The Rikugun Ki-93 was a prototype Japanese twin-engined fighter aircraft of the Second World War. It was the last heavy fighter and ground attack aircraft built in Japan during the war and was the only design by Rikugun K.K. to be flown. The project began in February 1943 with plans to start with a number of prototypes. The Ki-93 was distinctive looking in that it had a ventral gondola slung under the fuselage to accommodate a large caliber cannon. Two variants were planned, the Ki-93-Ia bomber destroyer, armed with a 57 mm and two 20 mm cannon, and the Ki-93-Ib anti-shipping aircraft, which would have a 75 mm gun in the gondola and would also carry two 250 kg (550 lb) bombs. The sole example of the Ki-93-Ia bomber destroyer made its first flight on 8 April 1945 but was seriously damaged on landing. Before the repaired aircraft could be flown again, a B-29 bombing raid on Tachikawa destroyed the hangar housing the airframe. A second prototype (of the Ki-93-Ib ground attack configuration) was completed but not flown before the end of the war.
Rikugun Ki.93
Type: experimental ground-attack aircraft
Service: Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF)
Crew: two
Armament(Ki-93-Ia): one 57mm Ho-401 cannon and two 20mm Ho-5 cannon
one flexible rear-firing 12.7mm Type 1 machine gun
Armament(Ki-93-Ib): one 75mm Type 88 forward firing cannon
one flexible rear-firing 12.7mm Type 1 machine gun
up to 551 lb (250 kg) bombs
Reference: Francillon: 244
Specifications:
Length: 46' 7.6" (14.215 m)
Height: 15' 10.9" (4.85 m)
Wingspan: 62' 4" (19 m)
Wing area: 589.322 sq. ft (54.75 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 16,945 lbs (7686 kg)
Loaded Weight: 23,501 lbs (10660 kg)
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 2
Powerplant: Mitsubishi Ha-214 18-cylinder radial
Horsepower: 1970 hp each (takeoff power)
Performance:
Range: 1864 miles (3000 km)
Cruise Speed: 220 mph (350 km/hr) at sea level
Max Speed: 388 mph (624 km/hr) at 27200 ft
Climb to/in: 19700 ft (6000 m) in 9 min 3 sec
Ceiling: 39534 ft (12050 m)
Production: 2 prototype Ki-93s total
Additional information on this aircraft can be found at Wikipedia HERE.
For a very nice scale color drawing of this aircraft, see here.
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