The was a 14-cylinder, supercharged, air-cooled, two-row radial engine used in a variety of early World War II Japanese aircraft. It was one of the smallest 14-cyl. engines in the world and the smallest diameter Japanese engine. The Mitsubishi model designation for this engine was A14 while it was an experimental project, in service it was known as the MK2, followed by the revision code letter, and known as the Ha26 & Ha102 by the Army and "Zuisei" by the Navy. Unified designation code was
a-31''.
[Francillon p 376]
Design and development
The MK2A Zuisei engine was a 14-cylinder, supercharged, air-cooled two-row radial engine with a 140 mm (5.5 in) bore and 130 mm (5.12 in) stroke for a displacement of 28L (1,710ci) and a nominal power rating of 805 kW (1080 hp) for takeoff and 787 kW (1055 hp) at 2800 meters (9185 feet).
[Francillon p 376]
Mitsubishi used the standard designation system to identify this engine while it was under development. The MK2 designation starts with the Manufacturer's assigned identification letter, in this case, "M" for Mitsubishi, followed by a letter that identifies the engine arrangement, in this case "K" for air-cooled, and then the sequentially assigned design number, in this case "2" for the second design. Revisions to the engine are identified by the letter following the preceding designation, with letter "A" being the original, or first, version.
Mitsubishi also had a custom to name its engines with a short two syllable name that references objects found in the sky. The naming sequence started with this engine, the MK2 Zuisei "Holy star", and was followed in order by the MK4 Kinsei "Venus" and the MK8 Kasei "Mars".
Variants
; MK2A Zuisei 11
: , 2540 rpm at takeoff,
, 2450 rpm at
; MK2B Zuisei 12
: , 2540 rpm at take-off,
2540 rpm at
; MK2C Zuisei 13
: , 2700 rpm at take-off,
2600 rpm at
; MK2C Zuisei 14 Ha-26-I
: , 2650 rpm at take-off,
2650 rpm at
; MK2C Zuisei 15 Ha-26-II
: , 2650 rpm at take-off,
2650 rpm at
; MK2D Zuisei 21 Ha-102
: , 2700 rpm at take-off,
2700 rpm at ,
2700 rpm at
Applications
*
Mitsubishi A6M
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was ...
(prototype)
[Francillon p 376]
*
Mitsubishi F1M
The Mitsubishi F1M ( Allied reporting name "Pete") was a Japanese reconnaissance floatplane of World War II. It was the last biplane type of the Imperial Japanese Navy, with 944 built between 1936 and 1944. The Navy designation was "Type Zero Obse ...
*
Mitsubishi G5M1
The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries.
Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...
*
Kawanishi E7K
The Kawanishi E7K was a Japanese three-seat reconnaissance seaplane mainly in use during the 1930s. It was allocated the reporting name Alf by the Allies of World War II.
Design and development
In 1932 the Imperial Japanese Navy requested the K ...
*
Kawasaki Ki-45
The Kawasaki Ki-45 ''Toryu'' (屠龍, "Dragonslayer") was a two-seat, twin-engine heavy fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The army gave it the designation "Type 2 Two-Seat Fighter"; the Allied reporting name was "Nick". ...
[Francillon p 100]
*
Kokusai Ki-105
The Kokusai Ku-7 ''Manazuru'' (真鶴 "white-naped crane"; Allied code-name Buzzard) was a large experimental twin boom Japanese military glider.
Design and development
An enlarged version of the earlier Maeda Ku-1 glider, it was developed duri ...
*
Mitsubishi Ki-46
The Mitsubishi Ki-46 was a twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Its Army ''Shiki'' designation was Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft (); the Allied brevity code name was "Dinah".
Devel ...
*
Mitsubishi Ki-57
The Mitsubishi Ki-57 was a Japanese passenger transport aircraft, developed from the Ki-21 bomber, during the early 1940s.
Development
In 1938, when the Ki-21 heavy bomber began to enter service with the Imperial Japanese Army, its capability ...
[Francillon p 184]
Specifications (MK2A Zuisei 11)
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Matsuoka Hisamitsu, Nakanishi Masayoshi. The History of Mitsubishi Aero Engines 1915-1945. Miki Press, Japan, 2005.
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External links
* https://web.archive.org/web/20120128225759/http://www.enginehistory.org/Japanese/nasm_research_2.shtml
{{Imperial Japanese Navy aero engines
Aircraft air-cooled radial piston engines
1930s aircraft piston engines
Zuisei