Mitsubishi Ki-30

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-30

The Mitsubishi Ki-30 (Kyunana-shiki keibakugekiki) was a Japanese light bomber
of World War II. It was a single-engine, mid-wing, cantilever monoplane of
stressed-skin construction with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and a long
transparent cockpit canopy. The type had significance in being the first
Japanese aircraft to be powered by a modern two-row radial engine. During the
war, it was known by the Allies by the name Ann.

The Ki-30 was developed in response to a May 1936 Imperial Japanese Army
specification to replace the Kawasaki Ki-3 light bomber with a completely
indigenously designed and built aircraft. Mitsubishi and Kawasaki were requested
to build two prototypes each by December 1936. The specification called for a
top speed of 400 km/h (250 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft); normal operating altitude
from 2,000 m (6,560 ft) to 4,000 m (13,130 ft), the ability to climb to 3,000 m
(9,840 ft) within eight minutes and an engine to be selected from the 634 kW
(850 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-6 radial, 615 kW (825 hp) Nakajima Ha-5 radial, or 634 kW
(850 hp) Kawasaki Ha-9-IIb liquid-cooled inline engines, a normal bomb load of
300 kg (660 lb) and a maximum of 450 kg (990 lb), one forward-firing machine gun
and one flexible rearward-firing machine gun, the ability to perform 60° dives
for dive bombing, and a loaded weight less than 3,300 kg (7,280 lb).

The first Mitsubishi prototype flew on 28 February 1937 powered by a Mitsubishi
Ha-6 radial. Originally, designed with a retractable main landing gear, wind
tunnel tests indicated that the gain in speed was minimal due to the landing
gear's extra weight and complexity and a fixed arrangement with "spatted" main
wheels was chosen instead. The wing was mounted at a point above the line of the
aircraft's belly in order fully enclose the bomb bay within the fuselage. The
pilot sat just above the leading edge of the wing, and the
rear-gunner/radio-operator just behind the wing trailing edge, in a long
"greenhouse" canopy which gave both crewmen excellent all-around vision. The
Ha-6 engine drove a three-blade variable-pitch propeller.

Mitsubishi built 618 production machines through April 1940, and the 1st Army
Air Arsenal (Tachikawa Dai-Ichi Rikugun Kokusho) built 68 more by the time
production ceased in September 1941. Including prototypes, a total of 704 Ki-30s
were built.

Role
Light bomber

Manufacturer
Mitsubishi

First flight
28 February 1937

Introduction
January 1938

Primary users
Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force

Produced
1938–1941

Number built
704

The Ki-30s were first used in combat in Second Sino-Japanese War from spring
1938. It proved to be reliable in rough field operations, and highly effective
while operating with fighter escort. This success continued in the early stages
of the Pacific War, and the Ki-30s participated extensively in operations in the
Philippines. However, once unescorted Ki-30s met Allied fighters, losses mounted
rapidly and the type was soon withdrawn to second-line duties. By the end of
1942, most Ki-30s were relegated to a training role. Many aircraft were expended
in kamikaze attacks towards the end of the war.

From late 1940, the Ki-30 was in service with the Royal Thai Air Force, and saw
combat in January 1941 against the French in French Indochina in the French-Thai
War. 24 aircraft were delivered, and were nicknamed Nagoya by the
crews.Additional Ki-30s were transferred from Japan in 1942.


Specifications (Ki-30)

General characteristics
Crew: 2, pilot and observer/bomb aimer
Length: 10.35 m (33 ft 11.5 in)
Wingspan: 14.55 m (47 ft 8.75 in)
Height: 3.65 m (11 ft 11.75 in)
Wing area: 30.58 m² (329.17 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,230 kg (4,916 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,320 kg (7,324 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Ha5-kai 14-cylinder double-row air-cooled radial
engine, 708 kW (950 hp)

Performance
Never exceed speed: 442 km/h (239 kn, 275 mph)
Maximum speed: 423 km/h (228 kn, 263 mph)
Cruise speed: 380 km/h (205 kn, 236 mph)
Range: 1,700 km (918 nmi, 1,066 mi)
Service ceiling: 8,570 m (28,115 ft)
Rate of climb: 8.33 m/s (1,640 ft/min)
Wing loading: 108.6 kg/m² (22.3 lb/ft²)

Armament

2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns (one fixed wing-mounted and another
manually aimed from the rear cockpit)
400 kg (882 lb) bombload




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