DONE +++ 1:72 Gotha Go 146 (license-built Ki-46 in Luftwaffe service), mid 1940

Dizzyfugu · October 12, 2015, 11:37:40 PM

Thank you very much. Doing finishing touches (e. g. adding a wire antenna), and then we'll start with the photo session.

In the meantime, work on #7 & 8 , the continental F4F sisters, will commence.

Dizzyfugu · October 13, 2015, 11:48:20 PM

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The Gotha 146 was a fast reconnaissance aircraft that was used throughout WWII by the German Luftwaffe, and one of the results of a mutual technology exchange program with Japan.
The Go 146 was actually a license-built, modified variant of the excellent Mitsubishi Ki-46. The latter type's career started in late 1937: the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force issued a specification to Mitsubishi for a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-15.

The specification demanded an endurance of six hours and sufficient speed to evade interception by any fighter in existence or development, but otherwise did not constrain the design by a team led by Tomio Kubo.

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The resulting design was a twin-engined, low-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It had a small diameter oval fuselage with the pilot and observer situated in individual cockpits separated by a large fuel tank. The engines, two Mitsubishi Ha-26 radials, were housed in close fitting cowlings to reduce drag and improve pilot view.

The first prototype aircraft, flew in November 1939 from the Mitsubishi factory at Kakamigahara, Gifu.Tests showed that the Ki-46 was underpowered, and slower than required, only reaching 540 km/h (336 mph) rather than the specified 600 km/h (373 mph). Otherwise, the aircraft tests were successful. As the type was still faster than the Army's latest fighter, the Nakajima Ki-43, as well as the Navy's new A6M2,an initial production batch was ordered.

To solve the performance problems, Mitsubishi fitted Ha-102 engines, which were Ha-26s fitted with a two-stage supercharger, while increasing fuel capacity and reducing empty weight to give the Ki-46-II. This machine was also demonstrated to German officials, who became immediately aware of its potential.

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Knowing that the German Luftwaffe lacked this fast type of aircraft (German reconnaissance aircraft of that time were either slow artillery observation types, or variants of bombers or heavy fighters), the RLM immediately asked for a batch of airframe kits in order to adapt it to the European theatre and test its capabilities.

The result was a delivery of seven engine-less airframe kits that arrived in Germany in early 1940. In the meantime, with the help of blueprints and other documentations, an alternative engine installation had been devised - the German aircraft was to be powered by liquid-cooled DB 601 engines, which delivered more power than the Ha-102 and offered improved aerodynamics, despite the necessity to add radiators under the outer wings.Effectively, many stock parts from the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter were incorporated, so that development time was very short.

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

In May 1940 the first batch of the Gotha 146 (which had officially been described as a further development of a four seat, twin-engine transport aircraft from the 1930s) was ready, and they were immediately transferred to the Western Front and based in France.

Allocated to the 14. Aufklärungsgruppe, the Go 146 A-0 machines carried out various reconnaissance tasks over the North Sea, Great Britain and France, and they were also used for camouflage trials: each of the five aircraft sported a different paint scheme, raging from uniform, all-over grey to disruptive geometrical patterns, reminiscent of Dazzle camouflage!

The Go 146 was popular among its crews, since it was fast, agile and easy to fly. During the test phase in summer 1940 the Go 146 proved to be slightly faster than its Japanese Ki-46 ancestor, and with a top speed of more than 375 mph (600 km/h) it was hard to intercept by any British or French fighter. The results were so convincing that serial production was ordered, and from October 1940 on the Go 146 A-1 was produced in limited numbers, and the type was steadily developed further, including the change of the nose section that came withe the Ki-46III and augmented engines.

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Specifications:
Crew: two (pilot and observer)
Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 14.70 m (48 ft 2¾ in)
Height: 3.88 m (12 ft 8¾ in)
Wing area: 32.0 m² (344 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,263 kg (7,194 lb)
Loaded weight: 5,050 kg (11,133 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 5,800 kg (12,787 lb)

Powerplant:
2× Daimler-Benz DB 601B-1 liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 809 kW (1,100 hp) each

Performance:
Maximum speed: 625 km/h (345 knots, 388 mph) at 5,800 m (19,000 ft)
Cruise speed: 400 km/h (217 knots, 249 mph)
Range: 2,474 km (1,337 nmi, 1,537 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,720 m (35,200 ft)
Wing loading: 157.8 kg/m² (32.3 lb/ft²)
Climb to 8,000 m (26,250 ft): 17 min 58 sec

Armament:
1x 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine gun in the observer's cabin, facing rearwards

1:72 Gotha Go 146 A-0 (license-built Ki-46II 'Dinah'), aircraft '5F+EL' of 3(f.)/14. Aufklärungsgruppe, Deutsche Luftwaffe; Froid-Chapelle (France), summer 1940 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

zenrat · October 14, 2015, 02:28:50 AM

Very good and very possible.

Captain Canada · October 14, 2015, 05:44:25 AM

Is it ever. I can also see fist fights all over the ramp as 110 pilots try and take these instead ! Great job.

NARSES2 · October 14, 2015, 07:05:50 AM

Has come out really well

Dizzyfugu · October 14, 2015, 07:16:08 AM

Thank you very much!

I think the Go/Ki thing looks very German, and I am glad that I went for a rather experimental paint scheme on this one.

Bungle · October 14, 2015, 08:00:14 AM

Competition stops here.

I want that model !

Dizzyfugu · October 14, 2015, 08:10:05 AM

Relatively easy DIY conversion of two Airfix kits...!

JasonW · October 14, 2015, 06:29:50 PM

Wow. Great build. You really pulled off the German look in spite of it's Japanese ancestry.

The Chaos · October 14, 2015, 11:22:00 PM

Very prety build Dizzy. Gread Job.

RAFF-35 · October 14, 2015, 11:53:23 PM

This has so much whiff potential now

could be developed into a schnellbomber or ground attack aircraft or something later on in the war

Dizzyfugu · October 14, 2015, 11:59:56 PM

Quote from: RAFF-35 on October 14, 2015, 11:53:23 PM
This has so much whiff potential now could be developed into a schnellbomber or ground attack aircraft or something later on in the war

The latter will follow, based on a Ki-46III, with DB603s and some more armament - but still a fast reconnaissance aircraft in German service. This idea is actually older than the pre-production machine here, but I agree that the whole story has a lot of potential.

DogfighterZen · October 15, 2015, 07:21:25 PM

That is very good!! Both the idea and build!

Dizzyfugu · October 15, 2015, 11:29:49 PM

Thank you very much!

Dizzyfugu · February 25, 2016, 11:46:20 PM

Late thread revival, because the Ki 146 attained interest and further interpretation in Russia:

https://translate.google.de/translate?hl=de&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Falternathistory.com%2Falternativnye-dalnie-skorostnye-samolety-razvedchiki-gotha-go-146-germaniya&sandbox=1