Mitsubishi Ki-202

Ki-202 Shūsui-Kai

Manufacturer: Mitsubishi
Status: Cancelled
Primary user: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built: 0
Developed from: Messerschmitt Me 163
Variants: Mitsubishi J8M

The Mitsubishi Ki-202 Shūsui-Kai (Japanese: 三菱 Ki-202 秋水改, translated as "Sharp Sword, improved") was a development of the J8M rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, based in turn on the German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. None were produced before Japan's surrender that ended World War II.

A fundamental shortcoming of the Me 163, and all other aircraft based on it, was extremely limited endurance, typically only a few minutes. The Imperial Japanese Navy proposed to improve the endurance of the J8M1 by producing a version with only one cannon, thereby saving weight and space for more fuel (the J8M2).

The Army, on the other hand, opted to keep both cannons, but enlarge the airframe to accommodate larger tanks. This aircraft, the Ki-202 was to have been the definitive Army version of the fighter. To further save fuel, the aircraft was to have been launched by catapult.

Specifications (Ki-202)

General characteristics

Crew: one, pilot
Length: 7.10 m (23 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 9.75m (31 ft 11 in)
Height: 2.70m (8 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 18.40 m� (197.9 ft�)
Loaded weight: 5,100 kg (11,220 lb)
Powerplant: 1x� Mitsubishi Tokuro-3 rocket engine, 19.62 kN (4,400 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 900 km/h (482 kn, 555 mph)
Endurance: 3.5 minutes

Armament

2 x� 30 mm (1.18 in) Ho 155-II cannon

Related development

Messerschmitt Me 163
Mitsubishi J8M

English-language sources invariably translate this aircraft's name as "sword stroke" or "swinging sword", which is not correct. The tradition of this translation apparently stems from work done by Robert C. Mikesh in the 1950s and repeated by many others over the decades. Even more literally, 秋水 means "autumn water", but is a widely-recognised poetic metaphor for a well-sharpened sword, possibly because the brightness of the sword blade and the wavy pattern in the metal recall that of a clear body of water.

Mitsubishi Ki-202 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia