Nakajima G8N

1944 bomber aircraft family by Nakajima

G8N Renzan

Role  | Heavy bomber

Type of aircraft

National origin | Japan
Manufacturer  | Nakajima Aircraft Company
First flight  | 23 October 1944
Introduction  | 1945
Retired  | August 1945
Primary user  | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Number built | 4

The Nakajima G8N Renzan (連山, "Mountain Range") was a four-engine long-range bomber designed for use by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Navy designation was "Type 18 land-based attack aircraft" (十八試陸上攻撃機); the Allied code name was "Rita".

## Contents

* 1 Design and development
* 2 Operational history
* 3 Variants
* 4 Operators
* 5 Specifications (G8N1)
* 6 See also
* 7 References

## Design and development[edit]

In February 1943 the Imperial Navy staff asked Nakajima Aircraft Company to design a four-engined bomber, capable of meeting an earlier specification set for a long-range land-based attack plane. The final specification, issued on 14 September 1943, called for a plane with a maximum speed of 320 knots (590 km/h; 370 mph) able to carry a 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) bomb-load 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) or a reduced bomb-load 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi).[1]

Nakajima's design featured a mid-mounted wing of small area and high aspect ratio, a tricycle landing gear and a large single-fin rudder. Power came from four 2,000 hp Nakajima NK9K-L "Homare" 24 radial engines with Hitachi 92 turbosuperchargers and driving four-bladed propellers. The engines were cooled by counter-rotating fans positioned just inside the engine cowlings.[1] Defensive armament included power-operated nose, dorsal, ventral and tail turrets along with two free-swiveling machine guns at the beam positions.[2]

## Operational history[edit]

A captured G8N painted in United States Army Air Forces markings with a C-45 and T-6

The initial prototype was completed in October 1944 and delivered to the Navy for testing in January 1945, a year after the Navy ordered development to start. Three further examples were completed by June 1945, with the third prototype being destroyed on the ground by US carrier aircraft.[2]

Other than minor problems with the turbosuperchargers, the Renzan performed satisfactorily and the Navy hoped to have a total of 16 prototypes and 48 production-version G8N1s assembled by September 1945. But the worsening war situation and a critical shortage of light aluminium alloys led to the project's cancellation in June.[2]

One proposed variant was the G8N2 Renzan-Kai Model 22, powered by four 2,200 hp Mitsubishi MK9A radial engines and modified to accept attachment of the air-launched Ohka Type 33 Special Attack Bomber.[2]

Just before Japan's surrender in August 1945 consideration was also briefly given to producing an all-steel version of the aircraft, to be designated G8N3 Renzan-Kai Model 23, but the cessation of hostilities precluded any further development.[2]

After the war, one prototype was taken to the United States[3][4] and scrapped after testing. None are in existence today.

## Variants[edit]

* G8N1 : Four-engine heavy bomber. Production version.
* G8N2 : Modified to carry Ohka Type 33 Special Attack Bomber. Four Mitsubishi MK9A radial engines.
* G8N3 : All-steel airframe.

## Operators[edit]

Japan

* Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

## Specifications (G8N1)[edit]

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[2]

General characteristics

* Crew: 10
* Length: 22.935 m (75 ft 3 in)
* Wingspan: 32.54 m (106 ft 9 in)
* Height: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
* Wing area: 112 m2 (1,210 sq ft)
* Airfoil: root: K251; tip: K159[5]
* Empty weight: 17,400 kg (38,360 lb)
* Gross weight: 26,800 kg (59,084 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 32,150 kg (70,879 lb)
* Powerplant: 4 × Nakajima NK9K-L Homare 24 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) each for take-off

1,380 kW (1,850 hp) at 8,000 m (26,247 ft)

* Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed metal propellers

Performance

* Maximum speed: 593 km/h (368 mph, 320 kn) at 8,000 m (26,247 ft)
* Cruise speed: 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn) at 4,000 m (13,123 ft)
* Range: 3,945 km (2,451 mi, 2,130 nmi)
* Ferry range: 7,464 km (4,638 mi, 4,030 nmi)
* Service ceiling: 10,200 m (33,500 ft)
* Time to altitude: 8,000 m (26,247 ft) in 17 minutes 34 seconds
* Wing loading: 239.3 kg/m2 (49.0 lb/sq ft)
* Power/mass: 0.2191 kW/kg (0.1333 hp/lb)

