Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu "Helen"
Nakajima · Japan · first flew 1939 · bomber
The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu ('Storm Dragon') was a Japanese Army twin-engine medium bomber intended to replace the Ki-21, though it ultimately served alongside it throughout the Pacific War. Allied forces knew it by the reporting name 'Helen'.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Rotund mid-section fuselage with blister gun positions |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engine Japanese WWII medium bomber
- Allied reporting name 'Helen'
- Rotund mid-section fuselage with blister gun positions
Distinguished by its thick mid-fuselage with multiple waist and dorsal gun blisters, twin large-diameter radial engines in prominent cowlings, and a broad tapered wing; chunkier in appearance than the Ki-21.
Specifications
- The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu has a length of 16.5 m (54 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 20.4 m (67 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 492 km/h (306 mph).
- Typical crew: 8.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in August 1939, the Ki-49 was designed to offer better performance and self-defence capability than the Ki-21 without fighter escort. Despite its heavier defensive armament, it proved vulnerable to Allied fighters and saw declining use in strategic bombing by 1944. Later examples were adapted for anti-submarine and transport duties.
Variants
The Ki-49-I used Nakajima Ha-5 engines; the Ki-49-II switched to more powerful Ha-109 engines in two sub-variants; the Ki-49-III with Ha-117 engines was cancelled. Late production aircraft were converted for transport and kamikaze attack roles.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in China, New Guinea, the Philippines, and throughout the Pacific, eventually used in suicide attack and transport roles as the war turned against Japan.
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