Aichi S1A
{{Short description|Japanese night fighter prototype}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
|name = S1A Denko |image = File:S1A_prototype_under_development.jpg |caption = Wooden mock-up of the Denko being built. }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type = Night fighter |manufacturer = Aichi Kokuki KK |national origin= Japan |designer = |first flight = |introduced = |retired = |status = |primary user = Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |more users = |produced = |number built = 2 prototypes (incomplete) |unit cost = |variants with their own articles = |developed into = }} |
The {{nihongo|Aichi S1A Denko|電光||Bolt of Light}} was a Japanese night fighter, intended to replace the Nakajima J1N1-S Gekkou (Allied code name Irving). Like the Gekkou, it was to be equipped with radar to counter the B-29 air raids over Japan. Development time for the S1A increased while trying to overcome design shortcomings, such as the insufficient power of the Navy's requested Nakajima Homare engines, resulting in no aircraft being completed before the war ended.
Design and development
The Denko's service weight exceeded ten-thousand kilograms because the aircraft was full of special equipment, including oxygen injection, but the turbocharger's remote location from the engine caused many problems. Because the initial prototypes' engines did not pass Navy standards, only two aircraft were ever manufactured. Two more had been planned before cancellation that would have used the more powerful Mitsubishi HI MK9A Ru or MK10A Ru engines.
Additionally, the Tōnankai earthquake occurred in December 1944 with the aircraft factories and prototypes badly damaged as a result. On 9 June 1945, the airstrikes on Aichi Kokuki and Aichi Tokei Denki Seizo Co., Ltd blew up the S1A first prototype and forced movement of the second to the Gifu large Sadakazu factory to be assembled, but, on 9 July, another airstrike destroyed the second prototype. To date, the Aichi S1A is still the most massive fighter developed in Japan's naval history.
Specifications (S1A1 Denko)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Japanese Aircraft of the pacific WarFrancillon 1979, p. 296.
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew= 2
|capacity=
|length m= 15.1
|length ft= 49
|length in= 6.5
|length note=
|span m= 17.5
|span ft= 57
|span in= 5
|span note=
|swept m=
|swept ft=
|swept in=
|swept note=
|dia m=
|dia ft=
|dia in=
|dia note=
|width m=
|width ft=
|width in=
|width note=
|height m= 4.61
|height ft= 15
|height in= 1.5
|height note=
|wing area sqm= 47.0
|wing area sqft= 505.902
|wing area note=
|swept area sqm=
|swept area sqft=
|swept area note=
|volume m3=
|volume ft3=
|volume note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg= 7,320
|empty weight lb= 16,138
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg= 10,180
|gross weight lb= 22,443
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg= 11,510
|max takeoff weight lb= 25,375
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|lift kg=
|lift lb=
|lift note=
|more general=
|eng1 number= 2
|eng1 name= Nakajima NK9K-S
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp= 2000
|eng1 shp=
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note= at take-off
|power original=
|thrust original=
|eng1 kn-ab=
|eng1 lbf-ab=
|more power=
|eng2 number=
|eng2 name=
|eng2 type=
|eng2 kw=
|eng2 hp=
|eng2 kn=
|eng2 lbf=
|eng2 note=
|prop blade number= 4
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh= 580
|max speed mph= 360
|max speed kts= 318
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh= 440
|cruise speed mph= 273
|cruise speed kts= 240
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km= 1,697
|range miles= 1,054
|range nmi= 916
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km= 2,500
|ferry range miles= 1,553
|ferry range nmi= 1,373
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m= 12,000
|ceiling ft= 39,370
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2= 126.6
|wing loading lb/sqft= 44.4
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|guns=
- 2× fuselage-mounted forward-firing 30mm Type 5 cannon
- 2× fuselage-mounted forward-firing 20mm Type 99 model 1 cannon
- 2× dorsal turret-mounted 20mm Type 99 model 2 cannon
|bombs=
|rockets=
|missiles=
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=
|avionics=
}}
See also
{{aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
|see also=
}}
References
;Notes
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
- Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. {{ISBN|0-370-30251-6}}.
{{refend}}
External links
- {{cite web |url=http://www.daveswarbirds.com/Nippon/aircraft/Denko.htm |title=Aichi S1A Denko |access-date=14 September 2010 |publisher=daveswarbirds.com |work=Japanese Aircraft of World War II}}
- {{cite web |author=Joao Paulo Julião Matsuura |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/s1a.htm|title=Aichi S1A Denko (Bolt of Light)|access-date=14 September 2010 |publisher=combinedfleet.com|work=WWII Imperial Japanese Naval Aviation Page|year=1997}}
{{Aichi Aircraft}}
{{Japanese Navy short aircraft designations}}
{{Imperial Japanese Navy official aircraft names}}