Armament

* Guns:

* 6× 20 mm Type 99 cannon \- 2 each in the dorsal, ventral, and tail turrets
* 2× 13 mm (.51 in) Type 2 machine guns in nose turret
* 2× 13 mm (.51 in) Type 2 machine gun in fuselage sides
* Bombs:

* 2x 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) bombs - maximum
* 4x 250 kg (551 lb) bombs - normal

## See also[edit]

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

* Avro Lincoln
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress
* Consolidated B-32 Dominator
* Focke-Wulf Fw 191C
* Heinkel He 177B
* Junkers Ju 290
* Martin XB-33A Super Marauder
* Petlyakov Pe-8

## References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nakajima G8N Renzan.

Notes

1. ^ a b Francillon 1979, p. 440.
2. ^ a b c d e f Francillon 1979, p. 441.
3. ^ Thorpe 1977, p. 27.
4. ^ A G8N "Rita" in the USA via http://www.ww2incolor.com
5. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography

* Collier, Basil. Japanese Aircraft of World War II. New York: Mayflower Books, 1979. ISBN 0-8317-5137-1.
* Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
* Thorpe, Donald W. (1977). Japanese Naval Air Force Camouflage and Markings World War II. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-8168-6583-3.
* Unknown authors. Famous Airplanes of the World: Nakajima Shinzan / Renzan (Volume 11, no.146). Japan: Bunrin-Do, Nov. 1984.

* v
* t
* e

Nakajima aircraft

Imperial Japanese Navy types|

| Carrier fighters|

* A1N
* A2N
* A3N
* A4N

|

Carrier Torpedo Bombers|

* B3N
* B4N
* B5N
* B6N

Reconnaissance aircraft|

* C2N
* C3N
* C6N

Dive bombers|

* D3N

Reconnaissance floatplanes|

* E2N
* E4N
* E8N

Land-based Attack Bombers|

* G5N
* G8N
* G10N

Interceptors|

* J1N
* J5N
* Nakajima Kikka

Transports|

* L1N

Floatplane fighter|

* A6M2-N

Other|

* LB-2
* P-1

Imperial Japanese Army types|

| Army manufacturer type code system|

* Nieuport 83/Nakajima 甲2 (Ko 2)
* Nieuport 24/Nakajima 甲3 (Ko 3)
* Nieuport-Delage NiD 29/Nakajima 甲4 (Ko 4)

|

Army type-year|

* Type 91 fighter
* Type 94 reconnaissance aircraft
* Type 95 training aircraft
* Type 97 fighter
* Type 97 transport
* Type 100 heavy bomber
* Type 1 fighter
* Type 2 single-seat fighter
* Type 4 fighter

Kitai (airframe #)|

* Ki-4
* Ki-6
* Ki-8
* Ki-11
* Ki-12
* Ki-13
* Ki-16
* Ki-19
* Ki-27
* Ki-31
* Ki-34
* Ki-37
* Ki-41
* Ki-43
* Ki-44
* Ki-49
* Ki-52
* Ki-53
* Ki-58
* Ki-62
* Ki-63
* Ki-68
* Ki-75
* Ki-80
* Ki-82
* Ki-84
* Ki-87
* Ki-101
* Ki-106
* Ki-113
* Ki-115
* Ki-201
* Ki-230

WW2 Allied reporting names|

* Abdul
* Bob
* Dave
* Frank
* Helen
* Irving
* Jill
* Jim
* Kate
* Liz
* Myrt
* Clint
* Nate
* Oscar
* Rita
* Rufe
* Thora
* Tojo

* v
* t
* e

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft designations (short system)

