Mania/Hasegawa B5N

[Graham Boak]

Your description of its history is much the same as that given in Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 by Robert Mikesh and Shorzoe Abe.  The two aircraft built ended their days doing land-based reconnaissance which is clearly what was driving my memory.  Plus, I don't think the kit I have provided an arrester hook, and certainly not folding wings. 

 

The comment about the Ki.15 does need qualifying, as if the B5N couldn't cope over China then the C3N was no more likely.  The Ki.15 was 50mph faster and had 20% more range, although strangely the naval C5M is quoted as only half that, for only a slight increase in weight.  Something appear odd for one of the two values.  The B5N, in comparison, had 679  miles (590nm) as a normal range but 1220nm as a maximum.  I don't know the meaning of the difference, presumably carriage of an external tank?  I suspect the range for the C3N and C5N were actually very similar, and it was the speed that provided a significant advantage.

 

So maybe my "proposed" use of the second kit as a retractable undercarriage variant would make some sense, but I don't think that would produce 50 mph.

[Fukuryu]

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Your description of its history is much the same as that given in Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 by Robert Mikesh and Shorzoe Abe. 

Not a surprise since is one of the sources of the russian article.