By 1926, the Imperial Japanese Navy's Mitsubishi 1MF fighters (also known as Type 10 Carrier Fighters) were in need of replacement and so it asked three of the leading Japanese aircraft manufacturers, Nakajima, Mitsubishi and Aichi for proposals for a new carrier-based fighter.[1]
Nakajima purchased a licence from the British Gloster Aircraft Company for production of the Gloster Gambet. It was a private venture design for a carrier-based derivative of their earlier Gloster Gamecock fighter. The prototype Gambet was built by Gloster and first flew on 12 December 1927.[2]
The prototype Gambet was shipped to Japan early in 1928. After modifications were made and it was fitted with a Nakajima-built Bristol Jupiter engine, the Gambet was evaluated by the Japanese navy against competitors from Aichi and Mitsubishi. It proved to be more manoeuvrable while still being a stable gun platform[1] and was selected in April 1929 for production as the Navy Type 3 Carrier Fighter, with the short designation A1N1.[3] 50 A1N1s were built.
The A1N2 used the 336 kW (450 hp) Nakajima Kotobuki 2 engine, and was introduced in 1930. Production of approximately 100 was completed by 1932.
Designedit
The Gambet was a single-seat, single-bay biplane, of all-wooden construction and powered by an air-cooled Bristol Jupiterradial engine. While similar to the Gamecock, it was fitted with longer-span wings, internal flotation bags and arrestor hooks for carrier operations.
Operational historyedit
The A1N1 entered service in 1929, replacing the Mitsubishi 1-MF. It served on the carriers Hōshō, Akagi, Kaga and Ryūjō.[4] The improved A1N2 entered service in 1930, with production continuing until 1932.[1]
The A1N flew from the carriers Hōshō and Kaga during the Shanghai Incident in 1932 between Japan and China. A1Ns from Kaga scored the Imperial Japanese Navy's first air-to-air combat victory on 22 February 1932 when they shot down a Boeing P-12 (specifically a Model 218, Prototype of the P-12E/F4B-3 variant, after evaluation sold to the Chinese Air Force.) flown by the American volunteer pilot Robert Short.[4] A 15-aircraft formation composed of Mitsubishi B1Ms with A1N escorts attacked Qiaosi Airbase in Hangzhou on 26 February 1932, engaging Chinese fighters in a dogfight, shooting down at least one Junkers K 47.[5]
A1Ns continued in service until 1935,[6] being replaced in service by the Nakajima A2N or Navy Type 90 Carrier Fighter.
Variantsedit
Gloster Gambet
Prototype carrier-based fighter designed and built by Gloster Aircraft Company in the United Kingdom. Powered by one 313 kW (420 hp) Bristol Jupiter VI radial engine, one built.
Nakajima A1N1
Initial licensed production version. Powered by Nakajima built Jupiter VI engine, 50 built between 1928 and 1930.
Nakajima A1N2
Improved production version, powered by 336 kW (450 hp) Nakajima Kotobuki 2 engine. Approximately 100 built between 1930 and 1932.
^Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. ISBN1-85605-375-X.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nakajima A1N.
A1N profiles
January 01, 1970
nakajima, navy, type, carrier, fighter, japanese, carrier, based, fighter, late, 1920s, early, 1930s, licensed, copy, british, gloster, gambet, fighter, built, nakajima, aircraft, company, imperial, japanese, navy, approximately, were, built, versions, a1n1, a. The Nakajima A1N or Navy Type 3 Carrier Fighter was a Japanese carrier based fighter of the late 1920s and early 1930s It was a licensed copy of the British Gloster Gambet fighter built by the Nakajima Aircraft Company for the Imperial Japanese Navy Approximately 150 were built in two versions the A1N1 and A1N2 A1N Role Fighter Manufacturer Nakajima Designer H P Folland Gloster Aircraft Company First flight 12 December 1927 Introduction 1929 Retired 1935 Primary user IJN Air Service Number built 151 Developed from Gloster Gambet Contents 1 Development 2 Design 3 Operational history 4 Variants 5 Operators 6 Specifications A1N2 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksDevelopment editBy 1926 the Imperial Japanese Navy s Mitsubishi 1MF fighters also known as Type 10 Carrier Fighters were in need of replacement and so it asked three of the leading Japanese aircraft manufacturers Nakajima Mitsubishi and Aichi for proposals for a new carrier based fighter 1 Nakajima purchased a licence from the British Gloster Aircraft Company for production of the Gloster Gambet It was a private venture design for a carrier based derivative of their