Fighters (A)|

* A1N
* A2N
* A3N
* A4N
* A5M
* A6M
* A7He
* A7M
* A8V
* AXB1
* AXD1
* AXG1
* AXH1
* AXHe1
* AXV1

Torpedo bombers (B)|

* B1M
* B2M
* B3N
* B3Y
* B4M
* B4N
* B4Y
* B5M
* B5N
* B6N
* B7A
* BXN1
* C6N1-B2

Shipboard reconnaissance (C)|

* C1M
* C2N
* C3N
* C4A
* C5M
* C6N
* CXP1
* D4Y1-C2
* E4N2-C2

Dive bombers (D)|

* D1A
* D2A
* D2N
* D2Y
* D3A
* D3M
* D3N
* D3Y
* D4Y
* D5Y
* DXD1
* DXHe1

Reconnaissance seaplanes (E)|

* E1Y
* E2N
* E3A
* E4N
* E5K
* E5Y
* E6Y
* E7K
* E8A
* E8K
* E8N
* E9W
* E10A
* E10K
* E11A
* E11K
* E12A
* E12K
* E12N
* E13A
* E13K
* E14W
* E14Y
* E15K
* E16A

Observation seaplanes (F)|

* F1A
* F1M
* J1N1-F2

Land-based bombers (G)|

* G1M
* G2H
* G3M (3MT5)
* G3M
* G4M
* G5N
* G6M
* G7M
* G8N
* G9K
* G10N

Flying Boats (H)|

* H1H
* H2H
* H3H
* H3K
* H4H
* H5Y
* H6K
* H7Y
* H8K
* H9A
* H10H
* H11K
* HXC1
* HXD1
* HXP1

Land-based Fighters (J)|

* J1N
* J2M
* J3K
* J4M
* J5N
* J6K
* J7W
* J8M
* J9N3
* N1K1-J/N1K2-J2

Trainers (K)|

* K1Y
* K2Y
* K3M
* K4Y
* K5Y
* K6K
* K6M
* K6W
* K7M
* K8K
* K8Ni
* K8P
* K8W
* K9W
* K10W
* K11W
* KXA1
* KXBu1
* KXC1
* KXJ1
* KXHe1
* KXL1
* A5M4-K2
* A6M2-K2
* B5N1-K2
* D3Y1-K2
* E13A1-K2
* F1M2-K2
* G6M1-K2
* M6A1-K2
* Q1W1-K2

Transports (L)|

* L1N
* L2D
* L3Y
* L4M
* L7P
* LXC1
* LXD1
* LXF1
* LXG (KR-2)1
* LXG1
* LXHe1
* LXJ (Ju 60)1
* LXJ (Ju 86)1
* LXK1
* LXM1
* G5N2-L2
* G6M1-L2
* H6K2-L/H6K4-L2
* H8K1-L/H8K2-L/H8K4-L2
* H11K1-L2
* K3M3-L2

Special-purpose (M)1|

* M6A
* MXJ1
* MXY1
* MXY2
* MXY3
* MXY4
* MXY5
* MXY6
* MXY7
* MXY8
* MXY9
* MXY10
* MXY11
* MXZ1

Floatplane fighters (N)|

* N1K
* A6M2-N2

Land-based bombers (P)|

* P1Y
* P2M

Patrol (Q)|

* Q1W
* Q2M
* Q3W

Land-based reconnaissance (R)|

* R1Y
* R2Y
* D4Y2-R2
* J1N1-R2

Night fighters (S)|

* S1A
* C6N1-S2
* D4Y2-S2
* E13A1a-S/E13A1b-S2
* J1N1-S2
* P1Y1-S/P1Y2-S2

1 X as second letter is for experimental aircraft or imported technology demonstrators not intended for service

2 Hyphenated trailing letter (-J, -K, -L, -N or -S) denotes design modified for secondary role

3 Possibly incorrect designation, but used in many sources

* v
* t
* e

Imperial Japanese Navy official aircraft names

With some exceptions for rockets, jets and repurposed aircraft, names chosen were for:

1\. Winds, 2. Lightning, 3. Nighttime lights, 4. Mountains, 5. Stars/constellations, 6. Seas, 7. Clouds, 8. Plants, 9. Skies, 10. Landscapes, and 11. Flowers

Published translations disagree, and many are simplified, especially for plants, where the Japanese referred to a specific variety and the common translations only to the broader type.

