Kawasaki Ki-102

Ki-102

Kawasaki Ki-102b assault plane Model b
Role	Ground attack and Night fighter
National origin	Japan
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Kōkūki Kōgyō K.K.
First flight	1944
Introduction	1944
Retired	1945
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built	238
Developed from	Kawasaki Ki-96

The Kawasaki Ki-102 (Army Type 4 Assault Aircraft) was a Japanese warplane of World War II. It was a twin-engine, two-seat, long-range heavy fighter developed to replace the Ki-45 Toryu. Three versions were planned: the Ki-102a day fighter, Ki-102b ground-attack and Ki-102c night fighter. This aircraft's Allied reporting name was "Randy".

Design and history

It entered service in 1944, but saw limited action. The main type (102b) was kept in reserve to protect Japan, although it did see some limited duty in the Okinawa campaign. It was kept out of front line service because it was hoped that it would be the carrier of the Igo-1-B air-to-ground guided missile when the Allied invasion of Japan occurred.

Versions

Ki-102: prototypes, 3 built
Ki-102a (Type Kō): Externally similar to the 102b, but with turbosuperchargers that enabled the engine to maintain its rating at higher altitudes. 57 mm (2.24 in) cannon was swapped in favor of a 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon, and the 12.7 mm (.50 in) rear gun was deleted, 26 built.
Ki-102b (Type Otsu): Ground-attack variant similar to prototypes, except with revised tail wheel, 207 built.
Ki-102c (Type Hei): Night Fighter version with lengthened fuselage and span. Radar under a Plexiglas dome, oblique-firing 20 mm cannons, and the 20 mm cannons in the belly replaced with 30 mm (1.18 in) cannons completed the package, 2 built.
Ki-108: High-altitude fighter prototype with pressurised cabin, two conversions from Ki-102b aircraft using the structural improvements used on the 102c.
Ki-108 Kai: Improved version of the Ki-108 with longer fuselage and enlarged wings. Two built.

Specifications (Ki-102b)

Ki-102 in USAAF markings after the war

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 11.45 m (37 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 15.57 m (51 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 34 m² (366 ft²)
Empty weight: 4,950 kg (10,900 lb)
Loaded weight: 7,300 kg (16,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mitsubishi Ha-112-II Ru 14-cylinder radial engine, 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 580 km/h (310 kn, 360 mph)
Range: 2,000 km (1,100 nmi, 1,200 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 2,340 ft/min (714 m/min)
Power/mass: 2.4 kg/kW (5.4 lb/hp)

Armament

Guns:
- 1 × 57 mm (2.24 in) Ho-401 cannon—replaced in the 102a with a 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon, deleted in the 102c
- 2 × 20 mm Ho-5 cannon in the belly—replaced in the 102c with 30 mm (1.18 in) cannons in the package, plus oblique-firing 2 × 20 mm cannons
- 1 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 machine gun—deleted in the 102a and 102c
Bombs:
- 2 × 200 L (53 US gal) drop tanks; or
- 2 × 250 kg (551 lb) bombs

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kawasaki Ki-102.

Notes

↑ Francillon1979, pp. 137–138.

Bibliography

Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam and Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Three: Fighters. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961 (seventh impression 1973). ISBN 0-356-01447-9.
Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. WW2 Aircraft Fact Files: Japanese Army Fighters, Part 1. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1976. ISBN 0-356-08224-5.

Aircraft produced by Kawasaki

Company designations	Type 87 Type 88 Type 92 KAL-1 KAL-2 KAT-1 KAQ-1 KDA-2 KDA-3 KDA-5 KH-4 YPX

Imperial Japanese Army short designations	Ki-3 Ki-5 Ki-10 Ki-22 Ki-28 Ki-32 Ki-38 Ki-45 Ki-48 Ki-56 Ki-60 Ki-61 Ki-64 Ki-66 Ki-78 Ki-81 Ki-85 Ki-88 Ki-89 Ki-91 Ki-96 Ki-100 Ki-102 Ki-108 Ki-119 Ki-148 Ki-174

Japanese Self-Defense Force designations	C-1 C-2 OH-1 P-1 P-2J T-4

Joint ventures	BK 117 BK 117-C2

Licenced production	Bell 47 Hughes 500 Hughes 369 Boeing-Vertol V-107 Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Lockheed T-33 Lockheed P-2 Lockheed P-3C

World War II Allied reporting names	Bob Lily Mary Nick Perry Randy Rob Thalia Tony

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service aircraft designations

1-50	Ki-1 Ki-2 Ki-3 Ki-4 Ki-5 Ki-6 Ki-7 Ki-8 Ki-9 Ki-10 Ki-11 Ki-12 Ki-13 Ki-14 Ki-15 Ki-16 Ki-17 Ki-18 Ki-19 Ki-20 Ki-21 Ki-22 Ki-23 Ki-24 Ki-25 Ki-26 Ki-27 Ki-28 Ki-29 Ki-30 Ki-31 Ki-32 Ki-33 Ki-34 Ki-35 Ki-36 Ki-37 Ki-38 Ki-39 Ki-40 Ki-41 Ki-42 Ki-43 Ki-44 Ki-45 Ki-46 Ki-47 Ki-48 Ki-49 Ki-50

51-100	Ki-51 Ki-52 Ki-53 Ki-54 Ki-55 Ki-56 Ki-57 Ki-58 Ki-59 Ki-60 Ki-61 Ki-62 Ki-63 Ki-64 Ki-66 Ki-67 Ki-68 Ki-69 Ki-70 Ki-71 Ki-72 Ki-73 Ki-74 Ki-75 Ki-76 Ki-77 Ki-78 Ki-79 Ki-80 Ki-81 Ki-82 Ki-83 Ki-84 Ki-85 Ki-86 Ki-87 Ki-88 Ki-89 Ki-90 Ki-91 Ki-92 Ki-93 Ki-94 Ki-95 Ki-96 Ki-97 Ki-98 Ki-99 Ki-100

100-	Ki-101 Ki-102 Ki-103 Ki-105 Ki-106 Ki-107 Ki-108 Ki-109 Ki-110 Ki-111 Ki-112 Ki-113 Ki-114 Ki-115 Ki-116 Ki-117 Ki-118 Ki-119 Ki-148 Ki-167 Ki-174 Ki-200 Ki-201 Ki-202 Ki-230

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