Kawasaki Ki-78

Ki-78
Role High speed research aircraft
National origin Japan
Manufacturer Kawasaki Kokuki Kogyo K.K. (川崎航空工機業株式会社 - Kawasaki Aircraft Industries)
Design group Aeronautical Research Institute of the University of Tokyo
First flight 26 December 1942[1]
Number built 1 completed + 1x mock-up and the partially complete 2nd prototype[1]


The Kawasaki Ki-78, originally given the designation KEN III (Kensan III - research III), was a high speed research aircraft, also intended to attempt breaking the World Absolute speed record.[1]

Design and development

The Kawasaki Ki-78 was a high-speed research aircraft developed to investigate laminar profile wings with high wing loadings. Early in 1938 a high-speed research program was started at the Aeronautical Research Institute of the University of Tokyo for a small single-seat aircraft.[1]

The Ki-78, designed at the Aeronautical Research Institute and built at Kawasaki Kokuki Kogyo K.K. to investigate flying behaviour at very high speed, featured a streamlined minimum cross-section fuselage fitted with a licence-built Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine. For short duration power boost methanol/water injection was used, and cooling was improved by a 45 kW (60 hp) turbine driven cooling fan for the radiators.[1]

All-metal construction was used in combination with a small thin wing with a laminar flow profile and a sharp leading edge.[1]

Operational history

By the outbreak of the war, the whole project was taken over by the Imperial Japanese Army who gave it the military type designation Ki-78. Kawasaki received the order to build two prototypes of the Ki-78, construction of which was started in September 1941. The first was completed more than a year later and was flown for the first time on 26 December 1942. A feasibility study to improve the KI-78 flight performance showed that extensive airframe modifications were needed and consequently the project was officially terminated after the 32nd flight on 11 January 1944; the second Ki-78 was never completed.[1]

Specifications (KEN III / Ki-78)

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[1]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Francillon, Rene (1979). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Limited. ISBN 0 370 30251 6.

Further reading

External links