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Yokosuka P1Y Ginga

The Yokosuka P1Y is a twin-engine, land-based bomber developed for the Japanese Imperial Navy in World War II. It received the Allied reporting name “Frances”. The P1Y was a successor to the Mitsubishi G4M.

Design and development

The P1Y was designed by the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal to Navy specification 15-Shi, calling for a fast bomber with speed matching the Zero, range matching the G4M, a 907 kg (2,000 lb) bombload, and the ability to dive-bomb as well as carry torpedoes. As the result, the construction suffered from excess complexity, difficulty of manufacture, and poor serviceability. Problems with the availability of enough reliable Nakajima Homare engines led to their replacement by the Mitsubishi Kasei in the P1Y2-S night-fighter version.

The streamlined design of the Ginga is attributed to Miki Tadanao, an engineer who, after World War II, went on to create a similar aerodynamic design for Japan's earliest bullet trains (Shinkansen) while working with the Japan National Railways (JNR).

Operational history

The first flight was in August 1943. Nakajima manufactured 1,002 examples, which were operated by five Kōkūtai (Air Groups), and acted as land-based medium and torpedo bombers from airfields in China, Taiwan, the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. During the last stages of the War, the P1Y was used as a kamikaze aircraft against the United States Navy during the Okinawa Campaign in Operation Tan No. 2.

A night fighter version, the P1Y2-S , with Mitsubishi Kasei engines was equipped with radar and a Schräge Musik-style upward-firing, as well as forward-firing, 20 mm cannon. A total of ninety-six were produced by Kawanishi, but, due to inadequate high-altitude performance against the B-29 Superfortress, many were converted back to Ginga bombers.

Variants

P1Y1
3 of prototypes and 9 of supplementary prototypes with NK9C Nakajima NK9B Homare 11 engines. Prototype #3 was later used for Ishikawajima Tsu-11 testbed.
P1Y1
First model of the series. Mounted Homare 11 or Homare 12.
;P1Y1a
:Mounted Homare 12, and fitted 1 × Type 2 machine gun in the back defensive position.
;P1Y1b
: Converted from P1Y1a, mounted Homare 12, and fitted 2 × Type 2 machine guns in the back defensive position.
;P1Y1c
: Converted from P1Y1b, mounted Homare 12, and fitted 1 × Type 2 machine gun in the forward position, prototype only.
P1Y1
Converted from P1Y1. Armed with 2 × Type 99 cannons. Equipped 302nd Kōkūtai only. This is not a naval regulation equipment.
P1Y1-S
Night fighter variant. Armed with 4 × Type 99 cannons firing obliquely forward, and 1 × Type 2 machine gun in the back defensive position. Only a project.
P1Y1 Ground attack variant
Converted from P1Y1/P1Y1a, installed up to 20 × Type 99 cannons in the bomb bay for land strikes against B-29 bases in the Marianas. Approx. 30 rebuilt.
P1Y2-S
Night fighter variant. Initial named in October 1943, renamed in March 1944. Converted from P1Y1/P1Y1a. Fitted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 engines. Armed with 2 × Type 99 cannons and 1 × Type 5 cannon. Later, almost all were converted to P1Y2. 96 or 97 produced.
P1Y2
Land based bomber. Converted from P1Y2-S. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
;P1Y2a
: Converted from P1Y1a. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
;P1Y2b
: Converted from P1Y1b. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
;P1Y2c
: Converted from P1Y1c. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
P1Y2
Converted from P1Y2. Armed with 2 × Type 99 machine guns or 1 × Type 5 cannon. Equipped 302nd Kōkūtai only. This is not a naval regulation equipment.
P1Y3
Converted from P1Y1. Mounted Homare 21 engines.
P1Y4
Converted from P1Y1. Mounted Homare 23 engines.
P1Y5
Converted from P1Y1. Mounted Mitsubishi Ha-43 engines.
P1Y6
Converted from P1Y2. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-C Kasei 25 Hei engines.
Long-range bomber variant. Crew: 4, with up to bombs. Only a project.
Proposed jet-powered bomber variant, mounted Ishikawajima Ne-30. Discontinued in 1945.
MXY10 Yokosuka Navy Bomber Ginga
Ground decoy non-flying replica of Yokosuka P1Y1.

Number built by Nakajima and Kawanishi

Operators

  • Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
  • 302nd KōkÅ«tai: Equipped night fighter variant only.
  • 521st KōkÅ«tai
  • 522nd KōkÅ«tai
  • 523rd KōkÅ«tai
  • 524th KōkÅ«tai
  • 701st KōkÅ«tai
  • 706th KōkÅ«tai
  • 752nd KōkÅ«tai
  • 761st KōkÅ«tai
  • 762nd KōkÅ«tai
  • 763rd KōkÅ«tai
  • 765th KōkÅ«tai
  • 1001st KōkÅ«tai
  • 1081st KōkÅ«tai
  • Miyazaki KōkÅ«tai
  • Toyohashi KōkÅ«tai
  • Yokosuka KōkÅ«tai
  • Kogeki 262nd Hikōtai
  • Kogeki 401st Hikōtai
  • Kogeki 405th Hikōtai
  • Kogeki 406th Hikōtai
  • Kogeki 501st Hikōtai
  • Kogeki 708th Hikōtai

Surviving aircraft

A P1Y1 survives at the Smithsonian's Paul Garber Facility of its National Air and Space Museum. While only the fuselage has been photographed several times and can be found on the internet, the wings and engines are confirmed to exist. This was one of three P1Ys that were brought back to the United States after World War II for evaluation.

Specifications (P1Y1a)

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading

  • The Maru Mechanic No. 46 Ginga and Type 1 Attack Bomber, Ushio Shobō (Japan), May 1984
  • Famous Airplanes of the World, Special Edition Vol. 1 Navy Bomber "Ginga" [Frances], Bunrindo (Japan), September 2000
  • Model Art No. 406, Special issue Camouflage & Markings of Imperial Japanese Navy Bombers in W.W.II, Model Art Co. Ltd., April 1993
  • Model Art No. 595, Special issue Night fighters of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy, Model Art Co. Ltd., October 2001

External links