The Hamlyn concise guide to Axis aircraft of World War II

258 Pages·2002·87.4 MB·English

by  Mondey

The Hamlyn Concise Guide to
Axis Aircraft
of World War 11
scanned by brag

The Hamlyn Concise Guide to
Axis Aircraft
of World War 11
David Monday
CHANCELLOR
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PICTURE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Page9:US Navy. 29:John MacClancyCollection.36:
ImperialWarMuseum.38: ImperialWarMuseum.
41:MARS,Lincs.43:John MacClancyCollection.44:
John MacClancy Collection.75:John MacClancy
Collection.84:John MacClancy Collection.75:John
MacClancyCollection.84:John MacClancyCollection.
89:MARS,Lincs.90:ImperialWarMuseum.91:
MARS,Lincs.92:John MacClancy Collection.104:
MARS,Lincs.107:MARS,Lincs.112:JohnMacClancy
Collection. 113:MARS,Lincs.116:John MacClancy
Collection. 118:ImperialWarMuseum.119:John
MacClancyCollection.121:US AirForce. 122:John
MacClancy Collection.123:John MacClancy
Collection.125:John MacClancy Collection.136:US
Navy.154:Macchi.155:Macchi.157:Macchi.158:
Macchi. 164:John MacClancy Collection.165:John
MacClancy Collection.168:MARS, Lincs.169:John
MacClancyCollection.175:JohnMacClancyCollection.
176:MARS,Lincs/MARS,Lincs. 178:John
MacClancy Collection.185:US AirForce.188:US
Air Force. 196:US AirForce/US AirForce.
CONTENTS
Aichi B7A Ryusei 8 FiatCR.42Falco 56
Aichi D3A 9 FiatG.50 59
Aichi E13A 10 FiatG.55Centauro 60
Aichi E16A1 Zuiun 11 Fiat RS.14 61
AradoAr 66 12 Fieseler Fi 156Storch 62
AradoAr 67and Ar 68 12 Focke-WulfFw44Stieglitz 64
AradoAr 96 14 Focke-WulfFw 56 StOsser 65
AradoAr 196 15 Focke-WulfFw 189Uhu 66
AradoAr 197 17 Focke-WulfFw 190 68
AradoAr 232 17 Focke-WulfFw 200Condor 73
AradoAr 234Blitz 18 Focke-WulfTa 152 75
Avia B.534 20 Gotha Go 145 76
Blohm and VossBv 138 22 Gotha Go 242and 244 77
Blohm and VossBv 222Wiking 24 Heinkel He 45 78
Breda Ba.65 25 Heinkel He 46 79
Breda Ba.88Lince 27 Heinkel He 49and He 51 80
BuckerBu 131 Jungmann 28 Heinkel He 59 81
BlickerBu 133Jungmeister 29 Heinkel He 60 82
BuckerBu 181 Bestmann 29 Heinkel He 72 Kadett 83
CRDA Cant Z.501 Gabbiano 30 Heinkel He 111 83
CRDACant Z.506 31 Heinkel He 115 90
CRDA Cant Z.1007 32 Heinkel He 162Salamander 93
Caproni Ca 100 34 Heinkel He 177Greif 95
Caproni Ca 133 34 Heinkel He 219 Uhu 96
Caproni Bergamaschi Ca 135 35 Henschel Hs 123 98
Caproni Bergamaschi Ca 306/Ca 309 36 Henschel Hs 12699
Caproni Bergamaschi Ca 310series 37 Henschel Hs 129 101
DFS 23038 JunkersJu 52/3m 103
DornierDo 17/Do 215 39 JunkersJu 86 109
DornierDo 18 45 JunkersJu 87 111
DornierDo 24 46 JunkersJu 88 118
DornierDo 217 48 JunkersJu 88Mistelcomposites 128
DornierDo 335 Pfeil 51 JunkersJu 188 128
FiatBR.20Cicogna 52 JunkersJu 290 130
FiatCR.30 54 JunkersJu 388 131
6
Junkers W34 132 MitsubishiJ2M Raiden 203
Kawanishi E7K 133 Mitsubishi Ki-15 205
Kawanishi H6K 134 Mitsubishi Ki-21 206
Kawanishi H8K 136 Mitsubishi Ki-30 208
Kawanishi N1K Kyofu 137 Mitsubishi Ki-46 209
Kawanishi N1KlJ and N1K2.J Shiden 138 Mitsubishi Ki-51 211
Kawasaki Ki-10 140 Mitsubishi Ki-57 212
Kawasaki Ki-32 140 Mitsubishi Ki-67Hiryu 213
Kawasaki Ki-45 141 NakajimaA6M2-N 214
Kawasaki Ki-48 143 Nakajima B5N 215
Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien 144 Nakajima B6N Tenzan 217
Kawasaki Ki-100 147 Nakajima C6N Saiun 218
Kawasaki Ki-102 148 Nakajima J1NGekko 219
Kayaba Ka-1 149 Nakajima Ki-27 220
Klemm KI 35 149 Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa 222
Kyushu K11W Shiragiku 150 Nakajima Ki-44Shoki 224
Kyushu Q1WTokai 151 Nakajima Ki-49Donryu 226
LetovS328 152 Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate228
Macchi MC.200Saetta 153 Nakajima Ki-115 Tsurugi 230
Macchi MC.202Folgore 155 Piaggio P.108231
Macchi MC.205VVeltro 157 Reggiane Re.2000series 232
Meridionali Ro.37bis 159 RepUlogpegyar Levente 11 235
Meridionali Ro.43/Ro.44 159 Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79Sparviero 236
Messerschmitt Bf 108 160 Savoia-MarchettiS.M.81 Pipistrello240
MesserschmittBf 109 161 Savoia-MarchettiS.M.82Canguru242
MesserschmittBf 110 174 Siebel Fh 104/Si 204 243
Messerschmitt Me 163Komet 181 Tachikawa Ki-36/Ki-55 245
MesserschmittMe 210/410 184 Tachikawa Ki-54 246
\t1esserschmitt Me 262 186 Weiss Wm 21 S61yom 247
esserschmitt Me 321/323 190 Yokosuka D4YSuisei 247
itsubishiA5M 192 Yokosuka MXY7Ohka 250
MitsubishiA6M Zero-Sen 194 Yokosuka P1YGinga 251
itsubishi F1M 198
itsubishi G3M 199
itsubishi G4M 200 Index 252
7
Aichi B7A Ryusei
Aichi B7A2 RyuseioftheYokosukaKokutai
History and notes Specification
The requirementfor a largetorpedo/dive-bomberfor Aichi B7A2
operationfrom anew,largerclassofaircraft-carrierin TyPe: carrier-basedtorpedo/dive-domber
1941causedtheImperialJapatonesenavytodrawupthe Pqwerplant:one1,825-hp (1361-kW) Nakajima
specification of an aircraft repla~ the akajima. NKllC Homare1218-cylinderradialpiston engine
B6NandYokosukaD4Y.Asthisspecificationcalledfor Performance:maximumspeed at21,490ft (6550m)
an internal bombloadofup·to 1,1021b(500!5g),orthe 351mph (565 kmlh);serviceceiling36,910ft
carriage of a 1,764-lb (8oo-kg) torpedo externally, (11250m); maximum range 1,889miles (3040km)
coupled with high maximum speed and longrange, a Weights:empty8,400Ib (3810kg); maximumtake-off
powerfulenginewasessential.Thenavyselectedwhat 12,4011b (5625 kg)
was virtually an experimentilI powerplant for this Dimensions:span47ft3 in (14.40m); length37ft
task: the akajima Homare 11 twin-row radial deve 81/1 in (11.49m); height13ft4lhin (4.075 m); wing
lopingabout1,800hp (1342kW). area381.05sq ft (35.40m2)
Aichi began work on this requirement, and its Armament: (lateproduction B7A2) two wing
AM-23prototypeflew inmid-1942.Thislargeaircraft, mounted20-mmType99Modelcannon andone
then designated B7A1 avy Experimental 16-Shi 13-mm (0.51-in)Type2machine-gunontrainable
CarrierAttack Bomber,was amid-wingmonoplaneof mountinaftposition,pluseitherone1,764-lb(800-kg)
inverted gull-wingconfiguration, a layoutselectedso torpedoorasimilarweightofbombs
thatthemainunitsoftheretractabletailwheellanding Operator:Japanesenavy
gear,mountedatthe'elbows'ofeachwing,wouldbeas
short as possible. Asection of each outerwing panel
folded for carrierstowage. The fuselage and tail unit
were conventional, the former providing enclosed
accommodation for acrewoftwo.
