Kawasaki C-1

Kawasaki C-1

Picture - JASDF C-1 displayed at Komaki AB

Role: Military Transport
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Heavy Industries
First flight: 12 November 1970
Introduced: December 1974
Primary user: Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Number built: 31
Unit cost: ¥4.8 billion

The Kawasaki C-1 is a twin-engined short-range military transport, used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). Development on it began in 1966 as the JASDF sought to replace its aging World War II-era C-46 Commandos, production in 1971, and it remains in use today.

Development

In 1966, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force transport fleet was composed primarily of Curtiss C-46 Commandos, a retired midwar American design built in large numbers before the end of World War II. While relatively capable for its time, the C-46 did not fare well in comparison to newer aircraft such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, and the JASDF therefore elected to replace it with a domestically-designed and -manufactured transport aircraft.

For this purpose, they turned to the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation, a consortium of several major corporations, which had begun to produce commercially its YS-11 airliner four years earlier. NAMC decided that Kawasaki Heavy Industries was to be the prime contractor, and the airplane thus bears that company's name. The aircraft has been used as military transport for the JASDF since its maiden flight in November 1970.

Japanese policies at the time on military equipment were strict in that they were not to have offensive capabilities, and so the maximum range was cut in order to keep the aircraft's operational range inside Japan. This proved to be a problem after Okinawa was returned to Japan from the US, and the aircraft had trouble reaching the island from distant areas. Thus production was terminated and the C-130 was introduced.

Operational history

The Kawasaki C-1 has been in use since 1974. The Kawasaki C-2 is to replace the service of the C-1 by late 2010; this will provide the JSDF with longer range.

Variants

Picture - The EC-1 in Gifu air show.

XC-1: Prototypes.
C-1/C-1A: Medium-range military transport version.

The last five C-1s ordered were fitted with an additional 4,730 litre fuel tank.

EC-1: EW training aircraft.
C-1FTB: Flight test bed used for testing various equipment.
Asuka: Experimental STOL transport aircraft, powered by four turbofan engines and making use of the Coandă effect.

The only example built is currently on display in Kakamigahara Museum in Gifu, Japan.

Operators

Japan

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Specifications (Kawasaki C-1)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77

General characteristics

Crew: Five (pilot, copilot, navigator, flight engineer, loadmaster)
Capacity: 60 soldiers, 45 paratroopers, 36 patients with medics, or cargo
Length: 29.00 m (95 ft 1¾ in)
Wingspan: 30.60 m (100 ft 4¾ in)
Height: 9.99 m (32 ft 9¼ in)
Wing area: 120.5 m² (1,297 ft²)
Empty weight: 23,320 kg (53,410 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 38,700 kg (85,320 lb)
Powerplant: 2x— Mitsubishi-built Pratt & Whitney JT8D-M-9 turbofan, 64.5 kN (14500 lbf) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 806 km/h (435 knots, 501 mph) at 7,620 m (25,000 ft) at 35,450 kg (78,150 lb) AUW
Cruise speed: 657 km/h (354 knots, 408 mph) at 10,670 m(35,000 ft) at 35,450 kg AUW
Range: 1,300 km (700 nmi, 806 mi) (max payload)
Service ceiling: 11,600 m (38,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 17.8 m/s (3,500 ft/min)

Comparable aircraft

Kawasaki C-X
Antonov An-72

Taylor, John W.R. (editor). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976, ISBN 0-354-00538-3.

Kawasaki C-1 Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia