The Kawasaki C-1 (川崎 C-1) is a
twin-engined short-range
military transport aircraft
A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to maintaining supply ...
developed and manufactured by the
Japanese conglomerate
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is ...
. It is solely used by the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warf ...
(JASDF).
Development of the C-1 commenced in 1966 in response to a requirement from the JASDF, which sought an indigenous
jet-powered
Jet propulsion is the propulsion of an object in one direction, produced by ejecting a jet of fluid in the opposite direction. By Newton's third law, the moving body is propelled in the opposite direction to the jet. Reaction engines operating o ...
replacement for its aging
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
–era
Curtiss C-46 Commando transport fleet. First flown on 12 November 1970, quantity production of the type commenced during the following year. The C-1 has formed the backbone of the JASDF's transport capability throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, as well as the initial years of the twenty-first century as well. During the 2010s, Kawasaki developed a newer, larger, and longer range airlifter, the
Kawasaki C-2
The Kawasaki C-2 (previously XC-2 and C-X) is a mid-size, twin-turbofan engine, long range, high speed military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Kawasaki Aerospace Company. In June 2016, the C-2 formally entered service with the ...
, which will eventually replace the JASDF's C-1 fleet entirely.
Design and development
By 1966, the transport fleet of the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warf ...
(JASDF) was primarily composed of
Curtiss
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909 – 1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss and Augustus Moore Herring in Hammondsport, New York. After significant commercial success in its first decade ...
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
s, an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
transport aircraft that had been manufactured primarily during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, and was considered to be quite capable aircraft for the era. By the mid-1960s, the capabilities of the decades-old C-46 had paled in comparison to numerous newer aircraft such as the
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
, motivating some officials within the JASDF to lobby for a domestically-designed and -manufactured transport aircraft with which to replace it. Such ambitions were successfully incorporated into the Third Defense Buildup Plan.
With this purpose in mind, the JASDF approached the
Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation
The Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation ( ja, 日本航空機製造株式会社 ''Nihon Kōkūki Seizō Kabushiki-gaisha''), or NAMC, was the manufacturer of Japan's only successful civilian airliner, the YS-11.
Rather than an individual ...
(NAMC), a consortium of several major Japanese corporations, which was by this time engaged in the production of the
YS-11
The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (NAMC), a Japanese consortium. It was the only post-war airliner to be wholly designed and manufactured in Japan until the development of ...
, an indigenously-developed airliner of the
postwar
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period ...
era.
During 1966, NAMC commenced design work on what would subsequently be designated as the ''C-1''.
Following a design review of the programme, NAMC decided that the Japanese conglomerate
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is ...
would serve as the airlifter's
prime contractor
A general contractor, main contractor or prime contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and the communication of information to all involved parties throughout the course of ...
; it is for this reason that aircraft bears the Kawasaki name.
In addition to Kawasaki's heavy contribution to the programme, significant portions of the airlifter were manufactured by other members of NAMC.
Specifically, the tail section, as well as the middle and rear portions of the fuselage, were constructed by rival Japanese conglomerate
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Mo ...
, the majority of the wings were produced by
Fuji Heavy Industries
is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate primarily involved in both terrestrial and aerospace transportation manufacturing. It is best known for its line of Subaru automobiles. Founded in 1953, the company was formerly named ( ...
, the
rudder
A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...
was built by seaplane specialist
Shin Meiwa, while the
flaps were manufactured by
NIPPI Corporation
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It ...
. At the time of its development, the C-1 was only the third indigenous aircraft programme to be undertaken in postwar Japan, coming after only the
Fuji T-1
The Fuji T-1 was Japan's first jet-powered trainer aircraft. Its first flight was in January 1958. A total of 66 T-1 planes were built.Simpson 2001, p.246 It was retired in March 2006.
Design and development
After World War II, Japanese aircr ...
intermediate
trainer aircraft
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristi ...
and the YS-11 itself.
[Samuels 2018, p. 226.]
In terms of its basic configuration, the C-1 is a twin-engine medium-range airlifter, somewhat resembling the larger
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...
.
It is powered by a pair of
Pratt & Whitney JT8D
The Pratt & Whitney JT8D is a low-bypass (0.96 to 1) turbofan engine introduced by Pratt & Whitney in February 1963 with the inaugural flight of the Boeing 727. It was a modification of the Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engine which powered th ...
