Mitsubishi 1MF

Development and design

The Japanese shipbuilding company Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd set up a subsidiary company, the Mitsubishi Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturing Co Ltd (Mitsubishi Nainenki Seizo KK) in 1920 to produce aircraft and automobiles at Nagoya. It quickly gained a contract from the Imperial Japanese Navy to produce three types of aircraft for operation from aircraft carriers: a fighter, a torpedo bomber and a reconnaissance aircraft. To produce these aircraft, it hired Herbert Smith, formerly of the Sopwith Aviation Company to assist the design of these aircraft, Smith bringing to Japan Jack Hyland and a team of six other British engineers .

The fighter designed by Smith and his team, designated the 1MF by Mitsubishi, and known as the Navy Type 10 Carrier Fighter by the Japanese Navy (referring to the year of design of 1921, the 10th year of the Taishō period), first flew in October 1921.

The 1MF was a single-seat, single-bay biplane with unequal-span wings and all-wooden construction, powered by a 224 kW (300 hp) Hispano-Suiza 8 engine (license produced as the Mitsubishi Hi engine). It was fitted with claw-type arrestor gear for use with British-style fore and aft arrestor cables.

After successful flight testing, the aircraft was accepted by the Japanese Navy as a standard fighter, with 138 of various versions being built, production continuing until 1928.

Operational history

The 1MF entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1923, replacing the Gloster Sparrowhawk. A 1MF aircraft became the first aircraft to take-off from and land on Japan's new aircraft carrier Hōshō on 28 February 1923. The 1MF series proved a tough and reliable aircraft, operating from the carriers Akagi and Kaga - as well as from Hōshō - when they entered service in 1927 and 1928 respectively. It continued in service until 1930, being replaced by the Nakajima A1N.

Variants

1MF1

Initial prototype. Fitted with car-type radiator on front of nose. Navy designation Navy Type 10-1 Carrier Fighter.

1MF1A

Experimental version with increased wing area. Navy designation Navy Type 10-1 Carrier Fighter.

1MF2

Experimental prototype with two bay wing. Navy designation Navy Type 10-1 Carrier Fighter.

1MF3

Production version with Lamblin radiators under nose replacing original car-type radiators. Navy designation Navy Type 10-2 Carrier Fighter.

1MF4

Revised production version with cockpit moved forwards. Navy designation Navy Type 10-2 Carrier Fighter.

1MF5

Minor changes. Navy designation Navy Type 10-2 Carrier Fighter.

1MF5A

Carrier trainer version with jettisonable wheeled undercarriage and floats under wings to allow safe ditching. Navy designation Navy Type 10-2 Carrier Fighter.

Operators

 Japan

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

Specifications (1MF3)

Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941

General characteristics

Crew: One

Length: 6.90 m (22 ft 7½ in)

Wingspan: 8.50 m (27 ft 10½ in)

Height: 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in)

Empty weight: 940 kg (2,073 lb)

Loaded weight: 1,280 kg (2,821 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi Hi V-8 water-cooled, 224 kW (300 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 213 km/h (115 kn, 132 mph)

Service ceiling: 7,000 m (23,000 ft)

Power/mass: 0.18 kW/kg (0.11 hp/lb)

Endurance: 2½ hours

Climb to 3,000 m (9,800 ft): 10 min

Armament

2 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns.