Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: Karnak on June 17, 2003, 02:10:48 AM
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(http://www.ijnafpics.com/JB&W2/J7W-10.jpg)
(http://www.ijnafpics.com/JB&W3/J7W-14s.jpg)
More Shinden pics (http://www.ijnafpics.com/jbwj7w1.htm)
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Did the Japanese call all their planes "Shinden"?
What was it supposed to do? Ramming? I see no armaments.
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The N1K1-J was called the Shiden.
The N1K2-J was called the Shiden-Kai.
Notice the lack of an "n" in the middle of that name. Shinden is a different word.
As to its armament, it had four 30mm cannon in the nose. At least the production J7W1's did, though none were finished when the war ended.
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Ah, I see. Any specs on that plane. Looks really interesting.
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Wingspan: 36 feet, 5.5 inches
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Length: 30 feet, 5.5 inches
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Power plant: One Mitsubishi Ha.43-42 Radial engine of 2,13n hp
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Maximum speed: 466 MPH @ 28, 500 feet.
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Armament: Four 30 mm Type 5 cannons
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Four 132 lb. bombs
http://www.salt6.com/j7w1_shin.htm
http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/aero/aircraft/kyushu_j7w1.htm
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This plane was included in the 1946 'what if' add-on to the original Aces of the Pacific flightsim. I played this a lot in my college days, must have been 1994-1995ish.
Of course an early (but very playable!) AI game cannot compare to AH in any way but it sure was fun!
In the manual of the game (yes I did BUY it!) the same specs are listed as given in this thread. However, combatting B-29's might still have been quite tricky as the Shinden's engine was not rated for high altitude. I believe that it was stated that 1000 of the 2000 horsepower remained at 20.000 feet, but that's a rough guess. Furthermore I really do not know how much power a good high altitude fighter like a P-47 or late Bf-109 has at 20.000 feet...
There are reports that the Japanese considered installing a jet engine in the Shinden at a later stage but nothing came of this.
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Just give me the B-29 in AH and you can have any would'a, could'a, should'a fighter you want.
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Originally posted by hogenbor
In the manual of the game (yes I did BUY it!) the same specs are listed as given in this thread. However, combatting B-29's might still have been quite tricky as the Shinden's engine was not rated for high altitude. I believe that it was stated that 1000 of the 2000 horsepower remained at 20.000 feet, but that's a rough guess. Furthermore I really do not know how much power a good high altitude fighter like a P-47 or late Bf-109 has at 20.000 feet...
There are reports that the Japanese considered installing a jet engine in the Shinden at a later stage but nothing came of this.
Desperation knows no bounds. Typically, the Shinden was a product of this. In prototype form, it logged just 45 minutes of flight time before the war ended. Even if had appeared earlier (a virtual impossibility for the Japanese aircraft industry at the time), most B-29 raids had switched to night ops at medium altitudes. Any Shinden pilot had better be carrying one hell of a flashlight.
While the Japanese were trying to solve overheating of an already unreliable engine (in its Shinden installation), the Americans were already deploying ultra-fast fighters such as the P-51H. With the P-47N already in theater in considerable numbers, plus hordes of P-51Ds, untried Japanese designs were a drop in the bucket. We should not forget that Marine F7F-2N night fighter Tigercats where in the region, and the first squadrons flying the monster F8F-1 Bearcat was just days away from arriving on carriers.
Had Truman not ordered the use of the atomic bomb, it is possible that some Shindens may have actually got into combat. However, with almost no development time, these would likely have been a greater hazard to the Japanese pilots than to the Americans. Even worse, most of these pilots would have been inexperienced and insufficiently trained.
Meanwhile, while Japan struggled, two American jets, the P-80A Shooting Star was in full production and the McDonnell FH-1 Phantom was progressing very well in its test program.
Give the Kyushu design team credit though, they didn't lack for creativity and innovation. Ultimately, they lacked the resources and time to do much more than they did.
My regards,
Widewing
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--- hogenbor: ---
thread. However, combatting B-29's might still have been quite tricky as the Shinden's engine was not rated for high altitude.
--- end ---
Over the Japanese main islands it could've been possible perhaps. The B-29's couldn't fly really high at times due to the jetstream. They couldn't bomb through or fly in a layer of 250mph ( forgot the speeds it could achieve ) crosswind, so they had to fly lower at times.
// fats
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All true Widewing...
But let's not forget that I was just talking about an old game where this odd aircraft just happened to be included in... as well as the Kikka, P-80, F2G, F7F & F8F to name but a few.
I would never ever consider the Shinden for inclusion in AH and I hope my post did not suggest such a thing (but you quoted me after all).
What I am interested in is in the actual flight data and -characteristics of this bird. Its influence (or rather lack of it) on the course of the air war is purely academic.
And do you know by any chance the output power of some mainstream WWII fighters at several altitudes? I know for example that a Bf109-G6 has a rated altitude of 16.000 feet (source: Eric Brown). Does this mean its engine deliveres it's max. output up there?
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The canard design is itself, a delight to watch.
If anyone got info, I'd be interested know how the Japanese were trying to solve problems connected with canard, rear-engined aircraft.
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I forgot (I'm getting slow in my old age), after LeMay the B-29's went in low and at night. Did the "Shinden" have radar?