Kawasaki Ki-45 Projects, Prototypes & Variants

[Justo Miranda]

From "Japan Project Aircraft" 1945 WWII Illustrated , KOEI publishig,1997

 

[shaba]

that is an early kawasaki ki-45 with a ducted spinner

the third prototype c/n 4503 had aducted spinner, cooling air being forced through teir centeres and exhausting through slots in the wings.

from Rj Francillon japanese aircraft of the paciffic war.

 

[Justo Miranda]

thank you !

 

[Justo Miranda]

Ki-45 with Lichtenstein radar

 

[Jemiba]

Couldn't find a clue, that the SN-2 radar was sent to Japan. And judging the
efforts, that were made to keep it secret (remember the erroneus landing of a
Bf 110nightfighter fitted with the SN- 2 in Switzerland), I don't think, that it
would have been send to Japan. From what I've read, generally the Germans
seemed to be quite reluctant to give their radar technology to other nations,
even at those times, they already weren't state-of-the-art. Radar warning
receivers were given to Japanese submarines, bt this was more or less just
self-interest, as those submarines brought desperately needed resources to
Germany, too.

 

[blackkite]

I confirmed from Japanese internet site that Sumitomo Taki 2 go radar were experimentally installed to about 10 Toryu fighters.
But I can't find the picture of Taki 2 go radar.

Taki 2 go fire control radar
Weight : 120kg, 375MHz, Detecting range : 3km.
(While SN-2 "Lichtenstein" radar : 90MHz)

 

[Jemiba]

Was the Taki 2 go radar identical to the SN-2 "Lichtenstein", or maybe
a development, like the Miktsubishi J8M Shusui, which was broadly
based on the Me 163, but no direct copy ?

 

[blackkite]

Was the Taki 2 go radar identical to the SN-2 "Lichtenstein", or maybe
a development, like the Miktsubishi J8M Shusui, which was broadly
based on the Me 163, but no direct copy ?

Huuuum.Perhaps identical. Give me some time.

 

[Wurger]

Fake!!!
The actual japanese night fighter radar used different yagi aerials and had a completelly different electronics package. Even the projected airborne radars continued to use the japanese aerial pattern, as well as a parabolic dish intended for one of the versions considered. Most of these "wishfull thinking" designs are described as so, but some may wreck havoc among the uninformed community. Please consult this website:
http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/primary_documents/gvt_reports/USNAVY/USNTMJ%20Reports/USNTMJ_toc.htm
Many 1945/46 reports on japanese equipment, among them airborne radars, either produced or projected. Mind that it isn`t a primary source, I have found many incomplete and sometimes erroneous informations on allied reports dealing with german equipment.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Yagi or Matratzen?

 

[Jemiba]

Yagi or Matratzen?

Not a Yagi, I think, as besides the receiving/transmitting dipole, a Yagi antenna uses a dipole behind
as a reflector and one or more dipoles in front as directors, all lined up perpendicular to the
transmitting/receiving direction. In your scheme, there is a reflector/projector mentioned, made
from zinc plating, so I don't think it's a real Yagi antenna
(sketch below from Wikipedia, blue: Reflector, orange: director, black: receiving/transmitting dipole)

BTW, "Matratze" (matress) was just a nickname for an antenna installation like that, for the FuG 202,
not actually a type of antenna.

 

[Artie Bob]

IIRC, but unfortunately I cannot remember the source, the Japanese had developed and used yagi antennae during WWII.
Best Regards,
Artie Bob

 

[Justo Miranda]

From Wikipedia "the Yagi-Uda array was invented in 1926 by Shintaro Uda of Tohoku Imperial University, Japan, with a lesser role played by his colleague Hidetsugu Yagi. However the "Yagi" name has become more familiar with the name of Uda often omitted."

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Yagi antenna.

 

[Jemiba]

That's indeed a typical Yagi antenna, using directors for obtaining a narrow beam. I think, we all have seen
thousands of such antennas not too long ago.
The FuG 220 Lichtenstein used conical scanning, so could use a wider beam from every single set of antennas.

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Taki 2 go(タキ二号) radar(レーダー). It had four Yagi(八木) antenna.
It had a rather modern shape.
So Justo's post is perhaps fake. But number of antenna(4) is correct. ;D

Source : Maru magazine, June 2010.

 

[Jemiba]

Sorry, cannot read it , but the drawing in the lower right corner suggests, that a
similar system as in the "Lichtenstein" was used If the received signals for all
four antennas had the same strength, the target was dead ahead.

