Nakajima J1N Gekko (Moonlight)

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Nakajima J1N Gekko (Moonlight)

Allied Code Name: "Irving"

Nakajima J1N Gekko (Moonlight)

(Scanned from René J. Francillion "Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War" - Putnam - 1979)

UNITS ALLOCATED

133rd, 141st, 153rd, 251st, 302nd and 322nd Kokutais.

J1N Lateral View

(Scanned from "Aviões da Segunda Guerra Mundial" - Abril Cultural S.A. - 1975)

TECHNICAL DATA

Description: Twin-engine long-range escort fighter (J1N1), reconnaissance aircraft (J1N1-C and J1N1-R) or night fighter (J1N1-S and J1N1-Sa). All-metal construction with fabric-covered control surfaces.

Accommodation: Crew of three (J1N1, J1N1-C and J1N1-R), or two (J1N1-C KAI, J1N1-S and J1N1-Sa) in enclosed cockpit.

Powerplant:

Two Nakajima NK1F Sakae (one Sakae 21 and one Sakae 22) fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,130 hp for take-off, 1,100 hp at 2,850 m and 980 hp at 6,000 m, driving opposite rotating three-blade constant-speed metal propellers (J1N1).
Two Nakajima NK1F Sakae 21 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials with the same rating at altitude as listed above but with propellers rotating in the same direction.

Armament:

One forward-firing 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannon, two forward-firing 7.7 mm Type 97 machine-guns and four 7.7 mm Type 97 machine-guns in two remotely controlled dorsal barbettes (J1N1).
One rear-firing hand-held 13 mm Type 2 machine-gun (J1N1-C and J1N1-R).
One 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannon in a dorsal turret (some J1N1-R).
Two fuselage-mounted upward-firing 20 mm Type 99 cannon and two 20 mm Type 99 downward-firing cannon (J1N1-C KAI and J1N1-S).
Two fuselage-mounted upward-firing 20 mm Type 99 cannon and, optional, one forward-firing 20 mm Type 99 cannon (J1N1-Sa).

	J1N1 (13-Shi)	J1N1-C	J1N1-S
Dimensions:
Span	16.98 m	16.98 m	16.98 m
Length	12.18 m	12.18 m	12.77 m
Height	4.56 m	4.56 m	4.56 m
Wing area	40.0 m²	40.0 m²	40.0 m²
Weights:
Empty	5,020 kg	4,852 kg	4,840 kg
Loaded	7,250 kg	6,890 kg	7,010 kg
Maximum	8,030 kg	7,527 kg	8,184 kg
Wing loading*	181.3 kg/m²	172.3 kg/m²	175.3 kg/m²
Power loading	3.6 kg/hp	3.3 kg/hp	3.7 kg/hp
Performance:
Maximum speed	274 kt at 5,000 m	286 kt at 6,000 m	274 kt at 5,840 m
Cruising speed	180 kt at 4,000 m	150 kt at 4,000 m	180 kt at 4,000 m
Climb to	-	4,000 m	5,000 m
in	-	5 min 37 sec	9 min 35 sec
Service ceiling	-	10,300 m	9,320 m
Normal range	-	1,457 naut miles	1,374 naut miles
Maximum range	-	-	2,040 naut miles

* At normal loaded weight.

Production: A total of 479 J1Ns were built by Nakajima Hikoki K.K. at Koizumi as follows:

2 J1N1 prototypes (spring 1941)
7 J1N1-C prototypes (1941-42)
470 J1N1-C, J1N1-R, J1N1-C KAI, J1N1-S and J1N1-Sa production aircraft (July 1942-Dec1944)

J1N1-C KAI Three-view drawing

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