Nakajima C6N Saiun


Nakajima C6N1 Saiun, (Scanned from René J. Francillion "Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War" - Putnam - 1979),
got from the Imperial Japanese Navy Page

Experience out of the war made clear that the imperial japanese navy needed a specialized carrier-
based long-range recon aircraft which could avoid enemy interceptors. Thatīs why they asked Nakajima
in the beginning of 1942 for such a plane. The result looked much like the B6N torpedo bomber and
was indeed based on it (biggest difference: smaller wings). The first prototype (he flew first on 15.005.1943)
hadnīt enough performance with its 1.820PS engine, and 18 further prototypes and pre-serial planes followed,
which reveals great haste. The serial planes C6N1 entered service in the summer of 1944 and were too fast for
the allied interceptors (I mean F6F hellcats). Some of the C6N1 were converted to C6N1-S night fighters
because of their performance, and a single prototype flew with a 1980PS Homare supercharged engines.
"Saiun" means "painted cloud", the allied codename was "Myrt", 463 planes were built at all.

My comment:
It had an amazing range (Iīm sure that it it was greater than 5.000km, because every source I found meant so.),
and as it seems also enough speed to survive Corsairs and Hellcats (maybe with use of clouds as cover) at
specific altitudes. A superb design without any challenger!
The early japanese design philosophy to use only few armour and no self-sealing tanks was wrong with fighters
and bombers, but with their recon planes, it resulted in excellent designs!


Specifications:
Nakajima C6N1 Saiunlong-range reconnaissance plane
Dimensions:
Wing span: 12,50m
Length: 11m
Height: 3,95m
Wing area: 25,50m2
Weight:
empty: 2.968kg
Take-Off: 5.260kg
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 610km/h at 6100m
Service Ceiling: 10.740m
max. Range: 5.310km
Powerplant:
one 1990PS Nakajima NK9H Homare21 eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial
Armament:
one rear-firing 7,92mm MG
(Iīm not sure, but maybe it could carry one 800kg torpedo)

three-side view

Nihon Kaigun/Imperial Japanese Navy Page
I donīt know why this link doesnīt work! Always when I search this in search engines,
I do find this URL, and there it works!

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