tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9217937055336839111.post948773818189647307..comments2023-10-30T19:55:15.225+08:00Comments on Japanese Aircraft of WWII: Mitsubishi Ki-109 Mitch Williamsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14692138354674511017noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9217937055336839111.post-16965479214121221792017-08-02T10:57:45.926+08:002017-08-02T10:57:45.926+08:00I would say so. Ki-109: Night fighter prototypes. ...I would say so. Ki-109: Night fighter prototypes. Ki-67-I modified for night fighting for operating in pairs, the Ki-109a with a radar/reflector (similar to the Douglas Havoc II "Turbinlite" concept, only using invisible radio beams rather than a powerful searchlight) for radar transmission and detection and the Ki-109b, armed with twin 37 mm Ho-203 cannon in an upward-firing Schrage Musik-style fixed dorsal mount (as the single Ho-203 autocannon in the Mitsubishi Ki-46-III KAI was) to destroy the objective. Only a project.<br /><br />The Turbinlite was put into service but was next to useless. If it did switch its light onto an enemy bomber the accompanying fighter pilots were often blinded by the light. Mitch Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14692138354674511017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9217937055336839111.post-20424948564510591682017-08-01T18:44:12.719+08:002017-08-01T18:44:12.719+08:00"The project received the designation Ki-109 ..."The project received the designation Ki-109 and two versions were to be built: the Ki-109a, the killer was to mount in the rear fuselage two obliquely-firing 37 mm (1.46 in) Ho-203 cannon while the Ki-109b, the hunter, was to be equipped with radar and a 400 mm searchlight."<br /><br />Reading that, I presume that the role of the Ki-109b was to find and highlight with the searchlight the B-29's, with the Ki-109a shooting the B-29 down? The Ki-109b would seem to be the weak link in the system - if the Ki-109b was shot down, would the crew of the Ki-109a then have to visually locate the B-29 in order to shoot it down?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com