Geregistreerd: wo 27 feb, 2013 0:08 am Berichten: 2474
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Na een speurtocht tussen de kleine doosjes sprong deze in het oog: Research bij wikipedia: The Kawanishi E15K Shiun (紫雲, "Violet Cloud") was a single-engined Japanese reconnaissance floatplane of World War II. The Allied reporting name for the type was "Norm" after Squadron Leader Norman O. Clappison of the RAAF, a member of the Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit (ATAIU).
Design and development
In 1939 the Imperial Japanese Navy instructed the Kawanishi Aircraft Company to develop a two-seat high-speed reconnaissance floatplane, which was required to have sufficient performance to escape interception by land based fighters. It was planned to equip a new class of cruisers, intended to act as a flagship for groups of submarines, operating six of the new floatplanes to find targets. The first of the new cruisers, Ōyodo was also ordered in 1939.
Kawanishi designed a single-engined low-wing monoplane, powered by a 1,460 hp (1,090 kW) Mitsubishi MK4D Kasei 14 14-cylinder radial driving two Contra-rotating two-bladed propellers, the first installation of contra-rotating propellers produced in Japan, while a laminar flow airfoil section was chosen to reduce drag. It had a single main float under the fuselage and two stabilising floats under the wing. The stabilising floats were designed to retract into the wing, while the central float was designed to be jettisoned in case of emergency, giving a sufficient increase in speed (estimated as approximately 50 knots (90 km/h) to escape enemy fighters.
The first prototype of Kawanishi's design, designated E15K1 in the Navy's short designation system made its maiden flight on 5 December 1941. Five more prototypes followed during 1941-42. Problems were encountered with the retractable stabilising floats, resulting in several accidents when the floats could not be lowered for landing, and the system was eventually abandoned, with the stabilising floats being fixed, and a more powerful Mitsubishi MK4S Kasei 24 engine fitted to compensate for the increased drag.
Operational history
Despite these problems, the E15K1 was ordered into limited production as the Navy Type 2 High-speed Reconnaissance Seaplane Shiun Model 11. Six were sent to Palau in the South Pacific, but these were quickly shot down by Allied fighters, as the jettisonable float failed to separate on demand (although subjected to wind tunnel testing, the float separation system had never been tested on the actual aircraft). This resulted in the cancellation of production in February 1944, with only 15 Shiuns completed, including the six prototype.
Performance
Maximum speed: 468 km/h Cruise speed: 296 km/h Range: 3,373 km Service ceiling: 9,836 m (32,270 ft) Komt deze in aanmerking voor deze groepsbouw? Jazeker! Verder onderzoek over de Japanese cruiser Oyodo (tewaterlating op 02/04/1942, gezonken na bombardement 28/07/1945) oa. bij Wiki: the Ōyodo class was to operate up to six of the upcoming Kawanishi E15K1 Shiun floatplanes; The E15K1 Shiun floatplane (Allied codename "Norm") was intended to perform reconnaissance for the submarine flotilla in areas where the enemy had air superiority, and hence was to be able to take on land-based fighters. To achieve this, the plane was designed with two underwing stabilizing floats that could be retracted, and a large central float that could be jettisoned, to increase performance during combat. However, while incorporating this and several other innovations, the plane never really worked as designed and its troubled development resulted in only four aircraft entering service by 1942, and only fifteen were completed in total. Six were sent to Palau where Ōyodo was operating for operational testing. Despite a more powerful engine, the performance of the E15K1's (being about 500 kg heavier than the more common Aichi E13A1 "Jake") was poor and they were quickly lost to attacking fighters. As a result production of the aircraft, which had barely begun, was stopped and the entire E15K1 program shelved in early 1944. Ōyodo hence never operated more than two aircraft, particularly after her refit later in which her large hangar was converted to other uses.Genoeg intro, nu het doosje dat volgens Scalemates uit de jaren '70 stamt: netjes ingepakt: één velletje papier: decals (OK?), tube met smurrie en clearparts: sprues: Benieuwd hoe dit zal lopen... (De naam op de doos is al foutief!) Gr T
Laatst bijgewerkt door Lt D op do 13 feb, 2014 22:39 pm, in totaal 2 keer bewerkt.
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