Ki-102 "Randy", Japanese
Attack Aircraft (original) (raw)
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The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia | |
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Ki-102 “Randy”, Japanese Light Bomber
KawasakiKi-102b “Randy”
| Crew | 2 |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 51’1” x 37’7” x 12’3”15.57m by 11.45m by 3.7m |
| Wing area | 366 square feet34 square meters |
| Weights | 10,913-16,094 lbs4950-7300 kg |
| Maximum speed | 360 mph at 19,685 feet580 km/h at 6000 feet |
| Climb rate | 40 feet per second12.2 meters per second |
| Service ceiling | 32,810 feet10,000 meters |
| Power plant | Two 1500 hp (1118 kW) Mitsubishi Ha-112-II Ru 14-cylinder two-row radial engines driving constant speed three bladed metal propellers. |
| Armament | 57mm Ho-401 cannon in the noseTwo 20mm Ho-5 cannonfixed in the bellyOne manually aimed 12.7mm Ho-103 machine gun in the rear cockpit |
| External stores | Two 250kg (551 lb) bombsor two 44 gallon (167 liter) drop tanks |
| Range | 1243 miles2000 km |
| Production | 238 Ki-102, including 215 Ki-102b production aircraft at Kawasaki Kokuki Kogyo KK from 1944-10 to 1945-7 |
| Variants | The Ki-102c was a night fighterversion armed with two 30mm Ho-105 cannonin the fuselage belly and two 20mm Ho-5 cannonmounted obliquely in the fuselage. It carried a revolving dish radarin a plexiglass dome on the top of the fuselage. This version could not carry bombs. The war ended before it came into full production. |
The Ki-102 was derived from the Ki-96 heavy fighter, a twin-engined aircraft with a pressurized cabin for high altitude that never went into production. The design team, led by Doi Takeo, suggested to the Army that a ground attack version of the Ki-96 should be developed to replace the Ki-45 "Nick". Approval was given in August 1943 and the first prototype flew in March 1944.
The Ki-102 added armorand fuel tank protection and heavier armament to the Ki-96, yielding a capable ground attack aircraft. Its performance and handling were considered highly satisfactory. Most were held in reserve in Japan against a possible Alliedinvasion, but a few were released for action in Okinawa. The aircraft was also the intended platform for the Igo-1-B air-to-surface guided missile, which was being rushed through development for use against any Allied invasion of the home islands.
A night-fighter version (Ki-102c) was prototyped but never saw combat.
References
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