 

[blackkite]

the drawing in the lower right corner suggests, that a
similar system as in the "Lichtenstein" was used If the received signals for all
four antennas had the same strength, the target was dead ahead.

That's right!
取扱者用ブラウン管 : Cathode -ray tube for the radar operator, 操縦者用小型ブラウン管 : Small cathode-ray tube for the pilot, 基準パルス : reference pulse, 反射パルス : reflected pulse, 目標までの距離表示 : The indication of the distance to the target, 左 : left, 右 : right, 上 : upper direction, 下 : lower direction.

This sample indication shows that the target is high altitude and right direction compared with this Toryu interceptor.
4 Yagi antenna were covered with see through plexiglass dome. Because of B-29's high speed, Taki Toryu had a only one chance to attack B-29 and chance was very short time. Taki radar's reliability was very poor because reliability of each parts were poor.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Hi
Here you are a pic of one Night Fighter Kawasaki Ki-45-KAI-Ko
Could anyone identify the type of radar used by this antenna?
Experimental?...prototype?....in service?

 

[windswords]

I don't what kind of exact radar this might be, but I have a list from Wikipedia of Japanese airborne radar:

Airborne radar

• Ta-Ki 1 Model 1 Airborne Surveillance Radar
• Ta-Ki 1 Model 2 Airborne Surveillance Radar
• Ta-Ki 1 Model 3 Airborne Surveillance Radar
• Ta-Ki 11 ECM Device
• Ta-Ki 15 Aircraft Guidance Device Receiver (for Tachi 13)

Maybe it is one of these models (they are sometimes spelled Taki instead of Ta-ki).

 

[blackkite]

Ummmm........Give up.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Maybe passive receiver "Naxos" style?

 

[LAW]

It is not a radar but a guncamera, used mainly for training purpose.

Regards,
LAW

 

[Grey Havoc]

I could be wrong, but that looks more like an IR sensor setup to me.

 

[Justo Miranda]

I can better accept the idea of being a camera, rather than a radar.
Sorry, wrong source... and thanks everybody.

 

[blackkite]

If you have Japanese text or explanation about this equipment...... (No.92 parts.)

 

[JimK]

Perhaps you could provide a translation of the highlighted item?

 

[Justo Miranda]

If you have Japanese text or explanation about this equipment...... (No.92 parts.)

part nº92 text: "Gun camera bullet fairing"

 

[Justo Miranda]

Perhaps you could provide a translation of the highlighted item?

In my opinion "armour plate 6 mm. thick"

 

[blackkite]

Perhaps you could provide a translation of the highlighted item?

In my opinion "armour plate 6 mm. thick"

That's right.

 

[blackkite]

I can better accept the idea of being a camera, rather than a radar.
Sorry, wrong source... and thanks everybody.

Yes. Radar is here.
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,14964.msg149946.html#msg149946

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Kawasaki Ki-45 prototype,etc.

https://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/modernplanes/modern-jk/68791/view/kawasaki_ki-45/

http://japaneseaircraftofwwii.blogspot.jp/2015/03/toryu-redux.html

１号機完成時 : At the completion of the first aircraft
１号機改修後 ： After renovation of the first aircraft
第１次性能向上機　：The first step performance improvement aircraft

 

[Hood]

No, because as pointed out in post 2, its the third prototype Kawasaki Ki-45, nothing to do with the IMAM Ro.57 at all there is no mystery.

 

[windswords]

If you look at the half profile in the lower right of the image you will see the Ki-45 with the ducted fan, listed as "Ki-4503" meaning third prototype.

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Source ; No21.

 

[GTX]

If you look at the half profile in the lower right of the image you will see the Ki-45 with the ducted fan, listed as "Ki-4503" meaning third prototype.

Ducted fan or ducted spinner? I think the latter.

 

[windswords]

My bad, I meant ducted spinner. Thanks.

 

[blackkite]

Japanese explanation of this picture says that

If you look closely at the photo below, you can see original spinner with starting hook inside the front of a ducted spinner, and seems insufficient engine cooling air flow in it.

However, this tearful efforts of the Kawasaki engineers did not lead to the regeneration of the Ki-45.

 

[blackkite]

Perhaps you could provide a translation of the highlighted item?

In my opinion "armour plate 6 mm. thick"

Sorry it's armour plate16mm. thick.

 

[Justo Miranda]

OK