Nakajima Ki-19

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Ki-19

Nakajima Ki-19 after civilian converstion for Domei Tsushin news agency
Type prototype Twin-engine heavy bomber
Manufacturer Nakajima Aircraft Company
Maiden flight August 1937
Primary user IJA Air Force
Number built 4

The Nakajima Ki-19 (キ19 (航空機) Ki-jyukyu Kokūki?) was an unsuccessful attempt by Nakajima Aircraft Company to meet a 1935 requirement issued by the Japanese government for a modern bomber aircraft to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-1 heavy bomber.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

Unlike earlier projects, in February 1936 the Imperial Japanese Army issued detailed specifications to be met by the new aircraft. These included: maximum speed 399 km/h (250 mph) at 3,000 m (9,842 ft); climb to altitude in under 8 minutes; take-off in less than 300 meters (984 ft); normal operating altitude from 2,000 m (6,561 ft) to 4,000 m (13,123 ft); and endurance of more than five hours at 299 km/h (190 mph) at 3,000 m (9,842 ft). Structural strength was specified as well, including a load factor of 6 while at high angle of attack, and 4 while in a glide. Minimum bomb load for short-range missions was to be 1500 kg (3307 lb) with a variety of load configurations. Loaded, the bomber was to have a weight of less than 1000 kg (2205 lb). Other specified requirements were a crew of from four to six; engines to be either the Nakajima Ha-5 or Mitsubishi Ha-6; and three gun positions (nose, dorsal and ventral, each with one flexible 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine gun). The Hi-2 (Type 94) or Hi-5 radio, and other details were also specified.

Nakajima's veteran design team included Kenichi Matsumura as chief designer, assisted by Setsuro Nishimura and Toshio Matsuda, all of whom had previous twin-engine design experience on the Nakajima's licensed produced version of the Douglas DC-2 commercial airliner project, and the short-lived Nakajima LB-2 long-range attack bomber project for the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The Ki-19 was a mid-wing cantilever monoplane of all-metal construction with fabric-covered control surfaces. The aircraft had a bomb-bay within a very streamlined fuselage as opposed to carrying the bombs externally. A Douglas-type hydraulically-operated retractable landing gear and split-flaps were used.

Performance testing by the Tachikawa Army Air Technical Research Institute with the competing Mitsubishi Ki-21 lasted from March to May 1937. Evaluation was continued at the Army's main bomber base at Hamamatsu for bombing and other operational testing beginning in June. Not completely satisfied with the combinations of airframe and engines, the Army ordered two additional Ki-19 prototypes from Nakajima to be powered by the Mitsubishi Ha-6, and two prototypes of the Mitsubishi Ki-21 to be powered by Nakajima Ha-5 engines.

Prototypes from the two companies were almost identical in performance, but the Army officially selected the Mitsubishi Ki-21 as the "Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber". Nakajima having lost the Army contract, converted the fourth prototype, one powered by the Mitsubishi Ha-6 engine, into a civil aircraft and in April 1939 gave it the new designation N-19. It was commonly referred to as the N-19 Long-Range Communications Aircraft and sold to the Domei Tsushin (Domei Press Agency), under registration J-BACN and was named Domei No.2.

[edit] Variants

  • Ki-19
Prototype for testing (4 units produced between 1937-1938)

[edit] Operators

Flag of Japan Japan

[edit] Specifications (Ki-19)

Data from [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: (5): Pilot, co-pilot, navigator/bombardier, radio-operator/gunner and gunner
  • Length: 15 m (49 ft 2 1/2 in)
  • Wingspan: 22.0 m (72 ft 2 in)
  • Height: 3.65 m (11 ft 11 3/4)
  • Wing area: 62.694 m² (674.854 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 4,750 kg (10,472 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 7,150 kg (15,763 lb)
  • Useful load: kg (kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: kg (lb)
  • Powerplant: 2× Two Nakajima Ha-5 fourteen-cylinder double-row air-cooled radial engines Hamilton Standard controllable-pitch metal propellers., 660-KW (890 hp) each

Performance

Armament three flexible 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns in nose, dorsal and ventral positions.
1,000 kg (2,205 lb) bombs

[edit] References

  1. ^ Milkesh, Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941
  • Mikesh, Robert (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1557505632. 

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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Japanese Army Aircraft Designation System

Ki-1 • Ki-2 • Ki-3 • Ki-4 • Ki-5 • Ki-6 • Ki-7 • Ki-8  • Ki-9  • Ki-10  • Ki-11  • Ki-12  • Ki-13  • Ki-14  • Ki-15  • Ki-16  • Ki-17  • Ki-18  • Ki-19 • Ki-20  • Ki-21  • Ki-22  • Ki-23  • Ki-24  • Ki-25  • Ki-26  • Ki-27  • Ki-28  • Ki-29  • Ki-30  • Ki-31  • Ki-32  • Ki-33  • Ki-34  • Ki-35  • Ki-36  • Ki-37  • Ki-38  • Ki-39  • Ki-40  • Ki-41  • Ki-42  • Ki-43  • Ki-44  • Ki-45  • Ki-46  • Ki-47  • Ki-48  • Ki-49  • Ki-50  • Ki-51  • Ki-52  • Ki-53  • Ki-54  • Ki-55  • Ki-56  • Ki-57  • Ki-58  • Ki-59  • Ki-60  • Ki-61  • Ki-62  • Ki-63  • Ki-64  • Ki-66  • Ki-67  • Ki-68  • Ki-69  • Ki-70  • Ki-71  • Ki-72  • Ki-73  • Ki-74  • Ki-75  • Ki-76  • Ki-77  • Ki-78  • Ki-79  • Ki-80  • Ki-81  • Ki-82  • Ki-83  • Ki-84  • Ki-85  • Ki-86  • Ki-87  • Ki-88  • Ki-89  • Ki-90  • Ki-91  • Ki-92  • Ki-93  • Ki-94  • Ki-95  • Ki-96  • Ki-97  • Ki-98  • Ki-99  • Ki-100  • Ki-101  • Ki-102  • Ki-103  • Ki-105  • Ki-106  • Ki-107  • Ki-108  • Ki-109  • Ki-110  • Ki-111  • Ki-112  • Ki-113  • Ki-114  • Ki-115  • Ki-116  • Ki-117  • Ki-118  • Ki-119  • Ki-148  • Ki-167  • Ki-174  • Ki-200  • Ki-201  • Ki-202 • Ki-230
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