Fugaku bomber

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Peter H
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Fugaku bomber

#1

Post by Peter H » 12 Apr 2009, 04:41

http://www.daveswarbirds.com/Nippon/aircraft/G10N1.htm
In April 1943, as a private venture, Nakajima initiated studies for an aircraft (Project Z) capable of carrying out bombing operations against the US mainland from bases in Japan. Later during that year these studies served as the basis for a joint Navy-Army project, which initially was intended to be powered by six 5,000 hp Nakajima Ha-505 thirty-six cylinder radials. However, because of expected late availability of these powerplants, the design was scaled down to use six 2,500 hp Nakajima NK11A radials. In this form the G10N1 Fugaku (Mount Fugi) was designed to cruise at altitudes in excess of 32,810 ft (10,000 m) and to reach a top speed of 423 mph (680 km/h). It remained in development at war's end and never saw operational service.
Link here as well:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=27576


From: http://rareaircraf1.greyfalcon.us/JAPAN.htm
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Sewer King
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Re: Fugaku bomber

#3

Post by Sewer King » 13 Apr 2009, 04:23

The G10N1 design seems closer in some ways to the American B-36 than to the B-29.

In any case, did Nakajima or any other firm begin study of pressurized aircrew spaces for these design altitudes?

It would seem that hangars and runways to accommodate the G10N1 would also have needed to be factored in, even in the early design stages.

-- Alan

Simon Gunson
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Re: Fugaku bomber

#4

Post by Simon Gunson » 20 May 2009, 04:15

Steve Horn at Page 267-268 of his book "The Second Attack on Pearl Harbour" wrote quoting recollections by Chikuhei Nakajima that upon hearing intelligence of the B-36 Peacemaker set about Project Z as a private venture. Initially it of course depended upon availability of the Nakajima 5,000 horsepower Ha-54 4-row 36-cylinder air-cooled radial which never materialised.

The aircraft was not only envisioned as a long range bomber, but also as a 96 cannon gunship for shooting down B-29 formations. At the same altitude the Fugaku would have been 70 knots faster than a B-29. With 96 circumferentially arranged 20 mm cannon it had a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute.

Had this monster ever been built then at least prior to the taking of Iwo Jima high altitude B-29 raids would have been devastated. Obviously B-29 raids shifted to night attacks and Mustang escorts were possible later in the war.

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ShindenKai
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Re: Fugaku bomber

#5

Post by ShindenKai » 09 Jul 2013, 15:02

Sewer King wrote:The G10N1 design seems closer in some ways to the American B-36 than to the B-29.

In any case, did Nakajima or any other firm begin study of pressurized aircrew spaces for these design altitudes?
-- Alan
LAZARUS!

In regards to cabin pressurization:

Kawasaki Ki-108 (built off of Ki-102 airframe)
Tachikawa Ki-74
Tachikawa Ki-77 (sorta..)

**Neither B-17's nor B-24's were pressurized. They used oxygen and electrically heated clothes...just sayin'

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Cantankerous
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Re: Fugaku bomber

#6

Post by Cantankerous » 26 Jul 2020, 02:34

Peter H wrote:
12 Apr 2009, 04:41
http://www.daveswarbirds.com/Nippon/aircraft/G10N1.htm
In April 1943, as a private venture, Nakajima initiated studies for an aircraft (Project Z) capable of carrying out bombing operations against the US mainland from bases in Japan. Later during that year these studies served as the basis for a joint Navy-Army project, which initially was intended to be powered by six 5,000 hp Nakajima Ha-505 thirty-six cylinder radials. However, because of expected late availability of these powerplants, the design was scaled down to use six 2,500 hp Nakajima NK11A radials. In this form the G10N1 Fugaku (Mount Fugi) was designed to cruise at altitudes in excess of 32,810 ft (10,000 m) and to reach a top speed of 423 mph (680 km/h). It remained in development at war's end and never saw operational service.
Link here as well:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=27576


From: http://rareaircraf1.greyfalcon.us/JAPAN.htm
If anyone is aware, the Fugaku was never given an IJN designation, contrary to some books on WW2 Japanese aviation, as noted by Edward Dyer in his Japanese Secret Projects volumes.

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Cantankerous
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Re: Fugaku bomber

#7

Post by Cantankerous » 26 Jul 2020, 03:44

There's a 17-year old thread about the Fugaku at this link: viewtopic.php?t=27576.

Would someone be willing to merge these two threads?

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Cantankerous
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Re: Fugaku bomber

#8

Post by Cantankerous » 07 Aug 2020, 02:04

Sewer King wrote:
13 Apr 2009, 04:23
The G10N1 design seems closer in some ways to the American B-36 than to the B-29.

In any case, did Nakajima or any other firm begin study of pressurized aircrew spaces for these design altitudes?

It would seem that hangars and runways to accommodate the G10N1 would also have needed to be factored in, even in the early design stages.

-- Alan
Kawasaki's Ki-91 long-range bomber project had a pressurized cabin like that of the Boeing B-29 and Consolidated B-32, making it optimal to fly as high as 44,300 feet to avoid interception by American fighter planes.

Given the huge size of the Fugaku, the Nakajima company decided to build a hangar in Mita, Tokyo, for the Fugaku.

Dyer, Edwin M. III (2009). Japanese Secret Projects:Experimental aircraft of the IJA and IJN 1939–1945 (1st ed.). Hinkley: Midland publishing. pp. 14–16. ISBN 978-1-85780-317-4.

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