Mitsubishi Ki-30
Ki-30 | |
---|---|
Mitsubishi Ki-30 (Army Type 97 Light Bomber) | |
Role | Light bomber |
Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
First flight | 28 February 1937 |
Introduction | January 1938 |
Primary users | Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force |
Produced | 1938–1941 |
Number built | 704 |
The Mitsubishi Ki-30 (九七式軽爆撃機, Kyunana-shiki keibakugekiki, lit. ''Type 97 light bomber'') was a
Design and development
The Ki-30 was developed in response to a May 1936
The first Mitsubishi
A second prototype, fitted with the slightly more powerful Nakajima Ha-5 engine, was completed the same month. Although two months behind schedule and overweight, both prototypes met or exceeded every other requirement. The second prototype's top speed of 423 km/h (263 mph) at 4,000 m (13,130 ft) led the
Mitsubishi built 618 production machines through April 1940, and the 1st Army Air Arsenal (Tachikawa Dai-Ichi Rikugun Kokusho) built 68 more by the time production ceased in September 1941. Including prototypes, a total of 704 Ki-30s were built.[5]
Operational history
The Ki-30s were first used in combat in Second Sino-Japanese War from spring 1938. It proved to be reliable in rough field operations, and highly effective while operating with fighter escort. This success continued in the early stages of the Pacific War, and the Ki-30s participated extensively in operations in the Philippines. However, once unescorted Ki-30s met Allied fighters, losses mounted rapidly and the type was soon withdrawn to second-line duties. By the end of 1942, most Ki-30s were relegated to a training role. Many aircraft were expended in kamikaze attacks towards the end of the war.[6]
From late 1940, the Ki-30 was in service with the
Operators
World War II
- Imperial Japanese Army Air Force[6]
- No. 82 Dokuritsu Hikō Chutai IJAAF
- No. 87 Dokuritsu Hikō Chutai IJAAF
- No. 6 Hikō Sentai IJAAF
- No. 16 Hikō Sentai IJAAF
- No. 31 Hikō Sentai IJAAF
- No. 32 Hikō Sentai IJAAF
- No. 35 Hikō Sentai IJAAF
- No. 90 Hikō Sentai IJAAF
Post-war
- Chinese Communist Air Force– Operated three captured Ki-30s used as trainers until the early 1950s.
Specifications (Ki-30)
Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[8]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 10.35 m (33 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 14.55 m (47 ft 9 in)
- Height: 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in)
- Wing area: 30.58 m2 (329.2 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 2,230 kg (4,916 lb)
- Gross weight: 3,320 kg (7,319 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Ha5-Kai14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 708 kW (949 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 423 km/h (263 mph, 228 kn)
- Cruise speed: 380 km/h (240 mph, 210 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 442 km/h (275 mph, 239 kn)
- Range: 1,700 km (1,100 mi, 920 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 8,570 m (28,120 ft)
- Rate of climb: 8.33 m/s (1,640 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 108.6 kg/m2 (22.2 lb/sq ft)
Armament
- Guns: 2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns (one fixed wing-mounted and another manually aimed from the rear cockpit)
- Bombs: 400 kg (882 lb) bombload
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Kawasaki Ki-32
- Mitsubishi Ki-51
- Heinkel He 70
- Fairey Battle
- PZL.23 Karaś
- Sukhoi Su-2
- Vultee A-35 Vengeance
Related lists
Notes
- ^ Lawrence 1945, p. 192.
- ^ Francillon 1979, p. 165.
- ^ Francillon 1979, pp. 165–166.
- ^ Francillon 1979, p. 166.
- ^ Francillon 1979, p. 168.
- ^ a b Francillon 1979, p. 167.
- ^ Garlicki, Jarosław (2001). Historia lotnictwa wojskowego Królestwa Tajlandii w latach 1912 – 1945. Część 3. Wojna tajsko-francuska. "Militaria i Fakty". 4/2001, p. 37 (in Polish)
- ^ Francillon 1979, pp. 167–168.
Bibliography
- Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
- Gunston, Bill (1999). The Illustrated Directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Zenith Press. ISBN 0-86101-390-5.
- Lake, Jon (2002). Great Book of Bombers. London: Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1347-4.
- Lawrence, Joseph (1945). The Observer's Book Of Airplanes. London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co.
- Mikesh, Robert C.; Shorzoe Abe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910–1941. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-563-2.
- Mondey, David (2002). The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press. ISBN 1-85152-966-7.
- Soumille, Jean-Claude (September 1999). "Les avions japonais aux coleurs françaises" [Japanese Aircraft in French Colors]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et Son Histoire (in French) (78): 6–17. ISSN 1243-8650.
- Young, Edward M. (1984). "France's Forgotten Air War". ISSN 0143-5450.