Japan's Nakajima C6N Saiun ("painted cloud") carrier reconnaissance1
Allied Name: "Myrt"1
Nakajima C6N, "Myrt" carrier reconnaissance: |
Nakajima C6N, "Myrt" carrier reconnaissance: |
Nakajima C6N1, "Myrt" carrier reconnaissance: |
Design
The Nakajima C6N Saiun was specifically designed to be a carrier based reconnaissance aircraft.1
Wing
The laminar flow wing had six fuel tanks.1 There were split and Fowler trailing edge flaps.1
Fuselage
The fuselage had observation windows and camera portholes in the side.1
Prototype
The C6N prototype first flew on May 15, 1943.1 It was powered by the Homare 11 engine (1,820 HP).1 The prototype used a four bladed propeller.1
Production
- Prototype and pre production: 191
- C6N1: 4621
- C6N2: 11
- Total: 4631
Variants
- C6N1 Model 11: Production version.1
- C6N1-S: Night fighter.1 Had two obliquely firing 20 mm cannons in fuselage.1 Used against B-29 Superfortresses in the home islands.1 The C6N1-S didn't have radar.1
- C6N2: Night fighter.1 Had Homare 24 turbo charged engine.1
Usage
Mariana Island Campaign
The C6N's first campaign was in the Mariana Islands.1 It was used to shadow the US Fleet and was nearly immune from interception because of its speed and altitude performance.1
Last Kill of World War II
The last aerial kill of World War II was on August 15, 1945 at 5:40 AM when a US Navy pilot shot down a C6N1.1 Hostilities officially ended at 5:45 AM.1
| Nakajima C6N Saiun1 | Nakajima C6N1 Saiun1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Carrier reconnaissance1 | |
| Crew | 31 | |
| Engine (Type) | Nakajima NK9B Homare 211 | |
| Cylinders | Radial 181 | |
| Cooling | ||
| Net HP | 1,9901 | |
| Propeller blades | 31 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Span | 41'1 12.5 m1 |
|
| Length | 36' 1"1 11 m1 |
|
| Height | 13'1 3.96 m1 |
|
| Wing area | ||
| Weight | ||
| Empty | 6,543 lb1 2,968 kg1 |
|
| Loaded | 9,921 lb1 4,500 kg1 |
|
| Maximum load | 11,596 lb1 5,260 kg1 |
|
| Performance | ||
| Speed @ 20,015' / 6,100 m |
379 mph1 610 kph1 |
|
| Cruising speed | 242 mph1 389 kph1 |
|
| Climb to 19,685' / 6,000 m |
8.2 minutes1 | |
| Service ceiling | 35,236'1 10,740 m1 |
|
| Range | 1,914 miles1 3,080 km1 |
|
| Range with external fuel tanks | 3,300 miles1 5,310 km1 |
|
| Armament | ||
| Rear cockpit | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
