Warplanes of Japan: Nakajima C6N1 Saiun

Nakajima C6N1 Saiun

(IJNAF Photo)

Nakajima C6N1 Saiun night-fighter variant 30 mm cannon installed type, June 1945, Atsugi Naval Air Base.

The Nakajima C6N Saiun (彩雲, "Iridescent Cloud") is a carrier-based reconnaissanceaircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in the Second WorldWar. Advanced for its time, it was the fastest carrier-based aircraft put intoservice by Japan during the war. The Allied reporting name was Myrt.

The C6N originated from a 1942 Imperial Japanese Navy specification for acarrier-based reconnaissance plane with a top speed of 350 knots (650 km/h) at6,000 m and range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,960 km).[1] Nakajima's initial proposal,designated N-50, was for a craft with two 1,000 hp (750 kW) engines housed in tandem in the fuselage, driving two propellers mounted on the wings. With the development of the 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) class Nakajima Homare engine, the dualpowerplant configuration was abandoned and Nakajima decided on a more conventional single-engine layout. Unfortunately the new Homare's power outputwas less than expected, and the design had to be optimized in other areas. The resulting aircraft was designed around a long and extremely narrow cylindricalfuselage just large enough in diameter to accommodate the engine. The crew ofthree sat in tandem under a single canopy, while equipment was similarlyarranged in a line along the fuselage. The C6N's low-mounted laminar flow winghoused fuel tanks and was fitted with both Fowler and slit flaps and leading-edge slats which lowered the aircraft's landing speed to ease useaboard aircraft carriers. Like Nakajima's earlier B6N Tenzan torpedo bomber,the vertical stabilizer was angled slightly forward to enable tighter packingon aircraft carrier decks.

The C6N's first flight was on 15 May 1943, with the prototype demonstrating aspeed of 639 km/h (345 kn; 397 mph). Performance of the Homare engine wasdisappointing, especially its power at altitude, and a series of 18 further prototypes and pre-production aircraft were built before the Saiun was finally ordered into production in February 1944.

Although designed for carrier use, by the time it entered service in September1944 there were few carriers left for it to operate from, so most C6Ns were flown from land bases. Its speed was exemplified by a telegraph sent after a successful mission: "No Grummans can catch us." ("我に追いつくグラマンなし"). The top speed of the Hellcat was indeed of the same level, so overtaking a Saiun was out of the question.

A total of 463 aircraft were produced. A single prototype of a turbocharged development mounting a 4-blade propeller was built; this was called the C6N2Saiun-kai. Several examples of a night fighter version C6N1-S withoblique-firing (Schräge Musik configuration) single 30 mm (or dual 20 mm) cannon were converted from existing C6N1s. As Allied bombers came within reachof the Japanese home islands, a first class night fighter was required. This led Nakajima to develop the C6N1-S by removing the observer and replacing himwith two 20 mm cannons. The C6N1-S's effectiveness was hampered by the lack ofair-to-air radar, although it was fast enough to enjoy almost complete immunity from interception by Allied fighters. A torpedo carrying C6N1-B was also proposed, but was not needed after most of Japan's aircraft carriers were destroyed.

Despite its speed and performance, on 15 August 1945 a C6N1 happened to be the last aircraft to be shot down in the Second World War. Just five minutes later,the war was over and all Japanese aircraft were grounded. (Wikipedia)

(IJNAF Photo)

Nakajima C6N1 Saiun (Iridescent Cloud) carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, codenamed "Myrt".  Advanced for its time, it was the fastest carrier-based aircraft put into service by Japan during the war.

(USAAF Photos)

Nakajima C6N1 Saiun (Iridescent Cloud) carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, codenamed "Myrt".  At least four Nakajima C6N Saiun came to the USA, (Serial No. 4161), USAAF FE-4803 is currently stored with the NASM, FE-4804 was scrapped at Wright Field, FE-4808 was scrapped at Newark, and FE-4809 was scrapped at Middletown.

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