Nakajima G8N Renzan / RITA

Bryan Edgerton, e-mail, 28.07.2017 05:11 Looks like a Japanese attempt at a B-17 reply

Oldgysgt, e-mail, 16.01.2016 04:59 The Nakajima G8N Renzan "RITA" heavy bomber would not have "sent fear to Truman and Hap Arnold" or to anyone else in 1945. Although it looks to be a fine aircraft design, Japan was in no position to go over to the offensive at that stage of the war. Their fleet had been all but destroyed, they were practically out of fuel, almost all of their trained pilots were conversing with their ancestors and their civilian population was working all day trying to make fighter parts and working all night trying to put out the fires that General Lemay's boys were starting all over the home Islands. The only possible use the G8N could have been was a very large and very expensive "special attack plane", aka, Kamikaze. Being basically fairly intelligent people, the Japanese government knew this, and elected to use their limited resources on fighter aircraft, (if they had been very intelligent they would have never kicked "Uncle Sam" in the shine in the first place). reply

hugh Bond, 16.11.2014 09:00 Hasegewa scale aircraft plastic kits released amodel of this Rita in the 70's reply

Jim Starkweather, e-mail, 15.05.2014 22:46 Some of you are fooling yourselves if you don't think EVERYONE copies from EVERYONE else. Why wouldn't they?? That said someone had to create innovative elements and I am sure this plane had a few. It was still pretty similar in design to American long-range bombers though. reply

cbreznay, e-mail, 04.06.2013 05:25 All good comments.Most people think all the Japanese had were ZEROES. reply

Michael B. Wolf, e-mail, 16.08.2012 04:02 The G8N Renzan was a totally Japanese design, though they did use the idea of electrical firing turrets from our downed B-29's, the computer system of a B-29 was so advanced it is doubtful the Japanese could have copied it so extensively toward the end of the war. The Renzan was designed as a need for a powerful bomber, but with the defrensive position Japan was put it. it was fighters not bombers that were needed. The best Japanese bomber of the war was the KI-67 Peggy, who did look a bit like a Martin Marauder but was too late to turn the war in Japans favor. Either way the Nakajima NK9KL Homare 24 engines were unique as was this beauty........derived as the beast was destroying Japan! reply

Michael B. Wolf, e-mail, 16.08.2012 03:18 The G8N Renzan was a totally Japanese design, though they did use the idea of electrical firing turrets from our downed B-29's, the computer system of a B-29 was so advanced it is doubtful the Japanese could have copied it so extensively toward the end of the war. The Renzan was designed as a need for a powerful bomber, but with the defrensive position Japan was put it. it was fighters not bombers that were needed. The best Japanese bomber of the war was the KI-67 Peggy, who did look a bit like a Martin Marauder but was too late to turn the war in Japans favor. Either way the Nakajima NK9KL Homare 24 engines were unique as was this beauty........derived as the beast was destroying Japan! reply

Hiroyuki Takeuchi, e-mail, 23.03.2012 09:53 >PRaguet It is no secret that the captured B-17Es were studied extensively and applied to this design, especially the turrets. The tricycle landing gear was applied from the DC-4E and also from the captured Havoc. reply

Hiroyuki Takeuchi, e-mail, 23.03.2012 09:48 >BILL lINDSAY Wow. What an experience! reply

BILL lINDSAY, e-mail, 21.03.2012 01:34 bELIEVE IT OR NOT, I saw this aitcraft parked on the ramp in front of Bldg. 30 Patterson Field in 1946 after my return from the service to visit some of my friends working at Flight Ops in old Patterson Field (later Area C of Wright Pattesrson AFB ) Fairborn, Ohio. I thought it looked like a copy of our B 32 Dominator. Wish I had photographed it at the time. It was a faded orange color and still bore the red "meatball" insignia, which told me that it had been shipped and not flown to the US. Ther was no AAF insignia on it. It probably went to the boneyard in Indiana ! What a shame for the historic loss ! reply

zhuma, 20.06.2011 06:09 that the original design was lost when the napkin bearing it burned following an incendiary strike on a strip club in Kawasaki City. Shame, it was a good strip club reply

G8N, 18.11.2010 19:13 Rhyolite, not exact. the G6N shinzan was based on the Douglas DC-4E transport. Not G8N Renzan. DC-4E was a defect plane. therefore it was sold off to Japan, and unsuccessful G5N bomber. reply

DebtMan, e-mail, 10.10.2010 21:54 The Rita was launched in 1944 and was commenced the tests one year latte,but the tests was interrupted by the constant U.S bombardments what incluse was destroyed 4 prototypes.The other aircraft was taked by the americans and sent to USA for doing tests.After of that tests,the plane was scrapped. reply

Mike Dunne, e-mail, 18.03.2010 07:43 The Renzan was an outstanding Aircraft in every way! No copy cat stuff here (all aircraft designers study one another's work) Trouble is it appeared at the wrong end of the war...no way Japan could have put it into large scale production. reply

Rhyolite, e-mail, 18.11.2009 16:10 Actually, the Renzan was based on the Douglas C-54 /DC-4 transport. Like the FW-200 Kondor.....it was /would have been a complete sheep in wolves clothing. reply

PRaguet, e-mail, 10.10.2009 02:16 I know that the Japanese captured several of our shot aircraft during the war, including the B-17 and B-26 and made studies of them. To me this aircraft looks an awful lot a 4 engine version of our B-26 Marauder. Take a look at the tail section and round body section of the aircraft and see if you agree with me. Also, the gun positions and turrets look a lot like those use on U.S. heavy bombers, like the B-17 and B-24. Lucky for us this aircrft was not developed much earlier. reply

Art Deco, 24.06.2009 06:19 At 780 kph,who needs defensive armament? The greatest problem was that the original design was lost when the napkin bearing it burned following an incendiary strike on a strip club in Kawasaki City. Shame, it was a good strip club reply

Anonymous, e-mail, 24.06.2009 04:03 Here's another Nakajima heavy bomber product: the G10N Fugaku. six engines, speed of 780km /h, 20,000kg of bombs, and a range of 19,400 km. Only downside was a weak defensive armament of four 20mm cannon in single turrets. reply

Leo Rudnicki, e-mail, 06.06.2009 02:01 There is more to a strategic bomber force than an aircraft. The Italian Air Force operated the Piaggio P-108, an excellent strategic bomber, in quantities up to a dozen. Not a strategic force. Japan did not have the industrial capacity to do any better with Rita. They also didn't have fuel to train pilots, let alone fuel 500 Ritas. reply

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