Mitsubishi 2MR8

 

The Mitsubishi 2MR8 was a Japanese short-range reconnaissance aircraft of the 1930s designed and built by Mitsubishi for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF).

Its origins date back to 1930 when the IJAAF issued a requirement for a short-ranged reconnaissance aircraft which would act as a supplement for the long-range Kawasaki Type 88. Mitsubishi developed two designs, a biplane based on their 2MR and B2M reconnaissance aircraft and torpedo bomber designs respectively. The other one was the 2MR8, a high-wing parasol monoplane.

A total of four prototypes were made, the first of which was powered by a Mitsubishi A2 radial engine which yielded 320 hp of power and flew for the first time on 28th March 1931. Successive prototypes were powered by more powerful versions of such engine and, eventually, production version featured a Mitsubishi Type 92 engine which yielded 475 hp and drove a two-bladed propeller. The fourth prototype was modified to have a reduced wing area and a shorter fuselage and it was accepted by the IJAAF and ordered into production as the Mitsubishi Army Type 92 Reconnaissance Aircraft.

The production variant had wide-track divided landing gear and carrier a crew of two, a pilot and an observer in two open cockpits. It was armed with two forward-firing synchronized 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns plus and additional one or two mounted on a ring at the observer's cockpit. A total of 230 machines were manufactured at Mitsubishi's plant in Nagoya from April 1930, when the type was ordered into production until March 1934 when production ceased in favor of the Nakajima Ki-4 and the Kawasaki Ki-3, which showed better performance rates. 

In order to meet the requirements of the Japanese Ministry of Railways for a survey aircraft, Mitsubishi developed also a civilian version of the Type 92, which was known as the Hato Survey Aircraft. A single aircraft was ordered in 1935, together with a Fokker Super Universal made by Nakajima and powered by a Mitsubishi A5 engine. The Hato differed from the military version in having a glazed canopy over the rear cockpit, which was also enlarged to accomodate a crew of two, an open forward pilot's cockpit and spat-type main wheel fairings. It was delivered in March 1936 and received the civilian registration of J-AARA. 

The Type 92 entered service with the Kwangtung Army Air Corps in their reconnaissance chutais (squadrons) which were also part of the hiko rentais (air regiments of mixed composition). The usage of the Type 92 was very limited as only three hiko rentais (1st, 3rd and 7th) were equipped with the 2MR8. These were also part of the "Kanto" hiko shidan (air corps) and saw active usage during the hostilities in Manchuria in 1932, though during the latest stages, which were just some few skirmishes. They weren't keep on active service with the Kwangtung Army for much longer as they were being replaced. However, by 1937 at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, some of them were still active and in Agust-September that year, some of them were listed to have been operated in the ground support role in North-Eastern China. Anyway, by late 1937, they were completely withdrawn from the frontlines. Some disarmed machines were handed over to various organizations, such as "Aikoku-Go" a paramilitary flight school for women.

The Guangxi Clique, a warlord regime that existed in Southern China, bought also some machines in 1934 and 1935, during the brief period of peace between the two countries. They were used against the Kuomintang when these invaded and, when the Guangxi-Kuomintang War was over, some were captured by the Republic of China Air Force and were used during the earlier stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.

All things consider, the Type 92 didn't shine as an excellent machine. However, it was the first aircraft powered by a completely Japanese engine which was not a licensed copy of a foreign engine.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_2MR8

2. https://www.valka.cz/Micubisi-2MR8-t34884

3. http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other1/2mr8.html (translated)

Further reading (in Chinese - use the translator)

1. http://cwlam2000.epizy.com/caf23.htm

Airspeed AS.6 Envoy, part one

The Airspeed AS.6 Envoy was a British light twin-engined transport aircraft designed and built by Airspeed at Portsmouth Aerodrome, in Hampshire.
As the type was quite popular, it was exported to many countries:

• Australia: As the aircraft became famous thanks to air races, it became very popular within commonwealth's airlines, so the Australian airline Ansett Airlines bought two exemplars. A private-owned Envoy which was registered as VH-UXY and modified with a long-range fuel tank filling the middle of the cabin, was piloted by Charles Ulm when it disappeared in December 1934 when attempting to flight the Pacific route between Oakland, in New Zealand to Honolulu in Hawaii. 
• China-Guangxi: The warlord of this Southern province had at least one Envoy serving with his Air Force. Further details are unknown but it was most probably destroyed during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• Independent State of Croatia: Two Airspeed AS.6E were given to the ZNDH (Independent State of Croatia's Air Force) by the German Luftwaffe. They were used in the light transport role and were destroyed during the course of the War.
• Czechoslovakia: The Czechoslovak's National Airways, CSA, ordered four AS.6 Envoy JC in 1937 to equip their air routes. When Czechoslovakia was annexed, all of them were passed over to the Luftwaffe.
  Additionally one machine was bought by Vítkovické horní a hutní tezirstvo (Vitkovice Mine & Steel Co.) in 1936 based in the Czech city of Ostrava and was used by his president.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Envoy

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_Air_Force_(Independent_State_of_Croatia)

3. http://britishaviation-ptp.com/airspeed_as6.html

4. https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/114447/Airspeed-AS-6E-Envoy

Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16

The Armstrong Whitworth AW.16 was a British biplane fighter designed and produced by Armstrong Whitworth.

It was designed and developed by Armstrong Whitworth to meet the requeriments of the F9/26 specification but, as the prototype was flown for the first time in 1930, it was already too late to for consideration against that specification, and was instead, presented for the N21/26 one, which requested a naval fighter for the Fleet Air Arm.

It was a single bay biplane of unequal span braced with N-type struts which resembled somehow to the previous Starling one. Undercarriage was fixed, undivided and spatted. It was powered by a 525hp Armstrong Siddeley Panther radial engine enclosed within a townend ring, however, problems with that engine delayed the production of the aircraft and the Hawker Nimrod was chosen for the N21/26 evaluation. It was armed with the usual pair of British Vickers 0.303 machine guns located in the frontern part of the fuselage. In any way, when it was evaluated, it showed inferior performance to the Nimrod and it was difficult to handle in a carrier deck.

As Armstrong Whitworth still tried to sell the airplane, they produced a second prototype, powered by a more reliable version of the Panther Engine, the Panther IIA and submitted the fighter for the F7/30 specification, which was eventually won by the Gloster Gladiator. Needless to say that, for that specification, the A.W.16 was too obsolete and was quickly discarded for consideration.
It's also known that the original prototype was retrofitted in 1933 with an Armstrong Siddeley Hyena engine but it was quickly discarded as that engine offered serious cooling problems.

In spite of the unsuccessful attempts, an order from the Chinese warlord Guangxi clique was placed for 17 airplanes and were delivered to them via Hong Kong.
They served with that warlord until 1937 when that clique was absorbed into the Republic of China led by Chiang Kai-Shek. From then on, they passed on to the Republic of China air Force. Their fate from then on, is unknown.

Update: We update the post to show the Armstrong Whitworth A.W.28, which was a regular A.W.16 powered by the experimental and troublesome Armstrong Siddeley Hyena. It was tested on 24th October 1933 and the results showed that the engine was too heavy, it was underpowered and it was hard to cool-off, even if various types of hoods were tried on the A.W.28.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth_A.W.16
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
3. http://cwlam2000.0catch.com/caf23.htm (translated)
4. http://p-d-m.livejournal.com/242051.html (translated)