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81-619: An improved variant, the N1K2-J " Shiden-Kai " (紫電改) first flew on 1 January 1944. The Shiden Kai possessed heavy armament, as well as surprisingly good maneuverability, due to a mercury switch that automatically extended the flaps during turns. These "combat" flaps created more lift, thereby allowing tighter turns. Unlike the Mitsubishi A6M Zero , the Shiden Kai could compete against the best late-war Allied fighters, such as

162-412: A Bourdon tube and a mercury switch. The small force generated by the tube reliably operates the switch. Mercury switches are still used in electro-mechanical systems where physical orientation of actuators or rotors is a factor. They are also commonly used in vending machines and pinball tables , and used to be common in slot machines , for tilt alarms that detect when someone tries to rock or tilt

243-416: A Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat . Soon after, on 23 and 24 November, Hellcats engaged Japanese aircraft over Tarawa , shooting down a claimed 30 Mitsubishi Zeros for the loss of one F6F. Over Rabaul, New Britain , on 11 November 1943, Hellcats and F4U Corsairs were engaged in day-long fights with many Japanese aircraft, including A6M Zeros, claiming nearly 50 aircraft. When trials were flown against

324-749: A 2,000 lb (910 kg) bomb, to attack bridges in Korea. Flying from USS  Boxer , the Hellcat drones were radio controlled from an escorting AD Skyraider . The F6F-5 was the first aircraft used by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels official flight demonstration team at its formation in 1946. The French Navy ( Aéronavale ) was equipped with F6F-5 Hellcats and used them in combat in Indochina . These were painted in Gloss Sea Blue, similar to post-World War II US Navy aircraft until about 1955, but had

405-922: A Hellcat group and downed another one. Ultimately, the Hikōtai lost six fighters versus eight VBF-17 fighters on the other side. Another noted encounter pitted the N1K against the Vought F4U Corsair ; two Corsairs from VBF-10, accidentally separated from their main formations, were attacked by Shidens from the 343rd. Four N1K2s were shot down. The Corsairs returned to their carrier, USS  Bunker Hill . A second encounter took place when pilots flying Shidens initially mistook Corsairs from Marine Fighter Squadron 123 (VMF-123) for Hellcats and attacked. A 30-minute aerial duel ensued, in which three Corsairs were shot down, and another five were damaged. Three other F4Us returned to their carriers and were so heavily damaged that

486-632: A Navy combat Hellcat ace of WWII from Arizona, was credited with shooting down 9 Japanese planes. He was awarded a DFC, and a Gold Star in lieu of a second DFC. In 2012, Van Haren, Jr. was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame. The British Fleet Air Arm (FAA) received 1,263 F6Fs under the Lend-Lease Act ; initially, it was known as the Grumman Gannet Mark I. The name Hellcat replaced it in early 1943 for

567-544: A Zero 52. Do not try to follow a loop or half-roll with a pull-through. When attacking, use your superior power and high-speed performance to engage at the most favorable moment. To evade a Zero 52 on your tail, roll and dive away into a high-speed turn. Hellcats were the major U.S. Navy fighter type involved in the Battle of the Philippine Sea , where so many Japanese aircraft were shot down that Navy aircrews nicknamed

648-505: A bit later Ivan Bosilj. Ivan Bosilj stopped with usage of mercury switches in 2000. In Vojvodina in Serbia same system used electrificator Mihaly Rozsa, but since he stopped to work after certain time, his systems weren't maintained until end of 2019 and early 2020s. Now one electrician from Bečej is maintaining his works and doing electrification with mercury switches and motors with brake by himself Work performed in confined space (such as

729-411: A bulky, heavy float essentially crippled the N1K against contemporary American fighters. However, Kawanishi engineers had proposed in late 1941 that the N1K would also be the basis of a formidable land-based fighter, and a land-based version was produced as a private venture by the company. This version flew on 27 December 1942, powered by a Nakajima NK9A Homare 11 18-cylinder radial engine , replacing

810-503: A captured Mitsubishi A6M5 model Zero, they showed that the Hellcat was faster at all altitudes. The F6F out-climbed the Zero marginally above 14,000 ft (4,300 m) and rolled faster at speeds above 235 mph (378 km/h). The Japanese fighter could out-turn its American opponent with ease at low speed and enjoyed a slightly better rate of climb below 14,000 ft (4,300 m). The trials report concluded: Do not dogfight with

