Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms Space By Flag By Year By Tag

Mitsubishi Q2M (Taiyo)

1946 SECRET WEAPONS OF THE IJA/IJN WORLD WAR 2

History of Mitsubishi Q2M (Taiyo)

During the desperate final months of the Axis powers of WWII in 1945, both the Japanese and Germans worked on advanced aircraft programs to prevent defeat. Allied submarine operations against Japanese shipping in the Pacific took such a toll that Mitsubishi was commissioned to design, develop and mass-produce the anti-submarine - which became the unrealized Mitsubishi "Q2M" anti-submarine warfare (ASW)/maritime patrol bomber.

For convenience, this design is an evolution of the existing and proven Mitsubishi Ki-67-I "Peggy", which served the Japanese Army and Navy as an effective torpedo bomber. The aircraft was a twin-engine product and was classified as a heavy bomber, although its characteristics were more similar to Western medium bombers.

After its first flight in December 1942, approximately 767 were produced.

The Q2M was designed to meet the needs of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) to hunt down enemy submarines in the vast waters of the Pacific Theater. The aircraft will carry a variety of radar-related equipment and is powered by 2 Mitsubishi "Kasei 25 Otsu" 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,380 - 1,850 hp each, powered by six blades (some sources called five blades) propeller unit.

Proposed armament includes 3 x 13mm machine guns for local defense and to support reserves of up to 2,200 pounds, including torpedoes, depth charges, and conventionally thrown bombs. The crew consists of five or six employees who manage the various onboard stations.

Projected performance is a top speed of 305 mph, a range of up to 1,500 miles, and a service ceiling of 12,150 feet. Dimensions include a length of 61.5 feet, a wingspan of 82 feet, and a height of 15.5 feet.

The Q2M program never achieved the desired results, as the Japanese war situation only deteriorated in mid-1945 - and the Q2M is now just a "on paper" design, and one of many aircraft programs that ended after the Japanese surrender in August 1945 became the .