Kawasaki Ki-102b "Randy"

[funked]

This is the Army Type 4 Assault Plane.

 

Twin-engine two-seat ground attack aircraft.

In production October 1944, 215 built plus 25 pre-production and prototype aircraft.  Saw combat at Okinawa but was intended for defense of the home islands.

Armament:  One 57mm Ho-401 cannon in nose, two 20mm Ho-5 cannon in belly, and one flexible 12.7mm Ho-103 machine gun for the radio operator.

External Stores:  Two 200 l drop tanks or two 250 kg bombs.

Performance:  360mph at 19,685 ft, climb to 16,405ft in 6m 54s.

Wingloading 44 lb/ft^2
Powerloading 5.4 lb/hp.

Seems to me like a plane of high performance considering the heavy armament.  Would be an excellent choice for a late-war Japanese fighter-bomber.  Much more capable than the Ki-45 as a ground attack and tank buster, and probably no less effective vs. aircraft.

[This message has been edited by funked (edited 06-08-2000).]

[Nath-BDP]

This is kind of redundent but the Ki 102 can't do anything the Me 410 can't.

[funked]

Hey you smartass.  

It's Japanese!  We were talking on other threads about how to give each country a full plane set.  This one fills a gap.

[funked]

I checked Gustin's site and found out that the 57mm gun had a 15 round clip.  I don't know what the ammo capacity was for the Ho-5.  I wonder if it used the same ammo containers as the installation on the Ki-84?  Also I can't find a photo showing where the bombs or drop tanks were attached.

[Manx]

Here you go funky  

 

No. 9 prototype, 57mm not installed.

By the way, I have 16 rounds in a drum magazine for the 57mm. 900kg gun weight, ROF 50/min. The Ho-5 magazine is a large affair across the fuselage, 200 rounds per gun. Ordnance 50kgx4 or 100kgx4 or 250kgx2 or 500kgx1 or 800kgx1

[funked]

Thanks Manx!

I'm having trouble seeing the detail under the plane though.  Looks like a pair of bomb shackles on the fuselage just aft of the 20mm cannon muzzle ports.

[This message has been edited by funked (edited 06-09-2000).]

[Manx]

Yeah, it's not too clear in the original either, but I think you are correct.

However, those aren't really "muzzle ports" as such. The Ho-5s are mounted way to the rear. Check this out (sorry it's a bit big guys):

 

The big rectangular box above and between the Ho-5s is the 20mm magazine. Would it act as armor or an explosive?

------------------

[juzz]

Both - depending on what hit it! The magazine would have been armoured, I would guess.

I think having the option of taking either the 57mm(Ki-102b) or the 37mm(Ki-102a) cannon as a loadout would be nice. Anyone know which type of 37mm it was though?

[funked]

Wow Manx, thanks.

Juzz, the Ki-102a had different engines (turbosupercharged) so I don't think it would be so easy.  I'm sure our marksmen would find good use for the Ho-401.  Would be a hell of an anti-shipping weapon too!

PS Manx, 900 kg is a hell of a lot for a 57mm gun.  150kg is the weight listed here:  http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/8217/fgun/fgun-pe.html


[This message has been edited by funked (edited 06-09-2000).]

[Manx]

Yeah, now I apply common sense to it, 900kg sounds a bit excessive     I'll look thing over when I get home. I'll scan in a picture of it too.

[added]
Ok, here's the 57mm

 

Even though my source document does mention 900kg, the mounting brackets don't look like they can support that? I don't know. I don't have any other source for the Ho-401, I'm afraid   As far as I know, it's a modification of the Type 88 infantry cannon.

As for the Ki102a, the 37mm was Ho204, which is a copy (modified) of the Browning 37mm. ROF=400/min, 35 rounds.



[This message has been edited by Manx (edited 06-09-2000).]

[funked]

Beautiful.  

[Vermillion]

Checked my Francillon on the Ho-401

 

57mm  Ho-401 Cannon

Installed, among others, on the Kawasaki Ki-102b Heavy Fighter, this type of cannon was still under development at wars end. Weight 353 lbs, rate of fire 90 rpm, muzzle velocity 1,700 ft per sec.

and then on the 37mm Ho-203 Cannon

 

37mm Ho-203 Cannon

This recoil-operated cannon was fed from a 25-round magazine (drum type) and was installed  on several types  of Kawasaki heavy fighters.  Overall length 60.3 inches, weight 196 lbs, rate of fire 120 rpm, muzzle veloctiy 1,890 ft/sec, effective range 900m.

There is an excellent picture of the Ho203 taken by the US Navy Department, but I don't have a scanner here at home.

Hey Funked, wouldn't it be great to get a couple of heavy fighters in the next version? Say the Me410, the Beaufighter, and this bird?  

Hmmmm... Maybe its time for another bribe to HTC  



------------------
Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
"Real Men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires"

[juzz]

Hey Manx, which other Japanese aircraft have you got details like that for?

Mmmmmm, Beaufighter, Australian Mk 21 please! (4x.50in instead of 6x.303in )

[This message has been edited by juzz (edited 06-10-2000).]

[Pyro]

Do I make you randy?



------------------
Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

Most plans are just inaccurate predictions.

[Manx]

juzz,

Well, I do have probably an above average collection of Japanese plane books, most of which are in Japanese. The line drawing came from this book:

Illustrated Warplane History vol:6, Imperial Japanese Army Warplane. Published by Green Arrow. 244 pages, many many line drawings, some pictures, covering almost all Army planes. (ISBN4-7663-3209-1)

The pictures came from:

Famous Airplanes of the World. Published by Bunrindo. No.24, Army Experimental Fighters. 62 pages of pictures 30 pages of text. (ISBN4-89319-021-0)

Not really primary literatures, but good as general reference by hobbyists.