891-668: A critical success requirement for the Navy. The Corsair was thus released by the Navy to the Marine Corps, which without the need to worry about carrier landings, used the Corsair to devastating effect in land-based sorties. The Hellcat remained the standard USN carrier-borne fighter until the F4U series was finally cleared for U.S. carrier operations in late 1944 (the carrier landing issues had by now been tackled largely due to use of Corsair by

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972-753: A float plane, and the expected protracted development period led Nakajima to develop an interim float plane fighter based on the Zero, the Nakajima A6M2-N . In the end, the Kyofu only saw limited service, mostly in Southeast Asia. A number were flown out of Ambon and the Aru Islands in the Moluccas, while some were stationed at Penang Island , off the Malayan peninsula. They were also used in

1053-476: A low position, which permitted the use of a shorter, conventional undercarriage. The fuselage was lengthened and the tail redesigned. The production of the entire aircraft was simplified: over a third of the parts used in the previous Shiden could still be used in its successor, while construction used fewer critical materials. The N1K1 redesign was approximately 250 kg (550 lb) lighter, while faster and more reliable than its predecessor. The Homare engine

1134-513: A pod mounted on a rack beneath the right wing, with a small radar scope fitted in the middle of the main instrument panel and radar operating controls installed on the port side of the cockpit. The later F6F-3N, first flown in July 1943, was fitted with the AN/APS-6 radar in the fuselage, with the antenna dish in a bulbous fairing mounted on the leading edge of the outer right wing as a development of

1215-543: A result, the planes were distributed to elite naval fighter units such as 343 Kōkūtai ("343rd Naval Air Group"), constituted on 25 December 1944 and commanded by Minoru Genda . The new Kōkūtai included some of Japan's most experienced fighter pilots, such as Naoshi Kanno and Saburo Sakai . The unit received the best available naval equipment, such as the Nakajima C6N Saiun , codenamed "Myrt" long-range reconnaissance aircraft . On 18 March 1945, one of

1296-510: A rollover or tip over warning for applications like construction equipment and lift vehicles that operate in rugged terrain. There are several non-mercury types, but few are implemented due to sensitivity to shock and vibration, causing false tripping. However, devices resistant to shock and vibration do exist. Automobile manufacturers once used mercury switches for lighting controls (for example, trunk lid lights), ride control, and anti-lock braking systems . Scrapped automobiles can leak mercury to

1377-504: A three-bladed Curtiss Electric propeller. Instead of the Wildcat's narrow-track, hand-cranked, main landing gear retracting into the fuselage inherited from the F3F ( a design from the 1930s Grumman FF -1 fighter biplane), the Hellcat had wide-set, hydraulically actuated landing-gear struts that rotated through 90° while retracting backwards into the wings, but with full wheel doors fitted to

1458-649: A vacuum. Gravity constantly pulls the drop of mercury to the lowest point in the envelope. When the switch is tilted in the appropriate direction, the mercury touches a set of contacts, thus completing an electrical circuit. Tilting the switch in the opposite direction moves the mercury away from that set of contacts, breaking that circuit. The switch may contain multiple sets of contacts, closing different sets at different angles, allowing, for example, single-pole, double-throw ( SPDT ) operation. Mercury switches offer several advantages over other switch types: Mercury switches have several disadvantages: Tilt switches provide

1539-489: A welder inside a tank) raises special safety concerns. Tilt switches sound an alarm if a worker falls over. Electrically driven attitude indicators typically use mercury switches to keep the gyro axis vertical. When the gyro is off vertical, mercury switches trigger torque motors that move the gyro position back to the correct position. (Air driven attitude indicators use a different operating principle.) Mercury switches were once common in bimetal thermostats . The weight of

1620-456: Is an electrical switch that opens and closes a circuit when a small amount of the liquid metal mercury connects metal electrodes to close the circuit. There are several different basic designs (tilt, displacement, radial, etc.) but they all share the common design strength of non-eroding switch contacts. The most common is the mercury tilt switch . It is in one state (open or closed) when tilted one direction with respect to horizontal, and

1701-858: Is at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida . The second N1K2-Ja (s/n 5312), a fighter-bomber variant equipped with wing mounts to carry bombs, is on display in the Air Power gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force , at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton , Ohio . This aircraft was displayed outside for many years in a children's playground in San Diego , suffering considerable corrosion, and had become seriously deteriorated. In 1959 it

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1782-503: Is known to be from the 343rd Kōkūtai, as the unit flew sorties in the area, but the tail code is unknown as it was partially restored from a corroded wreck recovered from the sea. After an aerial battle on July 24, 1945, its pilot ditched the aircraft in the waters of the Bungo Channel , but he was never found; by the time of the aircraft's recovery from the seabed on July 14, 1979, he could be identified only as one of six pilots from

