Rikugun Ki-93

Army Ki-93 History

Heavy fighter jets as a class of military aircraft were a constant in the list of air services involved in WWII. The Japanese seemed to be particularly interested in this type, and held several strong performances during the period, while other designs either failed immediately or were eventually abandoned as the war progressed.

The Rikugun Ki-93 is another entry into the category, but this design has only reached the prototype stage, with one example completed and the second unfinished until the end of the war.

The Ki-93 was built in 1941 at the initiative of the Japanese Army Aviation Technology Research Institute. Design studies were carried out to produce an advanced heavy duty twin-engine all-metal fighter jet powered by two Mitsubishi radial aircraft.

Work continued until 1943, and then a contract for the official release of two prototypes and test items became available in February.

The final design conforms to a traditional heavy fighter layout: the sleek fuselage will have two crew members sitting in tandem (back to back) under a thick glass canopy, the engines are mounted on a low-mounted monoplane wing assembly and use "Rear Tug" landing gear. The rear wing is conventional, with a single rear wing and low-mounted stabilizers. The cockpit and main wing aircraft were placed forward amidships. Overall dimensions include a length of 46.7 feet, a wingspan of 62.3 feet and a height of 16 feet.

Curb weight is 17,000 lbs and total weight is 25,220 lbs.

Power comes from 2 Mitsubishi Ha-211 18-cylinder twin-row radial piston engines, each delivering 1,970 hp at takeoff, driving six-blade propellers. These connect to underslung pods that protrude from the leading edge of the wing.

Performance specs show the period aircraft was solid, with a top speed of 388 mph, a cruising speed of 215 mph, a range of up to 1,865 miles, and a service ceiling of 39,535 feet. Performance is only the main concern of the machine's expected low-to-medium flight range because of its aggressive role.

For this reason, the cockpit area is armored.

The armament proposed for this type is a single 57mm Ho 402 gun mounted in the ventral nacelle and 2 x 20mm Ho 5 guns mounted at the root of the wing. To defend against trailing interceptors, the rear crew manages a heavy 12.7mm Ho-103 machine gun on a trainable mount.

In addition to the basic version of the heavy fighter/destroyer "Ki-93-Ia", an anti-ship variant called "Ki-93-Ib" is planned. She will carry a 75mm gun (in the ventral cabin) as well as support 2 x 550 lb conventionally thrown bombs.

It is conceivable that both forms would eventually support missile launch trajectories due to their specialized offensive roles.

The first flight of the Ki-93 prototype was completed in March 1945, culminating on 8 April. At this point it was clear that the Ki-93 had been developed for Japan for too long given the deteriorating situation of the war - the war had now become a defensive feature.

During a 20-minute test flight over Tachikawa Airport, the two crew members crashed when the plane hit the runway, damaging the landing gear, engine and port propeller. When the crew fled, the damage was so extensive that plans for repairs were delayed by about four weeks.

To add more pain to the development phase, Allied airstrikes destroyed the Ki-93's hangar - helping to bring the project to an early end. The second prototype under construction was never completed until the end of the war, as the equipment was still being installed.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes