I asked my squad what they knew about the Japanese copy of the DC-3/C-47. Wabbit sent the following information:
"L2D Showa/Nakajima
The L2D was the Japanese license-built version of the Douglas DC-3,
of which 20 had been imported from the US before the Second World War.
Subassemblies for two more DC-3s and their US engines were also
acquired. These were assembled by Showa as patterm aircraft in 1939-40
and designated L2D1 or Navy Type D (for Douglas) Trampsort. The initial
Japanese production version, with 1000-hp Mitsubishi Kinser 43 radial
engines, was the L2D2 or Navy Type 0 Transport Model 11. Nakajima built
71 of these, but all further production of this and later models was by
Showa and totalled 414. Its operating efficeiency and payload capacity
quickly made it the standard naval air force transport.
Although numbers were relatively small, it was used extensively
throught the entiere Pacific war, and was codenamed 'Tabby' by the
Allies. A cargo version of the L2D2, with double loading doors on the
port side and a reinforce cabin floor, was designated L2D2-1.
The main production series, the L2D3 (personnel) and L2D3-1 (cargo)
Model 22 versions, featured 1300-hp Kinsei 51 engines and additional
windows aft of the flight deck. Counterparts with Kinser 53 engines -
also of the 1300-hp - were designated L2D3a and L2D3-1a. These were
followed by the experimental L2D4 (personnel) and L2D4-1 (cargo) Model
32, equipped with a 13-mm (0.51-in) Type 2 machine-gun in a doral turret
and two 7.7 -mm (0.303 -in) Type 92 guns firing from hatches in the
fueslage sides. At the end of the war, Showa was developing the L2D5
Model 33, a wood and steel construction version with 1560-hp Kinsei 62
engines and L2D4 armament.
wabbit"
This aircraft could be modeled in AH for use in a Pacific Historical Arena by only changing the ID icon and markings from U.S. to Japanese!
