Is N1K2-J really a slow roller?

[Perrine]

Is 240 speed indicated, or TAS?  I imagine altitude would have a large impact on this.

the one with the white needle

[SectorNine50]

the one with the white needle

Right, which is indicated.  But I'm wondering if the roll rate was measured using TAS, which would be the red needle, which would change with altitude.

[bozon]

6.7 seconds

Right or left? with our without rudder assist?

[Wmaker]

Looking at the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanishi_N1K), those citations in reference to Francillon are actually meant for this sentence: As a bomber interceptor, the N1K2-J was less successful, hampered by a poor rate of climb and reduced engine performance at high altitude. and not for the mention about the roll rate. I have a 1970 edition of the Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War at hand and it says exactly that in it and mentions nothing about the roll rate.

[Stoney]

Looking at the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanishi_N1K), those citations in reference to Francillon are actually meant for this sentence: As a bomber interceptor, the N1K2-J was less successful, hampered by a poor rate of climb and reduced engine performance at high altitude. and not for the mention about the roll rate. I have a 1970 edition of the Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War at hand and it says exactly that in it and mentions nothing about the roll rate.

Perrine, this is what happens when you start peeling the onion, so to speak.  Thanks for the information Wmaker.  If there is a credible source that says the aircraft should be able to perform as you suggest, then I'm sure HTC would entertain it.  Unfortunately, there's a lot of conflicting information out there that you have to weed through.

[FLS]

FWIW I rolled it left in 4.7 seconds with just aileron input.

[ozrocker]

I know how they figured 4.4. It's after 1 wing shot off, will roll like a MoFo.


                                                                           <S> Oz

[Babalonian]

Right or left? with our without rudder assist?

What I was thinking in regards to the OP.  W/ or w/o rudder input and w/ or against the engine torque?

[curry1]

Right or left? with our without rudder assist?

I don't remember but i used no rudder as i figured it was just the roll.  But I never thought the N1k was a good roller in the first place.

[wells]

I think that 82 deg/s figure originally came from AW ( Air Warrior ).  There was one that was captured and test flown in the Philippines.  The pilot's report had this to say about roll...

The aircraft was then tested from the stall up to 360 mph indicated and the rudder proved light and effective at all speeds while the ailerons were found to be effective but slightly on the heavy side at all speeds up to about 320 mph.  The rate of roll was good up to 360 mph at which the ailerons became extremely heavy.  The controls were unbalanced in that the rudder and elevators were much lighter than the ailerons and could be considered as too light.

...it executed rolls and Immelmans rather sloppily but turned well as a result of its good rate of roll and light elevators.

Source:  Air Enthusiast April 1973

[Mister Fork]

"the Shiden-Kai showed itself in operations to be one of thw finest fighter aircraft to take part in the war in the Pacific. It maintained or improved upon its predecessors' reputation for ease of handling and agility in air-to-air combat..."<sup>1

1 - Weapons and Warefare.  Volume 18. pp1961-1962.</sup>

That doesn't sound like it suffered from a poor or average roll-rate.  I can't find my History of Japanese Aviation book. :furoius ...

[MK-84]

well, you could start from idle, hammer the throttle down and crank the rudder over as well, i bet it'll snaproll faster than 4.4