Jump to content

Kawasaki Army Type 88 Reconnaissance Aircraft: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Soica2001 (talk | contribs)
75 edits
+image
Soica2001 (talk | contribs)
75 edits
m replace
Line 2: Line 2:
{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
|name=KDA-2 (Type 88)
|name=KDA-2 (Type 88)
|image=File:Kawasaki Army Type 88 Reconnaissance Aircraft 2.jpg
|image=File:88shiki teisatuki.jpg
|caption=
|caption=
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type

Revision as of 14:37, 31 December 2010

KDA-2 (Type 88)
Role Reconnaissance biplane and light bomber
Manufacturer Kawasaki
Designer Richard Vogt[1]
First flight 1927
Primary user Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Produced 1929-1932
Number built 1117

The Kawasaki KDA-2 was a Japanese single-engined biplane of the late 1920s designed by the German Richard Vogt working for Kawasaki. It was built in large numbers as both a reconnaissance aircraft and a light bomber for the Imperial Japanese Army, being used in combat over China and remaining in service until 1940.

Design and development

The KDA-2 was designed by Richard Vogt to meet a Japanese Army requirement for a reconnaissance biplane to replace the Salmson 2. Three prototypes were built by Kawasaki in 1927. Following testing the aircraft was ordered into production as the Army Type 88-1 Reconnaissance Biplane. The aircraft was of all-metal construction, with a stressed skin forward fuselage, had unequal-span wings and a slim angular fuselage, cross-axle tailwheel landing gear and was powered by a 447 kW (600 hp) BMW VI engine. An improved version (the Type 88-II) was developed with an improved engine cowling and a revised tail unit. By the end of 1931, a total of 710 (including the three prototypes) had been built by both Kawasaki and Tachikawa (187 of the total).[2]

Between 1929 and 1932, a bomber version was built as the Type 88 Light Bomber, differing in having a strengthened lower wing and an additional pair of centre-section struts. Bomb racks were located under the fuselage and lower wings. A total of 407 were produced.[3] A transport variant was developed as the KDC-2 with room for a pilot and four passengers in an enclosed cabin. Only two KDC-2s were built and one of was tested on floats.[4]

Operational history

Both reconnaissance and bomber versions saw action with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in Manchuria, and a few were still in service in 1937 during fighting at Shanghai.

Variants

KDA-2
Three prototypes.
Type 88-I Reconnaissance Biplane
Production reconnaissance biplane.
Type 88-II Reconnaissance Biplane
Improved version of the 88-I, 707 built of both the 88-I and 88-II.
Type 88 Light Bomber
Light bomber variant able to carry 200 kg (440 lb) of bombs, 407 built.
KDC-2
Transport variant, two built.

Operators

 Japan

Specifications (88-II)

Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 [5]The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2238. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2

Performance

Notes

  1. ^ of Dornier
  2. ^ Mikesh and Abe 1990, pp.145—146.
  3. ^ Mikesh and Abe 1990, pp.146-147.
  4. ^ Mikesh and Abe 1990, p.147.
  5. ^ Mikesh and Abe 1990, p.146.

References

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kawasaki_Army_Type_88_Reconnaissance_Aircraft&oldid=405169801"