Mitsubishi Type 90

Mitsubishi Type 90

Main menu

Larger image

Next Klein photo
Klein menu

04/30/2008. Designed by Engineer Joji Hattori under the design designation Ka-2, the IJN ordered two prototypes as K3M1 in 1929. Produced under the company designation 4MS1, and fitted with a 340 hp Mitsubishi-built Hispano-Suiza eight-cylinder liquid-cooled V-engine, the first aircraft was flown by Nakawa in April 1930. Suffering from poor stability in flight an additional two K3M1s were produced with dihedral wings curing the problem. Excessive vibration and poor cooling of the engine led to the change to a 340 hp Hitachi Kamakaze 11 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial and this version was produced in quantity (72 by Mitsubishi, 247 by Aichi) as the K3M2 Naval Type 90 Crew Trainer Model 1.

The Japanese Army was also interested and ordered a prototype under their Katai (airframe) designation Ki-7 in 1933. The prototype was fitted with a 475 hp Mitsubishi 92 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial, unfortunately it crashed after only a few test flights. A second Ki-7 was produced, fitted with a 450 Nakajima Kotobuki nine-cylinder air-cooled radial, however the Army had lost interest in the type. This second Ki-7 was modified to the sole Mitsubishi MS-1 civil transport aircraft by Tokyo Koku. It was re-engined with a Nakajima-built 420 hp Bristol Jupiter 6 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial and the tail surfaces were enlarged. I was registered as J-BABQ.

Production was transferred to Watanabe and the type was modified with the tail surfaces introduced on the MS-1 and re-engined by a 580 hp Nakajima Kotobuki 2 KAI 2 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial. Watanabe produced 301 of this version, designated K3M3 Naval Type 90 Crew Trainer Model 2. Later a small number was modified to K3M3-L utility transports.


Main menu	Larger image	Next Klein photo Klein menu
04/30/2008. Designed by Engineer Joji Hattori under the design designation Ka-2, the IJN ordered two prototypes as K3M1 in 1929. Produced under the company designation 4MS1, and fitted with a 340 hp Mitsubishi-built Hispano-Suiza eight-cylinder liquid-cooled V-engine, the first aircraft was flown by Nakawa in April 1930. Suffering from poor stability in flight an additional two K3M1s were produced with dihedral wings curing the problem. Excessive vibration and poor cooling of the engine led to the change to a 340 hp Hitachi Kamakaze 11 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial and this version was produced in quantity (72 by Mitsubishi, 247 by Aichi) as the K3M2 Naval Type 90 Crew Trainer Model 1. The Japanese Army was also interested and ordered a prototype under their Katai (airframe) designation Ki-7 in 1933. The prototype was fitted with a 475 hp Mitsubishi 92 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial, unfortunately it crashed after only a few test flights. A second Ki-7 was produced, fitted with a 450 Nakajima Kotobuki nine-cylinder air-cooled radial, however the Army had lost interest in the type. This second Ki-7 was modified to the sole Mitsubishi MS-1 civil transport aircraft by Tokyo Koku. It was re-engined with a Nakajima-built 420 hp Bristol Jupiter 6 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial and the tail surfaces were enlarged. I was registered as J-BABQ. Production was transferred to Watanabe and the type was modified with the tail surfaces introduced on the MS-1 and re-engined by a 580 hp Nakajima Kotobuki 2 KAI 2 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial. Watanabe produced 301 of this version, designated K3M3 Naval Type 90 Crew Trainer Model 2. Later a small number was modified to K3M3-L utility transports.