As mighthavebeen anticipated,thecombinationof
problemsfromtheairframe,coupledwiththeteething
troubles of the new engine, meant that itwas almost
twoyearsbeforethetypewasorderedintoproduction
as the B7A2 Navy Carrier Attack Bomber Ryusei
(shooting star). Apart from nine prototype B7A1s,
only 80 examples were completed by Aichi beforeits
factory was destroyed in the serious earthquake of
May1945:anadditional25werebuiltbytheNavalAir
ArsenalatOmura.Inaddition totheseproduction air
craft, one B7A2 was fitted experimentally with a
2,000-hp(1491-kW) akajimaHomare23radialengine,
and it was planned to develop an advanced version,
designated B7A3, with the 2,200hp (1641-kW) Mitsu
bishi MK9A radial, but the disaster of May 1945 GiventheAllied codename'Grace',theAicbiB7A
broughtan endto developmentplans. Ryuseineverreached acarrierduetothelengthof
By the time the type entered serviGe, when it was itsdevelopment. Itwas alargeaircraftabletocarry
allocated the Allied codename 'Grace', the Japanese a1,764-lb(800-kg)torpedo ataspeedof351 mph
(565km/h). ThisexampleisaB7A1,oneofapre
navy no longer had any carriersfrom which the B7A
productionbatch.
could operate,sothe B7A2sawonlylimited usefrom
land bases.
8
Aichi D3A
Aichi D3A1oftheYokosukaKokutai. 1940
History and notes type by having a small decrease in wing span, and
Designed to supersede the DIA, the Aichi D3A directionalstabilitywasimprovedbytheadditionofa
becamefar betterknownthanitspredecessor.Oflow long dorsal fin. Power was again increased, with the
wing monoplane configuration, the prototype had introduction of a I,OOD-hp (746-kW) Mitsubishi Kinsei
ellipticalwingssimilartothoseoftheHeinkelHe70,a 43engineonearlyproductionmodels.Inthisform the
conventionaltail unit, and acircular-section fuselage; D3Alcompletedcarriertrials,andenteredoperational
construction was basically all-metal. Non-retractable servicewiththenavyinChinaandIndo-Chia.Atotalof
tailwheel landing gear incorporated main units with 129 of these dive-bOmbers was carried by the task
large speed fairings, and the prototype's powerplant force thatlaunchedtheattackonPearlHarbor,andit
was the 730-hp (544-kW) Hikari 1 radial that had was a force of D3Als that sank the British aircraft
powered the DIA2. Testing showed that the aircraft carrierHMS Hermes,andthecruisersHMSCornwall
wasunderpowered,·hadatendencytosnaprollintight and HMS DorsetsMre,in April1942.
turns, and had ineffective dive brakes. The second Identified bytheAlliesunderthecodename'Val',a
prototype incorporated modifications to overcome total of 1,495 D3As of different versions was built.
these shortcomings, including increased wing span, These included the two prototypes, plus six service
changedoutboardwingsectionleadingedgesto over trialsand470D3Alproductionaircraft.Thenfollowed
comethe rollproblem,strengtheneddivebrakes,and a single prototype of an improved D3A2 Model 12
an 840-hp (626-kW) MitsubishiKinsei3radialengine. which, first flown in June 1942, differed by having a
In this form the type proved superior to Nakajima's
contenderforthisrequirement,andinDecember1939
TheAichi D3A,codenamed'Val'.wasthemajor
was ordered into production under the designation
dive-bomberoftheearlyJapanesecampaign•
• avyType99CarrierBomberModel11(AichiD3Al). gainingseveralnotablesuccessesincludingthe
Production aircraft differedfrom thesecond proto- attackon Pearl Harbor.
9