Yokosuka P1Y Ginga

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox aircraft

The Yokosuka P1Y Script error: No such module "Nihongo". is a twin-engine, land-based bomber developed for the Japanese Imperial Navy in World War II. It was the successor to the Mitsubishi G4M and given the Allied reporting name Frances.

Design and development

The P1Y was designed by the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal to Navy specification 15-Shi,[1] 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).[2]

Operational history

File:Frances & Ommaney Bay.jpg
Yokosuka P1Y "Frances" shot down next to Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". by 0945 on December 15, 1944.[3]

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 Script error: No such module "Nihongo"., 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,[4] but, due to inadequate high-altitude performance against the B-29 Superfortress, many were converted back to Ginga bombers.[5]

Variants

File:IJN P1Y1 Ginga Prototype-3 Tsu-11 testbed.jpg
P1Y1 prototype #3 Ko-P1-3, Ishikawajima Tsu-11 testbed in 1944.
File:P1Y Kyokkou Aurora or Ginga Milky Way Frances P1Y-8s.jpg
P1Y1b, Yokosuka Kōkūtai Yo-206.
File:P1Y Kyokkou Aurora or Ginga Milky Way Frances P1Y-1.jpg
P1Y1c, since it has a single forward cannon, and no dorsal turret.
File:Yokosuka P1Y1 under attack 1945.jpeg
A P1Y1 under attack by United States Navy aircraft and anti-aircraft guns.

[6][7]

P1Y1 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
3 of prototypes and 9 of supplementary prototypes[8] with Script error: No such module "convert". NK9C Nakajima NK9B Homare 11 engines. Prototype #3 was later used for Ishikawajima Tsu-11 testbed.
P1Y1 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
First model of the series. Mounted Homare 11 or Homare 12.
P1Y1a Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Mounted Homare 12, and fitted 1 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 2 machine gun in the back defensive position.
P1Y1b Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1a, mounted Homare 12, and fitted 2 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 2 machine guns in the back defensive position.
P1Y1c Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1b, mounted Homare 12, and fitted 1 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 2 machine gun in the forward position, prototype only.
P1Y1 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1. Armed with 2 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 99 cannons. Equipped 302nd Kōkūtai only. This is not a naval regulation equipment.
P1Y1-S Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Night fighter variant. Armed with 4 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 99 cannons firing obliquely forward, and 1 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 2 machine gun in the back defensive position. Only a project.
P1Y1 Ground attack variant
Converted from P1Y1/P1Y1a, installed up to 20 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 99 cannons in the bomb bay for land strikes against B-29 bases in the Marianas. Approx. 30 rebuilt.
P1Y2-S Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Night fighter variant. Initial named Script error: No such module "Nihongo". in October 1943, renamed Script error: No such module "Nihongo". in March 1944.[9] Converted from P1Y1/P1Y1a. Fitted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 engines. Armed with 2 × Script error: No such module "convert".Type 99 cannons and 1 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 5 cannon. Later, almost all were converted to P1Y2. 96 or 97 produced.[10]
P1Y2 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Land based bomber. Converted from P1Y2-S. Mounted Script error: No such module "convert". Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
P1Y2a Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1a. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
P1Y2b Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1b. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
P1Y2c Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1c. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-A Kasei 25 Kō engines.
P1Y2 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y2. Armed with 2 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 99 machine guns or 1 × Script error: No such module "convert". Type 5 cannon. Equipped 302nd Kōkūtai only. This is not a naval regulation equipment.
P1Y3 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1. Mounted Homare 21 engines.
P1Y4 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1. Mounted Homare 23 engines.
P1Y5 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y1. Mounted Mitsubishi Ha-43 engines.
P1Y6 Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Converted from P1Y2. Mounted Mitsubishi MK4T-C Kasei 25 Hei engines.
Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
Long-range bomber variant. Crew: 4, with up to Script error: No such module "convert". bombs. Only a project.
Script error: No such module "Nihongo".
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

[10]

January February March April May June July August September October November December Sub total
1943 2 4 4 10 25 45
1944 11 20 35 46 46 51 47 48 69 75 88 84 620
1945 90 52 52 63 64 53 40 20 434

Operators

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  • Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service[11][12][13][14]
    • 302nd Kōkūtai: Equipped night fighter variant only.
    • 521st Kōkūtai
    • 522nd Kōkūtai
    • 523rd Kōkūtai
    • 524th Kōkūtai
    • 701st Kōkūtai
    • 706th Kōkūtai
    • 752nd Kōkūtai
    • 761st Kōkūtai
    • 762nd Kōkūtai
    • 763rd Kōkūtai
    • 765th Kōkūtai
    • 1001st Kōkūtai
    • 1081st Kōkūtai
    • Miyazaki Kōkūtai
    • Toyohashi Kōkūtai
    • Yokosuka Kōkūtai
    • 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.[15] This was one of three P1Ys that were brought back to the United States after World War II for evaluation.

Specifications (P1Y1a)

File:Yokosuka P1Y 3-view silhouette.png
3-view silhouette of the Yokosuka P1Y

Template:Aircraft specs

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) Logbook Project
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
  6. ↑ The Maru Mechanic (1984), pp. 109–110.
  7. ↑ Famous Airplanes of the World (2000), pp. 29–31.
  8. ↑ Famous Airplanes of the World (2000), p. 26.
  9. ↑ Model Art (2001), p. 50–53
  10. ↑ a b Famous Airplanes of the World (2000), p. 31
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
  12. ↑ The Maru Mechanic (1984), p. 110
  13. ↑ Model Art (1993), p. 135
  14. ↑ Famous Airplanes of the World (2000), p. 32–38
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Bibliography

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  • Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".

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

Template:Sister project

Template:Yokosuka aircraft Template:Japanese Navy short aircraft designations Template:Imperial Japanese Navy official aircraft names Template:Allied reporting names Template:Authority control

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