World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe original design for the A2N biplane carrier fighter was delivered to the Japanese Navy in late 1929, and, unexpectedly, the design was rejected. A second attempt was made, designated A2N1 by Nakajima, and the design was accepted in Apr 1932 as the Navy Type 90 Carrier Fighter. The design that was chosen was designated A2N2 by Nakajima. A2N fighters had fixed tailwheel undercarriages and had a mixed construction of steel and wood. In 1932, Japanese Navy pilot Minoru Genda formed a flight demonstration team that was known as "Genda's Flying Circus", and he equipped the team with A2N biplanes. Between 1932 and 1936, about 100 aircraft were built, and a small number of them participated in the Second Sino-Japanese War that began in 1937; they served aboard the carriers Hosho, Kaga, and Ryujo. Several aces, such as Ensign Masaichi Kondo and Lieutenant Yoshio Fukui, scored their first few kills in A2N biplanes in China. Production for A2N2 biplanes ceased in 1936. Between 1936 and 1939, two-seater trainer versions designated A2N3 and A3N1 were put into production; 66 of them were built.

SPECIFICATIONS

A2N1

Machinery	One Nakajima Kotobuki 2 air-cooled 9-cylinder radial engine rated at 580hp
Armament	2x7.7mm Type 97 machine guns
Crew	1
Span	9.37 m
Length	6.18 m
Height	3.20 m
Wing Area	19.74 m²
Weight, Empty	1,045 kg
Weight, Loaded	1,550 kg
Speed, Maximum	293 km/h
Speed, Cruising	166 km/h
Service Ceiling	9,000 m
Range, Normal	501 km

Photographs