Ki-51 with "large bushings."

[windhund116]

In Eduardo Cea's great book Special Units of Imperial Army, he states on page 35... "Type 99 (Ki-51) large bushings version." Anyone know what this "large bushings version" is?

Thanks!

 

[pbehn]

A "bush" is (was) also used as a name for a plain metal bearing.

 

[Shinpachi]

No idea about what the author intended to tell but this appearance comparison.
The canopy of reconnaissance version is said higher than that of assault version.

Source: Mechanic of World Aircraft Vol.6

 

[windhund116]

No idea about what the author intended to tell but this appearance comparison.
The canopy of reconnaissance version is said higher than that of assault version.

View attachment 605197
Source: Mechanic of World Aircraft Vol.6

Maybe, the author meant the plane was used in an attack role, but had larger cockpit canopy of the reconnaissance version. Something got lost in the translation? Original editions of these Cea books were publish in Spain (in Spanish) and later translated into English.

 

[macharvard]

Maybe, the author meant the plane was used in an attack role, but had larger cockpit canopy of the reconnaissance version. Something got lost in the translation? Original editions of these Cea books were publish in Spain (in Spanish) and later translated into English.

The word for bushing, 'cojinete', can also, believe it or not, mean production. So, a wild guess, not big bushing, but higher production or series production?

 

[Shinpachi]

Good point macharvard.
Production of Ki-51
Early type : 133
Later type : 2,252

 

[MiTasol]

It looks like the early type must have had a front canopy that was split in two with a solid beam canopy rail between the two halves like on the TBF/M Avengers. Love the Avenger but I have many bad memories of standing up under that #$%^&* rail and giving myself a baaad headache.