Mitsubishi 1MT

In 1921, the Imperial Navy of Japan ordered Mitsubishi to develop a carrier-based fighter, carrier-based reconnaissance and carrier-based torpedo bomber, which were to be the armament of the first Japanese aircraft carrier, Hosho , scheduled to be launched in 1922. The company turned to engineer Herbert Smith, a former designer of the British airline Sopwith , with a proposal to design all three aircraft using Japanese designers. Smith arrived with a team of seven British aviation professionals and set to work. Three aircraft became the fruit of the efforts of the design team: the 1MF1-5 fighter, the 2MR scout and the 1MT1N bomber.

Work on a torpedo bomber should have been accelerated at the request of the fleet. The first prototype was completed on August 9, 1922 , and its tests took place at the Mitsubishi factory airfield in Nagoya (piloted by a prototype William Jordon). The aircraft was completed quickly and met the requirements put forward, so the assembly of the second prototype soon began (tests were held in Kasumigaura ). The aircraft was officially adopted under the index "Navy deck torpedo bomber, type 10", becoming the first deck torpedo bomber in the history of Japanese aviation.

If the 1MF fighter and the 2MR reconnaissance were manufactured further and were in service for a long time, then the 1MT bomber still did not live up to the expectations of the military, despite the favorable reviews of naval pilots who tested the aircraft. The 1MT was too cumbersome to be placed on an aircraft carrier, although Smith specifically used a triplane scheme to allow this aircraft to carry a torpedo. In addition, despite good maneuverability, the aircraft was completely defenseless against enemy fighters, since it had no defensive weapons and needed fighter cover. After producing 20 such vehicles, the fleet refused to use the “Type 10” and adopted the triple B1M biplane (Type 13) in 1924.

One of the twenty 1MTs built was converted into a seaplane at Ando Aviation Research Laboratory in Aichi Prefecture, and a passenger and experimental trainer has been in operation since 1926.

Specifications

• Crew : 1 person
• Length : 9.78
• Wing span : 13.26 m
• Height : 4.46 m
• Wing area: 43 m²
• Empty weight: 1368 kg
• Normal take-off weight: 2496 kg
• Powerplant : 1 × 12-cylinder water-cooled Napier Lion
• Engine power: 1 × 450 hp (1 × 336 kW)

Flight characteristics

• Maximum speed: 210 km / h
• Cruising speed : 130 km / h
• Practical ceiling : 6 km

Armament

• Combat load: 1 × 800 kg torpedo

• R.V. Shatalov. Deck torpedo bomber Mitsubishi 1MT1N "Type 10"
• Mikesh, Robert C; Abe, Shorzoe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0-85177-840-2 .
• Taylor, Michael JH (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 1985.
• Straggleresearch.com. Navy Type 10 Carrier Torpedo Aircraft 1MT1N
• Putnam. Robert c. Mikesh, Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1940

• Bomber 1MT1N (Russian)