-M-9 low-bypass
turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...
engines, which were locally
manufactured under license by Mitsubishi, each capable of generating up to of thrust. In terms of payload capacity, a single C-1 could carry up to 80 fully-equipped troops, 45
paratrooper
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...
s, or 36 stretcher-bound personnel, in addition to bulky cargo, including a whole
truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...
or a pair of
jeep
Jeep is an American automobile marque, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with remaining assets, from its previous owner American Moto ...
s, which would be loaded via a ramp deployed at the airlifter's rear.
It was designed to be typically operated by a crew of five, comprising two pilots, a
flight engineer
A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is the member of an aircraft's flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referred to as the "air me ...
, a
navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
and a load master.
The C-1 incorporates a high-lift system, which includes aerodynamic features such as a
leading edge slat
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed ...
and a four-stage
Fowler flap
A flap is a high-lift device used to reduce the stalling speed of an aircraft wing at a given weight. Flaps are usually mounted on the wing trailing edges of a fixed-wing aircraft. Flaps are used to reduce the take-off distance and the landi ...
, facilitates a high level of
short takeoff and landing
A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh condition ...
(STOL) performance, while day-and-night all-weather operations is achieved via the application of numerous electronic navigation systems.
The maximum range of C-1 caused a problem after the island of
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
was returned to Japan from the United States; the airlifter was unable to fly directly to Okinawa from most parts of the Japanese home islands. This may have been a factor in the decision to reduce the planned procurement of the C-1 in favour of the American-built C-130H Hercules utility transport aircraft instead, which entered service with the JASDF's
401st Tactical Airlift Squadron in 1989.
["C-1 Medium Transport."](_blank)
''Kawasaki Heavy Industries'', Retrieved 13 February 2017. Another reason for the curtailment was the enactment of general cutbacks upon various military programmes and procurement initiatives during the 1970s.
The Japanese
Ministry of International Trade and Industry
The was a ministry of the Government of Japan from 1949 to 2001. The MITI was one of the most powerful government agencies in Japan and, at the height of its influence, effectively ran much of Japanese industrial policy, funding research and di ...
(MITI) had a considerable interest in the C-1 programme.
[Samuels 2018, pp. 226, 338.] Beyond its primary purpose as a military-orientated airlifter, at one stage, MITI had decided to adopt the C-1's design as the basis for a next-generation commercial transport project. While some work was undertaken on this initiative, it was subsequently decided to discard such efforts in order to concentrate upon international collaboration efforts, such as on the American aerospace company
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
's new
767 airliner.
[Samuels 2018, p. 338.] Efforts were made to incorporate the technologies and knowledge learnt from the C-1 programme into other sectors of Japanese commercial undertakings; according to author Richard J. Samuels, substantial benefits, such as a greater understanding of structural design and
fatigue
Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...
-prevention techniques, were transferred into the manufacture of
automotive and
rolling stock
The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can b ...
, along with smaller-scale items such as control panels and display systems.
However, Samuels also notes that a high priority political goal of the programme, the transformation of Japan's aerospace companies to become global leaders in the field, was largely unfulfilled.
[Samuels 2018, pp. 226-227.]
Operational history
![JASDF Kawasaki EC-1 Aoki-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/JASDF_Kawasaki_EC-1_Aoki-2.jpg)
The prototype, designated ''XC-1'', performed its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
on 12 November 1970.
Following the successful completion of roughly one year of flight testing, the pair of prototypes were turned over to the JASDF for evaluation purposes.
Since 1974, the Kawasaki C-1 has been in regular use as a military transport with the JASDF. Its introduction noticeably improved the tactical transport capabilities of the service.
In addition to its military application, there was also a civil user of the C-1. At the urging of MITI, the
National Aerospace Laboratory procured a single C-1, which was extensively modified into an experimental testbed. Commonly referred to as either Asuka or QSTOL (Quiet STOL), it flew for a number of years as a 150-seat
short takeoff and landing
A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh condition ...
(STOL) aircraft for one of the agency's research programmes.
By 2010, a programme to develop a replacement for the C-1, known as the
Kawasaki C-2
The Kawasaki C-2 (previously XC-2 and C-X) is a mid-size, twin-turbofan engine, long range, high speed military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Kawasaki Aerospace Company. In June 2016, the C-2 formally entered service with the ...
