Nakajima G8N
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The Nakajima G8N Renzan (連山, "Mountain Range") was a four-engined, long-range bomber designed for use by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Navy designation was "Type 18 land-based attack aircraft" (十八試陸上攻撃機); the Allied code name was Rita.
Design and developmentEdit
In February 1943, the Imperial Navy staff asked Nakajima Aircraft Company to design a four-engined bomber, capable of meeting an earlier specification set for a long-range, land-based attack plane. The final specification, issued on 14 September 1943, called for a plane with a maximum speed of Template:Convert able to carry a Template:Convert bomb-load Template:Convert or a reduced bomb-load Template:Convert.<ref name=Francillon1979p440>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Nakajima's design featured a mid-mounted wing of small area and high aspect ratio, a tricycle landing gear, and a large single-fin rudder. Power came from four 2,000 hp Nakajima NK9K-L "Homare" 24 radial engines with Hitachi 92 turbosuperchargers driving four-bladed propellers. The engines were cooled by counter-rotating fans positioned just inside the engine cowlings.<ref name=Francillon1979p440/> Defensive armament included power-operated nose, dorsal, ventral, and tail turrets, along with two free-swiveling machine guns at the beam positions.<ref name=Francillon1979p441>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Operational historyEdit
The initial prototype was completed in October 1944 and delivered to the Navy for testing in January 1945, a year after the Navy ordered development to start. Three further examples were completed by June 1945, with the third prototype being destroyed on the ground by US carrier aircraft.<ref name=Francillon1979p441/>
Other than minor problems with the turbosuperchargers, the Renzan performed satisfactorily, and the Navy hoped to have a total of sixteen prototypes and 48 production-version G8N1s assembled by September 1945. However, the worsening War situation and a critical shortage of light aluminium alloys led to the project's cancellation in June.<ref name=Francillon1979p441/>
One proposed variant was the G8N2 Renzan-Kai Model 22, powered by four 2,200 hp Mitsubishi MK9A radial engines and modified to accept attachment of the air-launched Ohka Type 33 Special Attack Bomber.<ref name=Francillon1979p441/>
Just before Japan's surrender in August 1945, consideration was also briefly given to producing an all-steel version of the aircraft to be designated G8N3 Renzan-Kai Model 23, but the cessation of hostilities precluded any further development.<ref name=Francillon1979p441/>
After the War, one prototype was taken to the United States<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>A G8N "Rita" in the USA via http://www.ww2incolor.com</ref> and scrapped after testing. None are in existence today.
VariantsEdit
- G8N1 : Four-engine heavy bomber. Production version.
- G8N2 : Modified to carry Ohka Type 33 Special Attack Bomber. Four Mitsubishi MK9A radial engines.
- G8N3 : All-steel airframe - never produced.
OperatorsEdit
- Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
- Naval Air Technical Arsenal (and after february 1945, reorganised to 1st Naval Technical Arsenal)
Specifications (G8N1)Edit
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- Bibliography
- Collier, Basil. Japanese Aircraft of World War II. New York: Mayflower Books, 1979. Template:ISBN.
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Unknown authors. Famous Airplanes of the World: Nakajima Shinzan / Renzan (Volume 11, no.146). Japan: Bunrin-Do, Nov. 1984.
External linksEdit
Template:Nakajima aircraft Template:Japanese Navy short aircraft designations Template:Imperial Japanese Navy official aircraft names Template:Allied reporting names