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DC-3 with a twist. (Part 1)

The Nakajima Showa L2D2 Navy Transport Model 11.

Even when the DC-3/C-47 family is famous by itself and its countless feats, I've always been fascinated by 2 of its most unlikely offsprings: the Lisunov Li-2 family (otherwise known as the PS-84 pre-1940) and the L2D series of japanese personnel/cargo transport planes.

While the russian model is based on a rather heavy conversion involving changing engines, scoops, entry door/cargo hatch and several other items depending on what version you want to build, the japanese version is also a very involved conversion, but made easier based on the simplicity of changes.

L2Ds were built in several versions, from the prewar L2D2 to the L2D4. All of them gave sterling service to the IJNAF, and with only some 485 built, their career spanned vast expanses of ocean in an effort to supply from air the IJN stations around the Pacific. Versions and specs of the L2D, coded "Tabby" by the Allies and called simply "Douglas" by its crews, were as follows:


UNITS ALLOCATED

Southern Phillipines Kokutai. Squadrons (Butais) attached to the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Air Fleets (Koku Kantais), to the Combined Fleet (Rengo Kantai) and to the China Area and Southwest Area Fleets.

TECHNICAL DATA

Description: Twin-engined personnel and cargo transport. All-metal construction with fabric-covered control surfaces (L2D1 to L2D4-1) or light alloy, steel and wood construction (L2D5).

Accommodation: Crew of three to five, and either 21 passengers (L2D1 to L2D5) or 4,500 kg of freight (L2D2-1 to L2D4-1).

    Powerplant:
    • Two Pratt & Whitney SB3G fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,000 hp for take-off, driving three-blade metal propellers (L2D1).
    • Two Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,000 hp for take-off and 1,080 hp at 2,000 m, driving three-blade metal propellers (L2D2 and L2D2-1).
    • Two Mitsubishi Kinsei 51 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,300 hp for take-off and 1,200 hp at 3,000 m, driving three-blade metal propellers (L2D3, L2D3-1, L2D4 and L2D4-1).
    • Two Mitsubishi Kinsei 53 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,300 hp for take-off and 1,200 hp at 3,000 m, driving three-blade metal propellers (L2D3a and L2D3-1a).
    • Two Mitsubishi Kinsei 62 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,560 hp for take-off and 1,340 hp at 2,100 m, driving three-blade metal propellers (L2D5).

    Armament:
    • One flexible 13 mm Type 2 machine-gun and two 7.7 mm Type 92 machine-guns (L2D4, L2D4-1 and L2D5).


L2D2
L2D3-1a
Dimensions:




Span
28.96 m
28.96 m
Length
19.72 m
19.51 m
Height
7.46 m
7.46 m
Wing area
91.6 m2
91.6 m2
Weights:




Empty
7,125 kg
7,218 kg
Loaded
10,900 kg
12,500 kg
Wing loading
119.0 kg/m2
136.5 kg/m2
Power loading
5.5 kg/hp
4.8 kg/hp
Performance:




Maximum speed
191 kt at 2,400 m
212 kt at 2,800 m
Cruising speed
140 kt at 2,000 m
130 kt at 3,000 m
Climb to
5,000 m
5,000 m
    in
20 min 36 sec
16 min 2 sec
Service ceiling
10,900 m
-
Normal range
1,740 naut miles
1,620 naut miles

    Production: Including the two L2D1s assembled from Douglas-built parts, a total of 487 L2Ds were built by Showa Hikoki Kogyo K. K. and Nakajima Hikoki K.K. as follows:


    Showa
    Nakajima
    1939
    1
    -
    1940
    1
    10
    1941
    22
    49
    1942
    87
    12
    1943
    61
    -
    1944
    157
    -
    1945
    87
    -
    Totals
    416
    71

    For this conversion, we can use any of the kits availabe in the market today. May it be the Italeri or Esci proposals, they both have strengths and weaknesses: both kits have a nice interior and a better cockpit for the Esci kit. Heavy detailing of the cargo area is to be expected if you want to build any of them with the cargo hatch / passenger door open.

    The Italeri kit seems to have an all-round better look, but its landing gear is somewhat simplyfied compared to the one on the Esci kit. Windshields: hands down for the Italeri kit, a better moulded and well thought 3 piece affair while the single piece part from Esci looks like it's gonna be a little bit difficult to make it fit in such a narrow space. Then again, Esci's kit has positionable landing flaps.

    I bought the DC-3 versions of both kits and an old Esci AC-47 someone built ages ago (more on this in a different installment). Out of sheer heart I almost built the Italeri one in the lovely KLM livery. Had it not been for a sudden thought about building civilian aircraft and me not being "old enough" as a modeler to tackle a NMF, the L2D project would have been shelved for a few more years.

    Since it was my first heavy conversion I chose the initial L2D2 version(not to be confused with R2D2, a different kind of flying tin can) for it has:

    1- Very similar cowlings to the ones on the DC-3, both carburettor and oil coolers as per the original and props can be carved out from the paddled ones in the kit.

    2- Only small windows in the "back office" and a circular hatch in the crew entry door.

    3- Pitot tube as in the DC-3, also the passenger entry door.

    4- The modeler must add: RDF base where the astrodome goes and the antennae mast behind it. A fuel dump drain under the fuselage with a small antennae on it, different exhausts and a slight reshaping of the tail light.

    The Italeri kit was chosen for ease of built and safe design, the Esci ones (I bought 2) were going to have to wait for me to get a little more experience. This model was completed in early 2003 and I am still amazed how little have my modeling skills improved. Oh well, you live and learn, not me.

    Besides the nice set of photographs we all can find on the Internet, I recommend to all of you to get a copy of an old Maru Mechanic magazine devoted to the L2D family. Whilst it is in Japanese, most of the drawings are more than self explanatory and the 1/120 set of plans are indeed "priceless".

    On the next installment, we'll see what it takes to convert a DC-3 into an early Tabby.

    Take care and good luck,

    The Underdog Modeler

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