Kyushu Q1M1 Tokai ?

[Rivet]

Every time I come to this site there is a photograph on the page that piques my interest and I run a search of the type depicted. This time, regarding the image of the Kyushu Q1M1 Tokai, I found no joy. Does anyone know of a location, possibly in print, where details of this aircraft might be found? Regards

 

[vikingBerserker]

Here is a pretty good one :Kyushu Q1W Tokai (Eastern Sea) / (Lorna) Anti-Submarine Bomber - History, Specs and Pictures - Military Aircraft

and one with a video: Ky

 

[Rivet]

Thanks for the links, VB. Interesting that Kyushu was the former Watanabe concern, constructors of the Glen floatplane that was used as a submarine launched reconaissance aircraft and was used in an attempt to start forest fires in the Pacific Northwest in hopes of involving populated areas.

The text with the video mentions that Germany released some Junkers 88's and this design influenced the Kyushu effort. Possibly; what I'm seeing in this aircraft is as much Dornier design practise as anything.

That there is a photo of this aircraft in U.S. markings suggests thst one, at least, was brought to the continental U.S. for foreign equipment testing at Dayton. I'll be hunting down the report and will post it here. Regards

 

[vikingBerserker]

You are more then welcomed, when you find out what happened to the one the US had, please let us know.

 

[A4K]

Second that! Be great to find out she's still out there somewhere just waiting to be found!

 

[Rivet]

The U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey includes a translation of Kyushu Airplane company (Kyushu Hikoki KK) Corporation Report No. XV.

Regarding the Twin-Engine Q1W1 Tokai (Allied codename Lorna):
Between August of 1943 and August of 1945 there were 153 of this type produced against a total of 861 ordered. The greatest number produced per month was 16 in January of 1945.

The only Kyushu produced aircraft in U.S. inventory is the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (Magnificent Lightning), one of two examples of this aircraft produced.

The records of captured equipment tests as performed by Technical Information Section (T-2), Air Materiel Command, at Wright Field, Ohio (now Wright-Patterson AFB) are held by the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum Archives Division. The Office of Technical Services, Department of Commerce,Freeman Field, Indiana was used as the Foreign Aircraft Evaluation Center. By May 1946, 58 German aircraft,129 Japanese aircraft, and 638 foreign aircraft engines were on hand at ATSC installations or en route. Foreign aircraft also went to Muroc (later, renamed Edwards) Air Force Base, California for flight-testing.

I will post what I receive regarding this aircraft here.


Regards

 

[vikingBerserker]

That's pretty fascinating, thanks for the update.

 

[A4K]

Yep, thanks mate!

 

[Rivet]

Well, some of the records are located at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The Technical Information Section (T-2) records are located elsewhere and are currently not available due to a reorganization of the National Archives Sarah Clark Collection. When these records again regain their freedom (rumor has it they are being transferred from their microfilm format into a ditgitized version, suggesting potential Internet availability.) we get to find out if they will be cataloged as they formally were,; Sarah Clark Collection, Record Group 342, Box 3484 Captured Enemy Equipment, RD 3737. Until then T-2 documentation regarding the Kyushu Q1W1 Tokai remains unknown, unless someone can point the way to a paper or Internet copy of same. Regards, I'll keep digging.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool. I really had no idea one had been moved to the US. I appreciate you posting the updates as I'm really curious myself. I've been waiting on the NASM to finish moving so I can order more information myself.

 

[Rivet]

Still waiting........................................................................................................

Until someone unpacks the crates and puts the collection in some useable condition the Sarah Clark Collection remains a near fictious bit of unobtainium. It might be a good move for some government program to set some of the un or under-employed literate blood sacks amongst us to get it up and right.

For a small taste of what we as aviation afficianados are missing read this.:
http://www.enginehistory.org/Sarah Clark/Sarah_Clark.pdf

Regards