earlier Gloster Gamecock fighter The prototype Gambet was built by Gloster and first flew on 12 December 1927 2 The prototype Gambet was shipped to Japan early in 1928 After modifications were made and it was fitted with a Nakajima built Bristol Jupiter engine the Gambet was evaluated by the Japanese navy against competitors from Aichi and Mitsubishi It proved to be more manoeuvrable while still being a stable gun platform 1 and was selected in April 1929 for production as the Navy Type 3 Carrier Fighter with the short designation A1N1 3 50 A1N1s were built The A1N2 used the 336 kW 450 hp Nakajima Kotobuki 2 engine and was introduced in 1930 Production of approximately 100 was completed by 1932 Design editThe Gambet was a single seat single bay biplane of all wooden construction and powered by an air cooled Bristol Jupiter radial engine While similar to the Gamecock it was fitted with longer span wings internal flotation bags and arrestor hooks for carrier operations Operational history editThe A1N1 entered service in 1929 replacing the Mitsubishi 1 MF It served on the carriers Hōshō Akagi Kaga and Ryujō 4 The improved A1N2 entered service in 1930 with production continuing until 1932 1 The A1N flew from the carriers Hōshō and Kaga during the Shanghai Incident in 1932 between Japan and China A1Ns from Kaga scored the Imperial Japanese Navy s first air to air combat victory on 22 February 1932 when they shot down a Boeing P 12 specifically a Model 218 Prototype of the P 12E F4B 3 variant after evaluation sold to the Chinese Air Force flown by the American volunteer pilot Robert Short 4 A 15 aircraft formation composed of Mitsubishi B1Ms with A1N escorts attacked Qiaosi Airbase in Hangzhou on 26 February 1932 engaging Chinese fighters in a dogfight shooting down at least one Junkers K 47 5 A1Ns continued in service until 1935 6 being replaced in service by the Nakajima A2N or Navy Type 90 Carrier Fighter Variants editGloster Gambet Prototype carrier based fighter designed and built by Gloster Aircraft Company in the United Kingdom Powered by one 313 kW 420 hp Bristol Jupiter VI radial engine one built Nakajima A1N1 Initial licensed production version Powered by Nakajima built Jupiter VI engine 50 built between 1928 and 1930 Nakajima A1N2 Improved production version powered by 336 kW 450 hp Nakajima Kotobuki 2 engine Approximately 100 built between 1930 and 1932 Operators edit nbsp Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air ServiceSpecifications A1N2 edit nbsp Gloster Gambet 3 view drawing from NACA Aircraft Circular No 48 Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910 1941 1 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 6 5 m 21 ft 4 in Wingspan 9 7 m 31 ft 10 in Height 3 3 m 10 ft 10 in Wing area 26 3 m2 283 sq ft Empty weight 882 kg 1 944 lb Max takeoff weight 1 375 kg 3 031 lb Powerplant 1 Nakajima Kotobuki 2 9 cylinder air cooled radial piston engine 336 kW 451 hp Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch wooden propeller Performance Maximum speed 241 km h 150 mph 130 kn Cruise speed 148 km h 92 mph 80 kn Range 370 km 230 mi 200 nmi Service ceiling 7 000 m 23 000 ft Time to altitude 3 000 m 9 800 ft in 6 minutes 10 seconds Wing loading 3 05 kg m2 0 62 lb sq ft Power mass 0 24 kW kg 0 hp lb Armament Guns 2 fixed forward firing 7 7 mm 303 in machine guns Bombs 2 30 kg 66 lb bombsSee also editRelated development Gloster GamecockReferences edit a b c d Mikesh Robert C Abe Shorzoe 1990 Japanese Aircraft 1910 1941 London Putnam Aeronautical Books ISBN 0 85177 840 2 Mason Francis K 1992 The British Fighter since 1912 Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 082 7 Green W Swanborough G 1994 The Complete Book of Fighters Smithmark ISBN 0 8317 3939 8 a b Nakajima A1N Type 3 Hakans Aviation page Nakajima A1N Type 3 Retrieved 2007 07 10 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check url value help 澎湃号 媒体 2020 09 03 从陈应明航空画中忆英雄风采 抗战胜利75周年 我们从未忘记 ThePaper cn 容克斯K 47首战上海 1932年 1 28 事变爆发后 中国派出9架各型军机调往上海虹桥机场增援 并与当日与日本发生空战 但战斗双方都无损失 2月26日集中在杭州附近乔司机场待命的我国25架战机突遭日军 中岛 3式战斗机和 中岛 13式攻击机组成的15机编队偷袭 第2队队长石邦藩 射击手沈延世驾驶P 7号容克斯K 47双座战斗机率先起飞应敌 淞沪之战以来最激烈的一场空战由此展开 Donald David ed 1997 The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Aerospace Publishing ISBN 1 85605 375 X External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nakajima A1N A1N profiles Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nakajima A1N amp oldid 1186204047, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
