Kyushu K10W
K10W | |
---|---|
Role | Intermediate trainer (K10W1) |
Manufacturer | Kyushu Aircraft Company and |
First flight | 1941 |
Introduction | 1943 |
Retired | 1945 |
Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |
Produced | February 1943 - August 1944 |
Number built | 176 [1] |
The Kyushu K10W Type 2 Land based intermediate trainer (Code Named Oak by the Allies) was a single engine low wing fixed undercarriage monoplane training aircraft which served in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in the latter part of World War II.
Design and development[]
It was designed by the Kyushu Aircraft Company to the 14-Shi Intermediate Trainer specification of mid 1939 which required a design similar to the North American NA-16 following the Mitsubishi's purchase of an NA-16-4R and an NA-16-4RW on behalf of the Japanese Navy. Design work commenced in January 1940 and the first prototype was ready by April 1941.[2] Despite the similarity of the K10W to other contemporary Japanese aircraft such as the Tachikawa Ki-55 and Mitsubishi Ki-51, it suffered from stall and stability problems that resulted in 16 pre-production testing aircraft being built.[2] Work at Kyuhsu on the Q1W maritime patrol bomber and K11W carrier crew trainer were given a higher priority. Kyushu would build only nine production aircraft before production was transferred in 1943 to (a small company that did a lot of subcontract work), who in turn built 150 examples before production ended in August 1944.[2]
The Japanese had purchased two NA-16's and western sources have long believed that the K10W1 was a development of these, however a close study of the Oak, as it was code named by the Allies, shows that they shared nothing beyond a similar configuration.[1]
Whereas the NA-16's featured a steel tube structure covered with metal or fabric panels, the K10W1 was of flush riveted stressed skin construction throughout (excepting the fabric covered control surfaces) with a slightly smaller wingspan, narrower chord wings, a longer fuselage and a higher aspect ratio tailplane. The entire cockpit was further forward and the wings were swept forward rather than aft as on the NA-16.[3] In addition, controls were run internally, and footrests retracted rather than being fixed.[2] A version of the K10W built from wood was planned as the K10W2 but was never built.[2]
Operational service[]
The K10W1 was not popular with crews possibly due to ongoing handling problems and only served with a small number of units which included the Oi, Go, Takarazuka and (Naval Air Groups) as trainers. Japanese records do not show that any were used for Kamikaze attacks, although a small number were definitely used as target tugs for gunnery training and as unit hacks attached to operational bases where they probably assisted in getting new pilots up to speed.[2]
Specifications (K10W1)[]
Data from Arawasi - From American Acorn to Japanese Oak[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 8.83 m (29 ft 0 in)
- Wingspan: 12.36 m (40 ft 7 in)
- Height: 3.705 m (12 ft 2 in) rigging position
- Empty weight: 1,476 kg (3,254 lb)
- Gross weight: 2,033 kg (4,482 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Kotobuki 2 Kai-1 9 cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 450 kW (600 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed wooden propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 294 km/h (183 mph, 159 kn)
- Range: 830 km (520 mi, 450 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 6,770 m (22,210 ft)
- Time to altitude: 5,000 m (16,404 ft) in 17 minutes 30 seconds
- Wing loading: 91.6 kg/m2 (18.8 lb/sq ft)
Armament
- Guns: 1 x 7.7mm Machine Gun
- Bombs: 4 small practice bombs
See also[]
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kyushu K10W. |
Notes[]
Bibliography[]
- Fletcher, David (1995). "Kyushu 10W1 Oak". Random Thoughts. Vol. 17 no. 4. "IPMS Canada". pp. 82–83. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- Hagedorn, Dan (1997). North American NA-16/AT-6/SNJ. North Branch, MN: Specialty Press. ISBN 978-0933424760.
- Starkings, Peter (2007). "From American Acorn to Japanese Oak". Arawasi. Asahi Process, Tokyo (7): 26–31. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- World War II Japanese trainer aircraft
- 1940s Japanese military trainer aircraft
- Kyūshū aircraft
- Single-engined tractor aircraft
- Low-wing aircraft
- Aircraft first flown in 1941