Nakajima C6N "Myrt"
Nakajima Aircraft Company · Japan · first flew 1943 · transport aircraft
The Nakajima C6N Saiun (Allied code name Myrt) was the Imperial Japanese Navy's high-speed carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft, fast enough to outrun most Allied fighters encountered during its service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slim, elegant fuselage with a sharply tapered nose and long greenhouse canopy |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Slim, elegant fuselage with a sharply tapered nose and long greenhouse canopy
- Mid-wing monoplane with a slender profile optimised purely for speed and range
- Three-seat crew in tandem under a continuous glazed canopy with no turrets
Exceptionally sleek single-engine monoplane with a very long fuselage, slender mid-set wings, and a continuous cockpit canopy running from the pilot to the rear observer, giving a streamlined slab-sided appearance.
Specifications
- The Nakajima C6N Myrt has a length of 11.15 m (37 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.5 m (41 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 609 km/h (378 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from 1940 to provide the IJN with a long-range carrier reconnaissance capability, the C6N1 first flew in May 1943 and entered service in 1944. Its Homare engine gave it a speed that rendered it nearly immune to interception at altitude; it provided intelligence during the battles for Leyte Gulf and the final defence of Japan. A torpedo-bomber variant was tested but not produced in quantity.
Variants
The C6N1 Saiun was the primary production reconnaissance version; the C6N1-B was a torpedo-bomber conversion; the C6N2 with a turbocharged engine flew experimentally but did not enter production.
Where you'll see it
Operated from fleet carriers and shore bases from 1944 to 1945; respected by Allied pilots for its elusiveness. No complete airworthy examples survive; partial remains exist in Japanese collections.
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