Kawasaki Ki-102 ("Randy") variants and Ki-108

Hi!
I found this description of the Ki-102 Hei.

キ102丙は、キ102甲と同じ排気タービン過給器を併用する、『ハ112-IIル』発動機（1,400hp）を搭載するが、胴体は1.5mも延長され、操縦者と同乗席は前、後ろに完全に分離し、夜間の着陸を容易にするために、主翼面積を増積（キ48用主翼を流用した）し、胴体内燃料タンクを撤去して、ホ一五五30mm機関砲を“上向き砲”（45°の仰角つき）として装備、機首には電波標定機（レーダー）の取り付けを予定するなど、ほとんど別機のようになった。

The Ki-102 Hei is powered by the same ”Ha 112-II Ru“ engine (1,400 hp) with an exhaust turbine supercharger as the Ki 102 Ko, but the fuselage is 1.5m longer, the pilot and passenger seats are completely separated in the front and rear, the wing area is increased to facilitate night landings (Diversion the Ki-48 wing), the in-fuselage fuel tanks are removed, The fuel tanks in the fuselage were removed, the Ho-155 30mm machine gun was installed as an "upward-facing gun" (with an elevation angle of 45°), and with plans to install a radio wave targeting device (radar) in the nose, making it almost like a different aircraft.

It is interesting to hear that the Ki-48 wing was diverted.

Source:Japanese army navy night fighter. Model art No.595 October 2001 extra issue p.76
 

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Hello, does anyone know what kind of AP shell (and penetration estimates) the Ho-401 on the Ki-102 Otsu had?
 
The Ho-401 used the same ammunition as the 57mm tank gun, but the only round I've seen
any info on in relation to the Ho-401 is for the HE round. The 57X121R round is a low velocity
round and according to a couple of sites the penetration of the AP round as used in tanks was
20mm at 500m.

Type 97 57mm Tank Gun
Caliber : 57 mmBarrel
Length : 1.057 m (L18.5)EL
Angle of Fire : -15 to +20 Degrees
AZ Angle of Fire : 20 Degrees
Muzzle Velocity : 350 m/sec
Penetration : 20 mm/500 m
Used by Type 97 Medium Tank

57MMX121R_AP_01.png
 
Planned production for Ki 102 was : 947 aircraft . For Akashi plant was reported : 13 Ki102a0 , 867 Ki-102b and 67 Ki-102a .
- numbers extracted by Corporation Report by United States Strategic Bombing Survey .
 
Shells for 5.7cm tank gun are actually not quite the same as shells for Ho-401. The cartridge is the same type, but the projectiles of Ho-401 are shorter and lighter. Considering this is an autoloaded gun, I don't think it is necessarily as simple as tank 5.7cm rounds can load in Ho-401.

We have specs for only the HE shell of Ho-401 as far as I know, apart from this, there is a specific HE substitute shell (for training) AP shell (likely APHE), and a shell called 'Ho-401 Kou' in Japanese books (which IMO, could be a typing error for 'Ma-401 Kou')
 
QAZ said:
Shells for 5.7cm tank gun are actually not quite the same as shells for Ho-401. The cartridge is the same type, but the projectiles of Ho-401 are shorter and lighter. Considering this is an autoloaded gun, I don't think it is necessarily as simple as tank 5.7cm rounds can load in Ho-401.

We have specs for only the HE shell of Ho-401 as far as I know, apart from this, there is a specific HE substitute shell (for training) AP shell (likely APHE), and a shell called 'Ho-401 Kou' in Japanese books (which IMO, could be a typing error for 'Ma-401 Kou')
Click to expand...
Appreciate it qaz. I'm trying to assemble a new suggestion on the new WT forum, finding penetration documentation for the penetration is painful. I've only found ~25 cm at 500 m so far
 
Just to make sure I'm getting this right because I have confused the three aircraft:
Ki-102c - Two seat night fighter
Ki-108 - Single seat heavy fighter
Ki-108 - Single seat high altitude fighter

Is this correct?
 
Airborne2001 said:
Just to make sure I'm getting this right because I have confused the three aircraft:
Ki-102c - Two seat night fighter
Ki-108 - Single seat heavy fighter
Ki-108 - Single seat high altitude fighter

Is this correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, Ki-102c (Ki-102 Hei) was to be a 2-seat night-fighter with a crew arrangement similar to the Ki-102a (ie: with second crewman under a separate, small 'bubble' canopy). The Ki-102 Hei fuselage was longer (13.05 m vs 11.45 m) and it had a greater span (17.25 m vs 15.26 m).

But, the single-seat Ki-108 and Ki-108 Kai were prototypes for pressurized high-altitude interceptors.
 

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