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Tachikawa Ki-70 (Clara)

1943 WORLD WAR 2 X-PLANE

History

Beginning in 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Forces (IJAAF) relied on the twin-engine Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Allied codename "Dinah") for rapid reconnaissance work. 1,742 of this type are produced by several major brands.

Over time, people began to consider replacing this early war machine, and the result was the lesser-known Tachikawa Ki-70 ("Clara").

For speed reasons, the Ki-70 was designed to retain the twin-engine layout and streamlined fuselage. Heavy glass is used in the nose section to provide excellent visibility, and the cockpit extends directly to the rear. Along the back of the dorsal spine is another heavy glass section for side and back views. The crew consists of three people. A circular monoplane wing is set amidships, and the empennage consists of an array of separate vertical fins along a single horizontal plane.

The powerplant of choice became a pair of Mitsubishi Ha-104M engines producing 2,070 horsepower driving a four-blade propeller unit. Dimensions include a length of 14.5 meters, a wingspan of 17.8 meters and a height of 3.46 meters.

Empty weight is 13,000 lbs and maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 23,590 lbs.

Due to the high speed and relatively high altitude at which the Ki-70 has to operate, its armament is strictly defensive - armed with a modest 1x12.7mm machine gun and a pair of 1x7.7mm machine guns. The rear cockpit is the location for the dedicated machine gunner.

Tachikawa successfully completed the first prototype in 1943 and made its first flight in the same year. The program ended up with three prototypes in total, but none of them could justify the productthe Ki-70 was a slower plane than the one it was meant to replace, and the handling issues were less favorable.

At the end of the war, the Ki-70 initiative was abandoned in favor of a more critical war effort.

Performance specifications for the Ki-70 include a top speed of 360 mph, a range cruise speed of 305 mph, a range of 1,540 miles and a service ceiling of up to 36,100 feet.