Micubiši Ki 21-Ia [Sally]

Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ia Ko
- / - / Sally
九七式重型爆击机 / Kyūnana-shiki jūbakugekiki / army heavy bomber type 97 model 1A

History:
Development of the aircraft Mitsubishi Ki-21 begins in 1936 when they were issued a new specification for a fighter aircraft. In December have been completed two prototypes, which themselves differed hřbetním střelišti (see sketch 1. and 2.). In November of 1937 it launched the serial production engines are now Ha-5 Kai with a higher power (965/1095 horses). Version of the Ki-21-Ib Otsú should be in the arsenal of the 5x moveable machine gun 7.7 mm - one was at the end of the fuselage in a remote-controlled střelišti. this variant was made of 120 pcs and should also have the self-locking of the fuel tank. The last of the "jedničkovou" version was the Ki-21-Ic, all of the had yet another side-gun, in the bomb bay 500 liter drop tank and external racks for 4x 50 kg bombs. Produced by the end of 1940.
, the Operational deployment: already the first aircraft Ki-21-I went into the arms of the Sentaií in China one of them was a 60.Sentai, which is got as the first. Initially, on this battlefield, not competition and good elements of passive safety, there was also the high speed. On this battlefield, too, will soon shift the Fiat BR 20, that the japanese pilots downright sit down.


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A sketch of the Mitcubishi Ki-21-Ia - turret is "moved" forward, the engines are Ha-5 KAI had changed the bow, and disappeared promotion.
Armament remains as for the prototypes in terms of number, distribution and types of the same..

A sketch of the Ki-21-Ib Otsú - to increase the defence capabilities are complemented by a further two machine guns vz.89 caliber 7.7 mm. Deployment:
1. bow
2. at the end of the greenhouse
3. in the glazing under the fuselage
4. in the fuselage in the side window at the level of the trailing edge of the wing
5. the remote-controlled turret at the end of the fuselage (handled by the shooter from the greenhouse) of the turret I saw in the photographs always covered and sealed, I do not know how many rounds had back the gun. (see the description of the gun).

The photo version of the Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ia.

[source:aaaaaa]source:
www.ww2incolor.com].

The view from the side.