Tachikawa Ki-74

Ki-74

Role: Long Range Reconnaissance Bomber
Manufacturer: Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd
First flight: March 1944
Primary user: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built: 16

The Tachikawa Ki-74 was a Japanese experimental long-range reconnaissance bomber of World War II. A twin-engine, mid-wing monoplane, it was developed for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force but did not enter service.

Development

Though already conceived in 1939 as a long-range reconnaissamce aircraft capable of reaching west of Lake Baikal when operating from bases in Manchukuo (Manchuria), the prototype Ki-74 only first flew as late as in March 1944; it was powered by two 1,641 kW (2,200 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-211-I radial engines. The following two prototypes were powered by the turbo-supercharged Mitsubishi Ha-211-I Ru, but as these experienced teething troubles, the following thirteen pre-production machines substituted the Ha-211 Ru engine for the lower powered, but more reliable, turbo-supercharged Mitsubishi Ha-104 Ru.

Operational history

The Ki-74 did not see operational service. Nevertheless, the Allies knew of its existence and assigned the type the codename "Patsy" after it was discovered that is was a bomber, not a fighter. Previously it had the code name "Pat" in Allied Intelligence.

Variants

TS-1
R-38
SS-1
A-26
Ki-74
Ki-94-II
Ki-106

Specifications (Ki-74)

Data from The Imperial Japanese Secret Weapons Museum ; Japanese AIrcraft of the Pacific War

General characteristics

Crew: 5
Length: 17.65 m (57 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 18.6 m (61 ft .5 in)
Height: 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 80 m² (860.8 ft²)
Empty weight: 10,200 kg (22,481 lb)
Loaded weight: 19,400 kg (42,758 lb)
Useful load: 9.200 kg (20,277 lb)
Max takeoff weight: kg (lb)
Powerplant: 2x— Mitsubishi Ha-104 Ru radial engine, 1,491 kW (2,000 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 570 km/h (308 knots, 354 mph)
Cruise speed: 400 km/h (216 knots, 249 mph)
Range: 8,000 km (4,324 nmi, 4,972 mi)
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
Wing loading: 242.5 kg/m² (49.7 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.154 kW/kg (0.093 hp/lb; 0.206 hp/kg)

Armament

1x 12.7-mm (0.5-in) Ho-103 machine gun
1,000 kg (2,205 lb) bomb load

Comparable aircraft

de Havilland Mosquito
Junkers Ju 388

Bibliography

Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6. (new edition 1987. ISBN 0-85177-801-1.)

Tachikawa Ki-74 Pictures

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia