user Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built 238
Developed from Kawasaki Ki-96

Design and history

The Ki-102 entered service in 1944, but saw limited action. The main type (102b) was kept in reserve to protect Japan, although it did see some limited duty in the Okinawa campaign. It was kept out of front line service because it was hoped that it would be the carrier of the Igo-1-B air-to-ground guided missile when the Allied invasion of Japan occurred.

Variants
Ki-102
prototypes, three built
Ki-102a (Type Kō)
Externally similar to the 102b, but with turbosuperchargers that enabled the engine to maintain its rating at higher altitudes. The 57 mm (2.24 in) cannon was swapped in favor of a 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon, and the 12.7 mm (.50 in) rear gun was deleted, 26 built.
Ki-102b (Type Otsu)
Ground-attack variant similar to prototypes, except with revised tail wheel, 207 built
Ki-102c (Type Hei)
Night fighter version with lengthened fuselage and span. Radar under a Plexiglas dome, oblique-firing 20 mm cannons, and the 20 mm cannons in the belly replaced with 30 mm (1.18 in) cannons in Schräge Musik behind the cockpit, two built.
Ki-108
High-altitude fighter prototype with pressurised cabin, two conversions from Ki-102b aircraft using the structural improvements used on the 102c.
Ki-108 Kai
Improved version of the Ki-108 with longer fuselage and enlarged wings. Two built.

Specifications (Ki-102b)
Ki-102 in USAAF markings after the war

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 11.45 m (37 ft 7 in)
  • Wingspan: 15.57 m (51 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 34 m2 (370 sq ft)
  • Airfoil: root: NACA 24015; tip: NACA 23010[2]
  • Empty weight: 4,950 kg (10,913 lb)
  • Gross weight: 7,300 kg (16,094 lb)
  • 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 km/h (360 mph, 310 kn)
  • Range: 2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 11.9 m/s (2,340 ft/min)
  • Power/mass: 0.417 kW/kg (0.254 hp/lb)

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 1 × 57 mm (2.24 in) Ho-401 cannon—replaced in the 102a with a 37 mm (1.46 in) Ho-204 cannon, deleted in the 102c
    • 2 × 20 mm Ho-5 cannon in the belly—replaced in the 102c with 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon in the package, plus oblique-firing 2 × 20 mm cannon
    • 1 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 machine gun (deleted in the Ki-102a and Ki-102)
  • Bombs:
    • 2 × 200 L (53 US gal) drop tanks; or
    • 2 × 250 kg (551 lb) bombs or
    • 1 × Kawasaki Igo-1b guided missile

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References
  1. Francillon1979, pp. 137–138.
  2. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Further reading
  • Francillon, René J. Ph.D. (1979). Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 137–138. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
  • Green, William (1973). War Planes of the Second World War. v. 3 (Seventh impression ed.). London: Macdonald & Co. ISBN 0-356-01447-9.
  • Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (1976). Japanese Army Fighters / 1. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08224-5.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.