- Mitsubishi Ki-202
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Ki-202 Shūsui-Kai Role Rocket-powered interceptor aircraft Manufacturer Mitsubishi Status Cancelled Primary user Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Number built 0 Developed from Messerschmitt Me 163 Variants Mitsubishi J8M The Mitsubishi Ki-202 Shūsui-Kai (Japanese: 三菱 Ki-202 秋水改, translated as "Sharp Sword, improved") was a development of the J8M rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, based in turn on the German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. None were produced before Japan's surrender that ended World War II.
A fundamental shortcoming of the Me 163, and all other aircraft based on it, was extremely limited endurance, typically only a few minutes. The Imperial Japanese Navy proposed to improve the endurance of the J8M1 by producing a version with only one cannon, thereby saving weight and space for more fuel (the J8M2).
The Army, on the other hand, opted to keep both cannons, but enlarge the airframe to accommodate larger tanks. This aircraft, the Ki-202 was to have been the definitive Army version of the fighter. To further save fuel, the aircraft was to have been launched by catapult.
Specifications (Ki-202)
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 7.10 m (23 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 9.75m (31 ft 11 in)
- Height: 2.70m (8 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 18.40 m² (197.9 ft²)
- Loaded weight: 5,100 kg (11,220 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi Tokuro-3 rocket engine, 19.62 kN (4,400 lbf)[1]
Performance
- Maximum speed: 900 km/h (482 kn, 555 mph)
- Endurance: 3.5 minutes
Armament
- 2 × 30 mm (1.18 in) Ho 155-II cannon
See also
- Related development
- Related lists
- List of military aircraft of Japan
- List of fighter aircraft
Notes
- ^ Originally measured as 2,000 kg
- English-language sources invariably translate this aircraft's name as "sword stroke" or "swinging sword", which is not correct. The tradition of this translation apparently stems from work done by Robert C. Mikesh in the 1950s and repeated by many others over the decades. Even more literally, 秋水 means "autumn water", but is a widely-recognised poetic metaphor for a well-sharpened sword, possibly because the brightness of the sword blade and the wavy pattern in the metal recall that of a clear body of water.
Aircraft produced by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,
and Mitsubishi Aircraft CorporationCompany designations Imperial Japanese Army short designations Imperial Japanese Navy short designations Japanese Self-Defense Force designations World War II Allied reporting names Imperial Japanese Army Air Force aircraft designations 1-50 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
51-100 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
100- Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- Mitsubishi aircraft
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- World War II Japanese fighter aircraft
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