Japan's Yokosuka P1Y Ginga ("Milky Way") attack bomber, night fighter1
Allied Name: "Frances"1
Yokosuka P1Y Ginga "Frances" attack bomber: |
Yokosuka P1Y Ginga "Frances" attack bomber: |
Yokosuka P1Y1 Ginga "Frances" attack bomber: |
Yokosuka P1Y1 Ginga "Frances" attack bomber: |
Design
The P1Y Ginga was intended to be a multirole military aircraft along the same lines as the Mosquito and Ju 88.1 It has much promise but the war ended before its full potential was realized.1
The P1Y was to meet an Imperial Japanese Navy requirement issued in 1940.1
Prototype
The first prototype to fly was in August 1943.1 Pilots enjoyed the aircraft, but ground crews disliked its problems with the engines and hydraulic systems.1
Production
- Prototype: 61
- P1Y1, P1Y1-S: 9961
- Manufacturer: Nakajima1
- Production: mid 1944 - ?1
- P1Y2, P1Y2-S: 961
- Manufacturer: Kawanishi1
- Total: 1,0981
Variants
- Prototype:
- P1Y:
- P1Y1 Model 11:
- P1Y1a: Primarily changes in armament.1
- P1Y1b: Primarily changes in armament.1
- P1Y1c: Primarily changes in armament.1
- P1Y1-S: Night fighter.1 Four oblique firing 20 mm guns in fuselage.1
- P1Y2: Bomber.1
- P1Y2-S Kyokko ("Aurora"): Night fighter.1
- P1Y3: Was to be parent aircraft for the Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka suicide rocket aircraft.1
- P1Y4: Better engines.1 Only drawing board.1
- P1Y5: Better engines.1 Only drawing board.1
- P1Y6: Better engines.1 Only drawing board.1
Usage
| Yokosuka P1Y Ginga1 | Yokosuka P1Y1 Ginga1 | Yokosuka P1Y2 Ginga1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Attack bomber1, night fighter1 | ||
| Crew | 31 | ||
| Engine (Type) | 2: Nakajima Nk9C Homare 121 | 2: Mitsubishi MK4T-A-Kasei 25a1 | |
| Cylinders | Radial 181 | Radial 141 | |
| Cooling | |||
| Net HP | 1,8251 | 1,8501 | |
| Propeller blades | 31 | 31 | |
| Dimensions | |||
| Span | 65' 7.5"1 20 m1 |
65' 7.5"1 20 m1 |
|
| Length | 49' 2.5"1 15 m1 |
49' 2.5"1 15 m1 |
|
| Height | 14' 1.25"1 4.3 m1 |
14' 1.25"1 4.3 m1 |
|
| Wing area | |||
| Weight | |||
| Empty | 16,017 lb1 7,265 kg1 |
||
| Loaded | 29,762 lb1 13,500 kg1 |
||
| Performance | |||
| Speed | |||
| Speed @ 19,355' / 5,900 m |
340 mph1 547 kph1 |
||
| Cruising speed | 230 mph1 370 kph1 |
||
| Climb | |||
| Climb to 9,840' / 3,000 m |
4.3 minutes1 | ||
| Service ceiling | 30,840'1 9,400 m1 |
||
| Range | 1,192 miles1 1,918 km1 |
||
| Maximum range | 3,337 miles1 5,370 km1 |
||
| Armament | |||
| Nose | 1: 20 mm1 | ||
| Rear cockpit | 1: 13 mm MG1 | ||
| OR | 2: 13 mm MG1 | ||
| Maximum bomb load | 2,205 lb1 1,000 kg1 |
||
| OR | |||
| Torpedo | 11 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
