Japan was the only nation in World War II to design a purpose-built strategic reconnaissance aircraft, this was the remarkable Mitsubishi Ki-46 'Dinah'. Designed by Tomio Kubo, the Ki-46 was one of the war's most attractive and recognizable aircraft with its aerodynamically curved fuselage which gave it a somewhat futuristic appearance. It was also faster than the Zero and could usually operate with impunity over Allied-controlled areas well into 1944 thanks to its impressive speed (a number of these aircraft also carried preliminary reconnaissance flights over Malaya before the war). B-29 raids eventually caused the Ki-46 to be adapted to other less-suitable roles like night fighters while the introduction of fast US fighters like the P-47N and P-51H resulted in mounting losses to an otherwise outstanding and unique aircraft which was so effective that even Germany had made plans to license-produce it (unsuccessfully).
The prototype Ki-46 made its maiden flight in November 1939 with the disappointing Ha-26-I engine which was also used to power the production Ki-46-I. These problems were addressed in the Ki-46-II which featured a supercharged Ha-102 engine which gave it a speed of 375 mph, faster than any Allied fighter available at the time. The Ki-26-III was improved even further with a new nose shape which became its trademark, a new engine, and even greater speed. The last planned version was the Ki-26-IV with yet another powerplant upgrade but did not enter production. However, a number of conversion variants were deployed in small numbers, these included the Ki-46-II KAI radio-navigation trainer, the Ki-46-III KAI interceptor for use against B-29s, and the Ki-46-IIIb ground attack aircraft.
Preceded by:
NoneSucceeded by:
NoneDesign | Ki-46-II | Ki-46-III |
Code Name | Dinah | Dinah |
Type | Strategic Recon | Strategic Recon |
Year | 1941 | 1942 |
Crew | 2 | 2 |
Dimensions | ||
Length | 36 ft 1½ in | 36 ft 1½ in |
Height | 12 ft 9 in | 12 ft 9 in |
Wing Span | 48 ft 3 in | 48 ft 3 in |
Wing Area | n/a | n/a |
Weight | ||
Empty | 7,194 lbs | 8,446 lbs |
Maximum | 12,787 lbs | 14,330 lbs |
Wing Loading | 37.1 lb/ft² | 41.6 lb/ft² |
Performance | ||
Speed | 375 mph | 391 mph |
Ceiling | 35,171 ft | 34,449 ft |
Range | 1,537 mi | 2,486 mi |
Powerplant | ||
Engine | 2 x Ha-102 Mitsubishi 1,080 hp | 2 x Ha-112-II Mitsubishi 1,500 hp |
Thrust/Weight | 0.60 | 0.71 |
Armament | ||
Guns | 1 x 7.7-mm | 2 x 20-mm |
Payload | - | - |
Production | ||
Built | 1,093 | 611 |
Total | 1,742 |