, had reached the advanced stages of development. In comparison with the older C-1, the C-2 is a considerably larger airlifter, being able to lift three times more payload in terms of weight, as well as possessing greater endurance. On 30 June 2016, the production-standard C-2, "68-1203", was delivered to the ''Air Development and Test Wing'' at
Gifu Air Field
is a military air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force . It is located in Kakamigahara City, east of Gifu in the Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is home to the Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum
Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum is an aviation ...
.
Variants
![20181208 Kawasaki C-1 parked Naha Air Show 2018-3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/20181208_Kawasaki_C-1_parked_Naha_Air_Show_2018-3.jpg)
*XC-1: Prototypes.
*C-1/C-1A: Medium-range military transport version.
:The last five C-1s ordered were fitted with an additional 4,730 litre fuel tank.
*EC-1:
electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
training aircraft.
*C-1FTB: Flight test bed used for testing various equipment.
![Kawasaki C-1 QSTOL Asuka AN2587850](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Kawasaki_C-1_QSTOL_Asuka_AN2587850.jpg)
*Asuka/QSTOL: Quiet STOL research aircraft, developed by the
National Aerospace Laboratory.
:Powered by four FRJ710 turbofan engines and making use of the
Coandă effect
The Coandă effect ( or ) is the tendency of a fluid jet to stay attached to a convex surface. ''Merriam-Webster'' describes it as "the tendency of a jet of fluid emerging from an orifice to follow an adjacent flat or curved surface and to ent ...
. It was built to research STOL using upper surface blowing, aircraft noise reduction, fly-by-wire systems and composite materials construction. The only example built is currently on display in
Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum in
Kakamigahara
is a city located in southern Gifu Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,225, and a population density of 1700 persons per km2, in 59,736 households. The total area of the city was .
Situated in the northern part o ...
,
Gifu pref., Japan.
Note: Three C-1s were allocated to the
MSDF MSDF may mean:
*Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Japanese Navy
* State Defense Forces:
**Massachusetts State Defense Force
** Missouri State Defense Force
* Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, a prison
* Master of Science in Digital Forensics ...
as airborne minelayers under the ''Fourth Defense Buildup Plan'' (1972–76). It is unknown what designation was given to them, or indeed whether they were ever actually delivered.
Operators
;
:As of March 2022, the JASDF operated 7 C-1s.
[Defence of Japan 2022 (Annual White Paper). p.53.](_blank)
Japan Ministry of Defence
*
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warf ...
**
402nd Tactical Airlift Squadron (1973–present)
**
403rd Tactical Airlift Squadron (1979–present)
Former
**
401st Tactical Airlift Squadron (1973–1989)
Accidents
;19 April 1983: Two C-1s of the
401st Tactical Airlift Squadron crashed near
Toba, Mie
is a city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 17,741 in 8328 households and a population density of 170 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Toba is located on the northeastern tip ...
when the lead two airplanes of a formation of 5 en route from
Komaki Air Base
, also known as Komaki Airport or Nagoya Airport, is an airport which lies within the local government areas of Toyoyama, Komaki, Kasugai and Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was once an international airport, but is now a domestic sec ...
to
Iruma Air Base
is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space oper ...
flew into a hill while flying in low visibility at low altitude. A third airplane narrowly avoided also crashing and struck trees, but was able to return to Komaki Air Base. Fourteen personnel were killed in these two aircraft, six personnel in airplane 68-1015 and eight in aircraft 58-1009.
;18 February 1986: C-1 ''58-1010'' suffered extensive damage on take off from
Iruma Air Base
is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space oper ...
and was declared a write-off, with no injuries to crew.
;28 June 2000: A C-1 crashed into the sea of Japan's west coast during a test flight with five personnel on board.
"Aircraft accident Kawasaki C-1 88-1027 Shimano."
''Aviation Safety Network'', Retrieved 23 January 2017.
Specifications (Kawasaki C-1)
Notable appearances in media
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Samuels, Richard J. "Rich Nation, Strong Army: National Security and the Technological Transformation of Japan." ''Cornell University Press'', 2018. .
*
*
External links
{{Authority control
1970s Japanese military transport aircraft
Kawasaki aircraft
High-wing aircraft
T-tail aircraft
Twinjets
Aircraft first flown in 1970