History

The Yokosuka R2Y1 was an unsuccessful attempt to create a fast, long range reconnaissance aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Its novel engine layout led to heating problems that could not be overcome.

The Yokosuka R2Y1 was designed in 1942 to give the Imperial Japanese Navy a long range reconnaissance capability.

It used studies into using two engines linked to one propeller to give improved performance.

The R2Y1 prototype was ready for tests in April 1945 but overheating problems with the linked engines meant the first flight did not occur until 8 May 1945 and had to be cut short due to overheating.

A few days later the engines caught fire during testing and the prototype was then destroyed in an American bombing raid before new engines could be installed.

Plans to turn the R2Y into a twin jet engine bomber were not carried out by the end of the war.

This model represents the first prototype R2Y1 in May 1945.

Fine Molds 1/72 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in March 2019..

Data

MODEL: Yokosuka R2Y1

ROLE: reconnaissance aircraft

TIME PERIOD: 1945

ENGINES: one Aichi Ha-70 piston engines of 1,250 kW

WING SPAN: 13.99m

LENGTH: 13.04m

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT: 9,400kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: 718km/h

RANGE: 3,139km

CREW: 2

SCALE: 1/72

KIT:

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