Showa/Nakajima L2D
Showa Aircraft Industry / Nakajima · Japan · first flew 1939 · transport aircraft
The Showa L2D was Japan's licence-built version of the Douglas DC-3, produced by Showa Aircraft Industry and Nakajima for the Imperial Japanese Navy as a transport and logistics aircraft. Allied forces nicknamed it 'Tabby'.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Rounded nose and oval fuselage cross-section typical of DC-3 lineage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Japanese licence-built transport derived from the Douglas DC-3, known as 'Tabby'
- Twin radial engines on a low-wing twin-engined layout closely resembling the DC-3
- Rounded nose and oval fuselage cross-section typical of DC-3 lineage
Nearly identical to the DC-3/C-47 in layout but fitted with prominent Japanese radial engines rather than the original's Twin Wasp or Cyclone; the L2D's cowlings are rounder and the nacelles differ from DC-3 variants.
Specifications
- The Showa/Nakajima L2D has a length of 19.51 m (64 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.96 m (62 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 393 km/h (244 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Japan acquired a licence to build the DC-3 in the late 1930s, and the L2D entered service in 1940. It differed from the American original in using Japanese Mitsubishi Kinsei radial engines rather than the DC-3's American powerplants, which actually gave it somewhat better performance.
Variants
Variants included the L2D2 with Kinsei 43 engines, the L2D3 with more powerful Kinsei 51 engines, and the L2D4 patrol-bomber conversion; a wooden airframe version (L2D5) was planned as materials became scarce.
Where you'll see it
Widely used by the Imperial Japanese Navy throughout the Pacific War for transport, medical evacuation, and logistics; encountered by Allied fighters throughout the theatre.
Related aircraft
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