Japan's Kawasaki Ki-48 bomber1;
Army Type 99
Allied Name: "Lily"1
Kawasaki Ki-48, "Lily" bomber, captured by the Chinese: |
Kawasaki Ki-48, "Lily" bomber: |
Kawasaki Ki-48, "Lily" bomber: |
Design
The Kawasaki Ki-48 was based on the Soviet Tupolev SB-2 that was encountered in the Sino-Japanese conflict.1
Prototype
The prototype first flew July 1939.1
Production
Due to delays in resources being allocated to the Ki-45 and tail flutter in the Ki-48 the production model didn't fly until July 1940.1
The Ki-48-II first flew in February 1942.1
- Prototypes and pre production: 91
- Ki-48-I: 5571
- Ki-48-II: 1,4111
- Total: 1,9771
Variants
- Ki-48-I:
- Ki-48-Ia: Equipment changes and new gun mounts.1
- Ki-48-Ib: Equipment changes and new gun mounts.1
- Ki-48-II: The Ha-115 engines had two stage superchargers.1 Fuselage was lengthened to increase stability.1 More armor protection for the crew.1 Fuel had more armor protection.1
- Ki-48-IIa: Standard bomber.1
- Ki-48-IIb: Dive bomber.1 Retractable dive brakes.1
- Ki-48-IIc: Better defensive armament.1
Usage
The Ki-48 was first used in Northern China in late 1940.1
Kamikaze
At the end of the war most Ki-48s were packed with 1,764 lb / 800 kg of explosives and the nose had long percussion mounted rod fuses.1 These were then used in Kamikaze attacks.1
| Kawasaki Ki-48-I1 | Kawasaki Ki-48-II1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Bomber1 | Bomber1 |
| Crew | 41 | 41 |
| Engine (Type) | 2: Nakajima Ha-251 | 2: Nakajima Ha-1151 |
| Cylinders | Radial 141 | Radial 141 |
| Cooling | ||
| Net HP | 1,000 each1 | 1,130 each1 |
| Propeller blades | 3 each1 | 3 each1 |
| Dimensions | ||
| Span | 57' 3"1 17.45 m1 |
|
| Length | 41' 10"1 12.75 m1 |
|
| Height | 12' 5.5"1 3.8 m1 |
|
| Wing area | ||
| Weight | ||
| Empty | 8,929 lb1 4,050 kg1 |
10,031 lb1 4,550 kg1 |
| Loaded | 13,337 lb1 6,050 kg1 |
14,881 lb1 6,750 kg1 |
| Performance | ||
| Speed @ 11,485' / 3,500 m |
298 mph1 480 kph1 |
|
| Speed @ 18,375' / 9,500 m |
314 mph1 505 kph1 |
|
| Cruising speed | 217 mph1 349 kph1 |
|
| Climb to 16,405' / 5,000 m |
9 minutes1 | 8.5 minutes1 |
| Service ceiling | 31,170'1 9,500 m1 |
33,135'1 10,100 m1 |
| Range | 1,230 miles1 1,980 km1 |
1,274 miles1 2,050 km1 |
| Armament | ||
| Nose | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 |
| Dorsal | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 |
| Ventral | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 |
| Bombs | 882 lb1 400 kg1 |
1,764 lb1 800 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
