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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:

1. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998

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