Kawasaki Ki48-II Lily
Unit: 208the Light Bomber Air Combat Regiment, 3rd Company, New Guinea, April 1944
Designated a light bomber by the Japanese, the Ki.48 was Japan’s answer to the Russian SB-2 bombers encountered in China, which had proven almost as fast as the Ki-27 "Nates" sent to intercept them. Kawasaki received the specification in December 1937 and a team led by Doi Takeo based the design on lessons learned from the Ki.45 "Nick". The Ki.48 prototype was completed July 1939. After modifications to reduce tail flutter, the first production aircraft began rolling out of the factory in July 1940. "Lily" saw its first operational use in north China, where it encountered almost no fighter opposition.
The Ki.48-I was definitely obsolete by the start of the Pacific War, being slow and lacking adequate defensive armament, armor, and self-sealing fuel tanks.
An improved version, the Ki.48-II, was developed in late 1941. It had more powerful engines using two-stage blowers for better high altitude performance, armor protection to both fuel tanks and crew. Externally, it was almost identical to the earlier Ki.48-I with the only visual difference being the larger air scoop on the cowling top and a smaller air scoop at the cowling bottom.
The prototypes first flew in February 1942. But the improvements were not enough to eliminate its vulnerability to Allied fighters. It nonetheless became the most important Army light bomber in the Southwest Pacific. It was Japan's third most produced bomber and continued in service through the end of the war.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, VC, paint textures, aircraft flight files, and .dp
Wolfi: Crew figures
Allen: Japanese bombs (included in zip file)
Lawdog2360: Sound
Gauges by: ACWai, Mopar Mike, FDG2 and Microsoft
Unit: 208the Light Bomber Air Combat Regiment, 3rd Company, New Guinea, April 1944
Designated a light bomber by the Japanese, the Ki.48 was Japan’s answer to the Russian SB-2 bombers encountered in China, which had proven almost as fast as the Ki-27 "Nates" sent to intercept them. Kawasaki received the specification in December 1937 and a team led by Doi Takeo based the design on lessons learned from the Ki.45 "Nick". The Ki.48 prototype was completed July 1939. After modifications to reduce tail flutter, the first production aircraft began rolling out of the factory in July 1940. "Lily" saw its first operational use in north China, where it encountered almost no fighter opposition.
The Ki.48-I was definitely obsolete by the start of the Pacific War, being slow and lacking adequate defensive armament, armor, and self-sealing fuel tanks.
An improved version, the Ki.48-II, was developed in late 1941. It had more powerful engines using two-stage blowers for better high altitude performance, armor protection to both fuel tanks and crew. Externally, it was almost identical to the earlier Ki.48-I with the only visual difference being the larger air scoop on the cowling top and a smaller air scoop at the cowling bottom.
The prototypes first flew in February 1942. But the improvements were not enough to eliminate its vulnerability to Allied fighters. It nonetheless became the most important Army light bomber in the Southwest Pacific. It was Japan's third most produced bomber and continued in service through the end of the war.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, VC, paint textures, aircraft flight files, and .dp
Wolfi: Crew figures
Allen: Japanese bombs (included in zip file)
Lawdog2360: Sound
Gauges by: ACWai, Mopar Mike, FDG2 and Microsoft
