Wild_Bill_Kelso
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,231
- Mar 18, 2022
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This originates with a N1K2 vs. Bf 109 "of 1941 vintage", but I'll expand it to include any (non floatplane) version of N1K, and maybe later we can layer in J2M and Ki-44.... vs Bf 109F2, F4, G2, or G4, and G6 if they have some before the end of 1942.
N1K2-J - a bit better, but still worse in performance vs. the best what the West was making. The German fighters of 1941 will give it a good run for it's money, and then some.
N1K2 is, at least if what I can find online is accurate, is faster than an F-4, and I think faster than a G-2 or G-4 though I'm not certain.
This says the following about N1K1
Speed: 408 mph / 656 kph at 20,000 ft., 360 mph at ~4,000 ft, 340 mph at sea level. I don't know the maximum dive speed.
Ok so let's assume that's true, give it a 40% less availability rate. Let's say 5% less power. 10%? I think it's still running rings around a Franz
HiThis originates with a N1K2 vs. Bf 109 "of 1941 vintage", but I'll expand it to include any (non floatplane) version of N1K, and maybe later we can layer in J2M and Ki-44.... vs Bf 109F2, F4, G2, or G4, and G6 if they have some before the end of 1942. I don't think they were in the Med that early but I don't know the production history that well so willing to learn that they were available.
I still put the N1K2 on top of any of those. Why?
N1K2 is, at least if what I can find online is accurate, is faster than an F-4, and I think faster than a G-2 or G-4 though I'm not certain.
This says the following about N1K1
Speed: 408 mph / 656 kph at 20,000 ft., 360 mph at ~4,000 ft, 340 mph at sea level. I don't know the maximum dive speed.
Climb: 3875 fpm at sea level, 4065 at 5,900 ft
Gross Weight 7717 lbs / 3500 kg
Wing Area: 253 sq ft.
Span: 39.4'
Engine: Homare 21, 1975 HP takeoff, 2050 at WEP (2500') 2 speed supercharger
Fuel: 125 gal internal + 87 gal drop tank, total 212 gal
Range 1085 miles at 167 with external tank, 830 miles at 237 mph
Power to weight: .25 for takeoff, .26 at WEP
Wing loading: 30
Has maneuvering flaps. Armor and self sealing fuel tanks. Roll rate is reported as 82 degrees per second at 240 mph. (I don't have the source for that though)
So I say this outruns (at all altitudes), out-climbs, and definitely out turns a Bf 109F2 or F4, likely out rolls it too, while carrying twice the fuel and heavily outgunning it.
I'm not sure on the speed of a G-2 or G-4, maybe somebody can clarify. Some versions of the G-6 are a bit faster than 408 mph, but the N1K1 seems to stilll have the edge in climb and for sure turn rate.
I can't entirely parse your sentence, but the manual, as shown in this thread, lists a different speed for the N1K2-J, 330kt at 6000m with a weight of 3800kg, and powered by a de-rated Ha-45-21, apparently due to issues with reliability. Not 321 kts or 315 kts, the latter the N1K1-J's speed.imho the 362 and 369 mph or better the 315 and 321 kts are the speed as the japanese manual...
According to Wiki, the first flight of the N1K1-J was December 1942 and had a top speed of 408mph.
The first flight of the N1K1 was May 1942.
The first flight of the N1K2-J was the last day of 1943.
Production of the N1K1 started in August 1942 and 3 were completed by the end of 1942, 12 by the end of July 1943.
Production of the N1K1-J started in July 1943, and the first production N1K2-J was December 1943 (only one for 1943).
The N1K1 entered service in 1943, but was a float plane.
The N1K1-J entered service in 1944.
So I doubt that any N1K variants were troubling much of anything in 1942.
Hi
The only book I have found that has a top speed near 408 mph is 'Aircraft of the Fighting Powers' Volume VI, 1945 (published just after the end of the war). Page 51 has the Maximum Level Speed as 407 mph (651 Km./hr.) at 20,000 ft. Maybe, like the March 1945 document in your post, it was still awaiting revised performance details because later publications tend to have a reduced max speed.
'Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War' by Francillon, page 329 has N1K1-J as 363 mph at 19,355 ft, N1K2 as 369 mph at 18,375 ft.
'War Planes of the Second World War Fighters Volume Three' by Green, has on page 6, N1K1-J as 362 mph at 17,715 ft, page 9, N1K2-J as 369 mph at 18,370 ft.
'Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II' by Mondey, has on page 140, N1K2-J as 370 mph at 18,370 ft.
'The Fighter Aircraft Pocketbook' by Cross, has on page 178, N1K1-J as 362 mph at 19,360 ft.
'Fighters 1939-45, Attack and Training Aircraft' by Munson, has on page 48, N1K2-J Model 21 as 369 mph at 18,375 ft.
'The Complete book of Fighters' by Green and Swanborough, has on page 315, N1K1-J as 362 mph at 17,715 ft, and N1K2-J as 369 mph at 18,370 ft.
I am sure there are plenty of other print sources, but it appears if published after 1945 the maximum top speed is nowhere near 408 mph.
To do comparisons with other fighters then more in depth research may be necessary.
Mike
HiI've seen that ~360 mph claim for many years, and in many books too. Twentieth century aviation books copied from one another or from the same not very rigorous sources many times, in the process often repeating myths and tropes with little bearing on reality.
The 410-415 mph estimates seem to be more recent (including on the Wiki page though that means very little). I think this comes from wartime documents, or postwar testing, but I'd love to see more actual sources, all I could find is the link I already posted from WW2aircraftperformance. Which shows the 408 mph / 353 knots at 20,000 ft, and an (also very impressive) speed of 355 mph / 308 knots at sea level. That form looks to me like a postwar US form. I don't know what their source as, though it seems pretty detailed.