Fighters|

| Naval fighters1|

* Jinpu (Squall)
* Kyofu (Gale)
* Reisen (Zero fighter)
* Reppu (Strong wind)

|

Land-based fighters2|

* Raiden (Lightning bolt)
* Senden (Flashing lightning)
* Shiden (Violet lightning)
* Shinden (Magnificent lightning)
* Tenrai (Thunder)

Night fighters3|

* Denko (Lightning)
* Gekko (Moonlight)
* Hakko (Corona)
* Kyokko (Aurora)

Jet/Rocket fighters|

* Kikka (Tachibana orange blossom)
* Shinryu (Divine dragon)
* Shusui (Sharp sword)

Heavy bombers4|

* Fugaku (Mount Fuji)
* Nanzan (South mountain)
* Renzan (Mountain chain)
* Shinzan (Deep mountain)
* Taizan (Great mountain)
* Tenzan (Heavenly mountain)
* Tozan (Eastern mountain)

Bombers5|

* Ryusei (Shooting star)
* Suisei (Comet)
* Myojo (Venus)
* Myojo Kai (Venus improved)
* Ginga (Galaxy)
* Tenga (Milky Way)

Patrol6|

* Tokai (Eastern sea)
* Taiyo (Ocean)
* Nankai (Southern sea)

Reconnaissance7|

* Shiun (Purple/Violet cloud)
* Saiun (Iridescent cloud)
* Zuiun (Auspicious cloud)
* Seiun (Dawn cloud)
* Keiun (Cirrus cloud)

Trainers8|

* Kouyou (Red leaf)
* Shiragiku (White chrysanthemum)

Transports9|

* Seiku (Sunny sky)
* Soukuu (Blue sky)

Miscellaneous10|

* Akigusa (Autumn grass)
* Shuka (Autumn fire)
* Wakakusa (Young grass)

Special-purpose aircraft11|

* Seiran (Fine weather storm)
* Ohka (Sakura cherry blossom)
* Toka (Wisteria flower)

* v
* t
* e

World War II Allied reporting names for Japanese aircraft

Aircraft in Japanese service|

* Abdul
* Alf
* Ann
* Babs
* Baka
* Belle
* Betty
* Bob
* Buzzard
* Cedar
* Cherry
* Clara
* Claude
* Cypress
* Dave
* Dick
* Dinah
* Dot
* Edna
* Emily
* Eva
* Eve
* Frances
* Frank
* Gander
* George
* Glen
* Goose
* Grace
* Gwen
* Hamp
* Hank
* Hap
* Helen
* Hickory
* Ida (Ki-36)
* Ida (Ki-55)
* Irving
* Jack
* Jake
* Jane
* Jean
* Jerry
* Jill
* Jim
* Judy
* Kate
* Kate 61
* Laura
* Lily
* Liz
* Lorna
* Loise
* Louise
* Luke
* Mabel
* Mary
* Mavis
* Myrt
* Nate
* Nell
* Nick
* Norm
* Oak
* Oscar
* Pat
* Patsy
* Paul
* Peggy
* Perry
* Pete
* Pine
* Rex
* Rita
* Rob
* Rufe
* Ruth
* Sally
* Sally III
* Sam
* Sandy
* Slim
* Sonia
* Spruce
* Stella
* Steve
* Susie
* Tabby
* Tess
* Thalia
* Thelma
* Theresa
* Thora
* Tina
* Tillie
* Toby
* Tojo
* Tony
* Topsy
* Val
* Willow
* Zeke
* Zeke 32

Foreign aircraft
thought to be in Japanese service|

* Bess (Heinkel He 111)
* Doc (Messerschmitt Bf 110)
* Fred (Focke Wulf Fw 190)
* Irene (Junkers Ju 87)
* Janice (Junkers Ju 88)
* Mike (Messerschmitt Bf 109)
* Millie (Vultee V-11)
* Trixie (Junkers Ju 52)
* Trudy (Focke-Wulf Fw 200)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template