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Japan's Kawasaki Ki-102 fighter1
Army Type 4
Allied code name: "Randy"
Kawasaki Ki-102 fighter1:
Kawasaki Ki-102 fighter1:
Design
The Kawasaki Ki-102 was based on the Ki-96 twin engined fighter.1
Prototype
The Ki-102 prototype first flew in March 1944.1 Testing showed that the tail wheel strut needed to be taller as the Ki-102 was directionally unstable on the ground.1
Production
- Prototypes and pre production: 231
- Ki-102b: 2151
- Deliveries began in late 1944.1
- Total: 2381
- Conversions:
- Ki-102a: 261
- First flew in June 1944.1
- Ki-102c: 21
- First flew in July 1945.1
- Ki-102a: 261
Variants
- Ki-102a:
- Ki-102b:
- Ki-102c: Engine had superchargers for high altitude flight.1
Usage
The Ki-102 was seen during the Okinawa invasion.1 Many of the Ki-102s were stationed in Japan to protect the home islands.1
Air-to-Ground Missile
The Ki-102b was used in the Igo-1-B air-to-ground guided missile tests.1
| Kawasaki Ki-1021 | Kawasaki Ki-102a1 | Kawasaki Ki-102b1 | Kawasaki Ki-102c1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Heavy fighter1 Ground attack1 |
High altitude fighter1 | Ground attack1 | Night fighter1 |
| Crew | 21 | |||
| Engine (Type) | 2: Mitsubishi Ha-112-II Ru1 | 2: Mitsubishi Ha-112-II1 | 2: Mitsubishi Ha-112-II Ru1 | |
| Cylinders | Radial 141 | |||
| Cooling | ||||
| Net HP | 1,500 each1 | 1,500 each1 | 1,500 each1 | |
| Propeller blades | 3 each1 | 3 each1 | 3 each1 | |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Span | 51' 1"1 15.57 m1 |
51' 1"1 15.57 m1 |
56' 7"1 17.25 m1 |
|
| Length | 37' 6.75"1 11.45 m1 |
37' 6.75"1 11.45 m1 |
42' 9.75"1 13.05 m1 |
|
| Height | 12' 1.75"1 3.7 m1 |
12' 1.75"1 3.7 m1 |
||
| Wing area | ||||
| Weight | ||||
| Empty | 10,913 lb1 4,950 kg1 |
11,464 lb1 5,200 kg1 |
||
| Loaded | 16,094 lb1 7,300 kg1 |
16,755 lb1 7,600 kg1 |
||
| Performance | ||||
| Speed @ 19,685' / 6,000 m |
360 mph1 579 kph1 |
|||
| Speed @ 32,810' / 10,000 m |
373 mph1 600 kph1 |
|||
| Cruising speed | ||||
| Climb | ||||
| Climb to 16,405' / 5,000 m |
6.9 minutes1 | |||
| Service ceiling | 32,810'1 10,000 m1 |
44,290'1 13,5001 |
||
| Range | 1,243 miles1 2,000 km1 |
1,367 miles1 2,200 km1 |
||
| Armament | ||||
| Nose | 1: 57 mm1 | 1: 57 mm1 | ||
| Forward belly | 1: 20 mm1 | 1: 20 mm1 | 2: 30 mm1 | |
| Rear cockpit | 1: 12.7 mm MG1 | |||
| Upward firing in fuselage | 2: 20 mm1 | |||
| Bombs | 2: 551 lb1 2: 250 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
