Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal

had many names, each depending on the period of its existence, and the circumstances at that time. Many of the names were acronyms that were derived from its military name or designation, which changed from time to time. The arsenal was sometimes known as "Kūgi-shō" (空技廠, a contraction of "Kōkū Gijutsu-shō" 航空技術廠). The name Yokosuka prevailed however, even though it referred to the Arsenal's location at Yokosuka, Japan.

History

The air arsenal's roots go back to 1869 when the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) established a naval arsenal at Yokosuka, about 13 miles south of Yokohama on Tokyo Bay. The arsenal provided ship building, repair and replenishment to the Japanese Navy. It was also a storage depot where munitions and other assorted supplies were brought as they were purchased.

When a number of foreign aircraft were purchased for evaluation, the Navy brought them to the arsenal for processing. The arsenal assembled the aircraft from their shipping boxes, and when assembled, they were flown by the pilots who had been sent abroad for flying lessons and evaluate the aircraft flown.

Modifications to these aircraft were done as weaknesses were found, or when an improvement was incorporated. To facilitate this work, the IJN established the Aeroplane Factory, Ordnance Department at the arsenal's torpedo factory in May 1913.

The next year, the first acronym was used was Yokosho, a contraction of . The arsenal was renamed in December 1919. The name was assigned by April, 1923, when the arsenal was moved to Tsukiji with several other Naval support units. The entire Tsukiji facility was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Several names were used when the navy began establishment of the arsenal. Research was started again in 1924 when several aircraft were evaluated. Under the command of the newly formed Naval Air Headquarters, the was formed at Yokosuka on 1 April 1932. A large amount of draftsmen and Designers were transferred from the Hiro Naval Arsenal, ending aircraft production there.

The war years

During World War II, the arsenal was responsible for the design of several IJN aircraft, although the arsenal itself did not manufacture more than a few prototypes of the aircraft it designed. Its designs were mass-produced by companies such as Aichi Kokuki, Watanabe Tekkōjo steel foundry, (renamed in 1943 to ), and the . Aircraft designed by the arsenal are usually designated by the manufacturer's letter "Y" for "Yokosuka".

An example of the above is the Yokosuka D4Y1 which was mainly produced by Aichi. The D4Y1 and later models were also produced by the at Hiro.

Aircraft

File:Kugisho Ne-20.jpg

The Ne-20 Jet engine manufactured by Yokosuka, Displayed in Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Air Museum

Torpedo bomber

• Yokosuka Twin-engined Seaplane - 1916 biplane torpedo bomber; first Japanese twin-engine aircraft
• B3Y - -1933 biplane torpedo bomber
• B4Y - - 'Jean' 1936 biplane torpedo bomber

Dive bomber

• D2Y - prototype dive bomber, lost to the Aichi D1A
• D3Y - or - 1945 two-seat dive bomber/trainer based on the Aichi D3A
• D4Y - - 'Judy' 1942 two-seat carrier-based dive bomber
• D5Y - - Kamikaze version of the D3Y

Reconnaissance aircraft

• Yokosuka Nakajima Tractor - 1915 reconnaissance seaplane
• Ho-gō Type B Seaplane - 1916 reconnaissance seaplane
• Ho-gō Small Seaplane - 1917 reconnaissance seaplane
• Ro-gō Type A - 1918 reconnaissance floatplane
• D4Y1-C - - 1942 ship-based reconnaissance version of D4Y, produced by Aichi
• E1Y - - 1923 reconnaissance floatplane
• Tatsu-gō Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1925 reconnaissance seaplane prototype
• 1-gō Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1925 submarine-based reconnaissance seaplane
• E5Y - - 1930 reconnaissance floatplane
• E6Y - - 1933 submarine-based reconnaissance floatplane
• E14Y - - 'Glen' 1941 submarine-based reconnaissance floatplane
• R1Y - - prototype reconnaissance aircraft
• R2Y - - 1945 prototype reconnaissance aircraft

Flying boat

• H5Y - - 'Cherry' 1939 maritime reconnaissance flying boat
• H7Y - 'Tillie' 1939 prototype flying boat

Trainer

• I-gō Type A - 1920 seaplane trainer
• K1Y - - 1925 biplane trainer
• K2Y - - Japanese-built Avro 504
• K4Y - - 1933 floatplane trainer
• K5Y - -'Willow' 1934 biplane trainer

Transport

• L3Y - - Yokosuka-built transport version of Mitsubishi G3M

Special purpose

• MXY1 - 1939 experimental parasol monoplane for aerodynamic research; built by Watanabe
• MXY2
• MXY3 - experimental radio-controlled target glider (drone)
• MXY4 - experimental radio-controlled target aircraft (drone)
• MXY5 - transport glider
• MXY6 - unpowered gliders for development of the Kyushu J7W
• MXY7 - - 'Baka' 1945 rocket-powered kamikaze attack aircraft
• MXY8 - - training glider based on the Mitsubishi J8M; known as Ku-13 in IJA service
• MXY9 - - motorjet powered version of MXY-8 (project only)
• MXY10 - ground non-flying decoy of P1Y
• MXY11 - ground non-flying decoy of Mitsubishi G4M

Bomber

• P1Y - 'Frances' 1944 twin-engine bomber
• - jet-powered version of the P1Y (project only)

References

Bibliography

• Francillon, R.J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Putnam, London, 1970, SBN 370 00033 1
• Mikesh, Robert and Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft 1910–1941. London: Putnam, 1990. Template:ISBN

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