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Mitsubishi Ki-83

The Mitsubishi Ki-83 was a Japanese experimental long range heavy fighter designed near the end of World War II.

It did not reach production status.

The Mitsubishi Ki-83 was designed as a long-range heavy fighter.

It was designed and built by a team led by Tomio Kubo, designer of the highly successful Mitsubishi Ki-46.

The design was a response to a 1943 specification for a new heavy fighter with great range.

The first of four prototypes flew on 18 November 1944.

The machines displayed remarkable manoeuvrability for aircraft of their size, being able to execute a 671 m (2,200 ft) diameter loop in just 31 seconds at a speed of over 644 km/h (400 mph).

The Ki-83 carried a powerful armament of two 30 mm (1.18 in) and two 20 mm cannon in its nose.

Despite the bomb-ravaged Japanese manufacturing sector, plans for the Ki-83 to enter production were underway when Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945.

Both the existence and performance of the Ki-83 were little known during the war, even in Japan.

It was completely unknown in Allied military aviation circles as demonstrated by the fact that the Ki-83 had not been given a reporting name.

Most early photographs of the type were taken during the post-war occupation of Japan, when the four prototypes were seized by the United States Army Air Forces and repainted with USAAF insignia.

When they were evaluated by U.S. aeronautical engineers and other experts, a Ki-83 using high-octane fuel reached a speed of 762 km/h (473 mph), at an altitude of 7,000 metres (23,000 ft).

Variants

Ki-83

Experimental long-range heavy fighter, four prototypes built.

Ki-95

Projected reconnaissance version, none built.

Ki-103

Projected development, none built.

Specifications

Crew

2

Length

12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)

Wingspan

15.5 m (50 ft 10 in)

Height

4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)

Wing area

33.5 m2 (361 sq ft)

Empty weight

5,980 kg (13,184 lb)

Gross weight

8,795 kg (19,390 lb)

Max take-off weight

9,430 kg (20,790 lb)

Powerplant

2 × Mitsubishi Ha-43 Ru (Ha211),

18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines,

1,600 kW (2,200 hp) each for take-off

1,544 kW (2,070 hp) at 1,000 m (3,281 ft)

1,439 kW (1,930 hp) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

&

6,400 m (20,997 ft)

1,283 kW (1,720 hp) at 9,500 m (31,168 ft)

Propellers

4-bladed constant-speed propellers

Performance

Maximum speed

704.5 km/h (437.8 mph, 380.4 kn) at 9,000 m (29,528 ft)

655 km/h (407 mph; 354 kn) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

Cruise speed

450 km/h (280 mph, 240 kn) at 4,000 m (13,123 ft)

Range

1,953 km (1,214 mi, 1,055 nmi)

Ferry range

3,500 km (2,200 mi, 1,900 nmi)

Service ceiling

12,660 m (41,540 ft)

Time to altitude

10,000 m (32,808 ft) in 10 minutes

Wing loading

263 kg/m2 (54 lb/sq ft)

Power/mass

0.35 kW/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns

2 × 30 mm Ho-155 cannon (60 rpg )

&

2 × 20 mm Ho-5 cannon (160 rpg ) cannon mounted in the fuselage nose.

 

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