The Kawasaki Ki-48 (Japanese: 九九式雙發輕爆擊機, romanized: kyuukyuu-shiki-souhatu-keibaku-gekki, shortened to 'Soukei', Army Type 99 Twin-engined Light Bomber), was a Japanese twin-engine light bomber that was used during World War II. Its Alliedreporting name was "Lily".
Design and development
The development of the aircraft began at the end of 1937 at the request of the Japanese military high command. Kawasaki received an order to develop a "high-speed bomber" capable of 480 km/h (300 mph) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft), and able to reach 5,000 m (16,000 ft) within 10 minutes. The design was inspired by the Soviet Tupolev SB.
Kawasaki had the advantage of the experience of designing the Ki-45 twin-engined heavy fighter. Most technical problems were solved; however the aircraft had a number of shortcomings. It carried only an 800 kg (1,760 lb) bombload. This was actually more than contemporary light bombers such as the Bristol Blenheim or Tupolev SB, and only slightly less than light bombers designed several years later, such as the A-20 Havoc, and the strikingly similar-appearing Martin Maryland and Baltimore. Speed was intended to be its primary defense, much like the later, unarmed, de Havilland Mosquito. So it had only three machine guns (again, an equivalent armament to contemporary light bombers). This made it very vulnerable to enemy fighters later in the war, once they became fast enough to actually catch it. The flight characteristics of the Ki-48 also left much to be desired. Newer generations of Allied fighters caught up in speed, and eventually, the Ki-48 was too slow to outrun them, while superior modern Japanese aircraft, such as the Yokosuka P1Y and the Mitsubishi Ki-67, could only be produced in small numbers. The first versions were lightly armoured, so the Ki-48 was quite aerobatic, and could loop and turn with an experienced pilot at the controls. The aircraft was often used as a dive bomber in Burma. The aircraft was not necessarily a failure, and was considered an acceptable light bomber for the first few years of the war by many historians. Much like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, it was satisfactory for the period when it was designed and produced.
Operational history
Kawasaki Ki-48 after Japanese surrender
The aircraft served in China from late 1940, replacing the Kawasaki Ki-32, and were widely used in the Philippines, Malaya, Burma, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Dutch East Indies, where the Ki-48 Ia and Ib models, slow and badly armed, were supplemented by the marginally improved Ki-48 IIa and IIc, which were maintained in service along with the older types until the end of the war.
All models continued in service until the Battle of Okinawa during April 1945, when many were converted into kamikaze aircraft (Ki-48-II KAI Tai-Atari) armed with an 800 kg (1,760 lb) bomb. Some aircraft were modified to act as testbeds; one carried the Kawasaki Ki-148 guided missile intended for use on the Kawasaki Ki-102 in late 1944, and one was modified to test a Ne-0 pulsejet engine in late 1944 to early 1945.
The fact that all models continued in service until 1945 reflects that many Ki-48s survived more often than not. This was due to the use of small ship formations (three to ten aircraft) escorted by large numbers of fighters (25–75), typically Nakajima Ki-43s. Although not as fast as more modern fighters, after 1942, the aircraft was still fast enough to enable it to often avoid interception unless it ran into a standing patrol of fighters.[citation needed] The 90th Air Regiment of the 5th Air Army (based in Hopei, north China) equipped with Ki-48s was the only Japanese air unit in China proper to engage the Soviets, although others were advanced in preparation. It flew 20 sorties against the Soviets during 14 August 1945.[citation needed]
On 29 January, seven Kawasaki Ki-48 of the Army's Shichisi Mitate Tokubetsu Kōgeki Tai counter-attacked the Allied fleet at low level as the British aircraft were returning from Palembang. The British radar picture was confused by the presence of over 100 friendly aircraft and the first two or three Supermarine SeafireCAP interceptions did not occur until just before the Ki-48 formation entered the air defence zone. The last pair of Seafires chased the five remaining Ki-48s inside the screen, and with the support of returning Vought F4U Corsairs and Grumman F6F Hellcats which had just been scrambled, shot down all of them, amongst intense AA fire. One Seafire was slightly damaged and one Hellcat was written off due to friendly fire, but the only ship to be damaged was the carrier HMS Illustrious, hit by heavy AA shells.
A modified Ki-48 with a Ne-0 turbojet under the bomb bay during testing
Such success, minor by Pacific fighting standards at the time, gave the British Pacific Fleet useful expertise and confidence in its ability to deal with kamikaze attacks.
Variants
Ki-48
Four prototypes with 708 kW (963 hp) Nakajima Ha25 engines and five pre-production aircraft, with modified tail surfaces.
Ki-48-Ia
Army Type 99 Twin Engine Light Bomber Model 1A; as first series model. Produced from 1940, 557 built.
Ki-48-Ib,
Similar to the Ia, with changes in defensive machine gun mountings.
Total production of Ki-48 Ia and Ib: 557 aircraft
Ki-48-II
Three prototypes built.
Ki-48-IIa
Fitted with more powerful engines, a longer fuselage, additional armour, and larger bomb load. Produced from April 1942.
Ki-48-IIb
Dive bomber version, with reinforced fuselage and dive brakes.
Ki-48-IIc
Improved defensive weapons. Produced from 1943.
Total production of Ki-48 IIa, IIb and IIc: 1,408 aircraft
Ki-48-II KAI Kamikaze (Type Tai-Atari)
Conversion with 800 kg (1,760 lb) of explosives and two or three crew for kamikaze missions
Ki-66
Nose turret removed and replaced with solid nose fitted with 2x fixed forward firing 12.7mm machine guns. 8 prototypes built of varying configurations. None selected for mass production due to minimal increase in speed. Dive brakes used on Ki-48 IIb.
Indonesian Air Force –then Indonesian People's Security Force– operated one aircraft against Dutch colonial rule. This aircraft was put together from bits and pieces of a number of aircraft to become the first twin-engined bomber in the Indonesian People's Security Force.[2]
Data fromEncyclopedia of Military Aircraft,[7]Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War,[8]and Kawasaki Ki.48-I/II Sokei in Japanese Army Air Force-CNAF & IPSF Service, Aircam No.32[9]
Bueschel, Richard M. (1972). Kawasaki Ki. 48-I/II Sokei : in Japanese Army Air Force, CNAF & IPSF service. Richard Ward. Reading: Osprey. ISBN0-85045-133-7. OCLC1083005847.
Francillon, René J. (1987) [1979]. Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN0-85177-801-1. OCLC6124909.
Green, William & Swanborough, Gordon (n.d.). "Pentagon Over the Islands: The Thirty-Year History of Indonesian Military Aviation". Air Enthusiast Quarterly (2): 154–162. ISSN0143-5450.
Jackson, Robert (2002). The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London: Parragon. ISBN0-7525-8130-9.
Millot, Bernard (November 1977). "Kawasaki Type 99 Ki.48 "Lily" (1)" [Kawasaki Type 99 Ki.48 "Lily" Part One]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (96): 20–25. ISSN0757-4169.
Millot, Bernard (December 1977). "Kawasaki Type 99 Ki.48 "Lily" (2)" [Kawasaki Type 99 Ki.48 "Lily" Part Two]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (97): 31–35. ISSN0757-4169.
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