Nakajima C6N Saiun / MYRT

Early experience in the Pacific war showing the need for a long-range carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft, Nakajima was instructed in early 1942 to develop an aircraft to meet this Imperial Japanese Navy requirement. It resulted in an airframe similar to that of the company's B6N, the fuselage incorporating camera ports and observation windows, with power provided by a 1358kW Nakajima Homare 11 radial engine. The first prototype flew on 15 May 1943, its performance being disappointing with the Homare 11 engine, and 18 more prototype/pre-series aircraft followed, some with the more powerful Homare 21 engine, before the type was ordered into production in early 1944 as the Navy Carrier Reconnaissance Plane Saiun (Nakajima C6N1). Allocated the Allied codename 'Myrt' when it entered service in the summer of 1944, the Saiun (painted cloud) was fast enough to enjoy almost complete immunity from interception by Allied fighters. A total of 463 had been built' when production ended in August 1945, the total including a small number of C6N1-S two-seat night-fighter conversions from C6N1 aircraft, and one C6N2 prototype with a 1476kW Homare turbocharged engine.

3-View

A three-view drawing (752 x 1113)