1863-1001: Is located on display at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredricksburg, Texas . N1K1 Kyōfū (s/n 565), formerly displayed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove , Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania , stored at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida . Now being restored by American Aero Services, New Smyrna Beach, Florida , for the American Heritage Museum in Stow, Massachusetts . Data from TAIC 107 A1 Report : Kawanishi N1K1-J General characteristics Performance Armament Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Mercury switch A mercury switch

1944-423: Is now RoHS restricted, most modern applications have eliminated it. A metal ball and contact wires can directly replace it, but may require additional circuitry to eliminate switch bounce . Low-precision thermostats use a bimetal strip and a switch contact. Precision thermostats use a thermistor or silicon temperature sensor. Low-cost accelerometers replace the mercury tilt switch in precision applications. In

2025-612: Is ringing. Swinging angle was able to adjust just by moving of switches a bit. Moving in one degree more could be fatal for bell or even would too low swinging angle. Since Josef Pfundner closed bellfoundry in 1971, bellfoundry Grassmayr from Innsbruck in Tyrol had been bought a licence for using such a patent and they continued to use it for their own electrification until early 2000s. Some electrificators in Croatia also adopted this system, like Alojz Domislović, his successor Luka Ivandija, and

2106-634: The "Myrts" spotted U.S. carriers en route to Japan. The following morning, Shiden aircraft flown by 343 Kōkūtai intercepted 300 American aircraft. Many of the Shiden forces were N1K2s. When the Shidens encountered Grumman F6F Hellcats from USN Fighter Bomber Squadron 17 (VBF-17), three aircraft were lost on both sides in the initial attack: one Hellcat and two Shiden s were shot down by enemy ground fire, two fighters collided in mid-air, and one Hellcat crashed while trying to land. Another Shiden dived on

2187-575: The Battle of Okinawa . Towards the end of the war, Kyofu s were also used in the homeland defense role, operating from Lake Biwa by the Sasebo Air Corps and the Ōtsu Air Corps. The N1K was powered by the Mitsubishi MK4C Kasei 13 14-cylinder radial engine. Top speed was 489 km/h (304 mph); considerably less than the unrealistic Navy 310 kn (574 km/h; 357 mph) requirement. The requirement to carry

2268-539: The British Pacific Fleet was the highest-scoring unit, with 32.5 kills. FAA Hellcats, as with other Lend-Lease aircraft, were rapidly replaced by British aircraft after the end of the war, with only two of the 12 squadrons equipped with the Hellcat at VJ-Day still retaining Hellcats by the end of 1945. These two squadrons were disbanded in 1946. When the war ended, 889 Squadron FAA , equipped with 6 Hellcat Is and II (PR) photo-reconnaissance variants,

2349-495: The F6F Hellcat , F4U Corsair , and P-51 Mustang . Kawanishi's N1K was originally built as a single pontoon floatplane fighter to support forward offensive operations where no airstrips were available, but by 1943 when the aircraft entered service, Japan was firmly on the defensive, and there was no longer a need for a fighter to fulfill this role. The Navy's requirements for this fighter were nearly impossible to achieve for

2430-469: The Philippines , and, later, Okinawa . Before production was switched to the improved N1K2-J, 1,007 aircraft, including prototypes, were produced. Because of production difficulties and damage done by B-29 raids on factories, only 415 of the superior N1K2-J fighters were produced. The N1K2-J Shiden-Kai proved to be one of the best dogfighting aircraft produced by either side. Along with high speed,

2511-800: The Shiden , especially the Kai version, proved to be a capable dogfighter with a potent combination of firepower, agility, and rugged structure. The premier unit flying the Shiden , 343rd Kōkūtai , remained operational until overwhelming unit losses obliged the group to stand down. The 343rd was disbanded on 14 August 1945 when the Emperor ordered surrender. All four surviving Shiden Kai aircraft are now displayed in American and Japanese museums, while all three surviving Kyofu aircraft are displayed/stored in American museums. One N1K2-J (s/n 5128, tail code A343-19)

Kawanishi N1K - Misplaced Pages Continue

2592-506: The ailerons , and an improved, clear-view windscreen, with a flat armored-glass front panel replacing the F6F-3's curved plexiglass panel and internal armor glass screen. In addition, the rear fuselage and tail units were strengthened, and apart from some early production aircraft, most of the F6F-5s built were painted in an overall gloss sea-blue finish. After the first few F6F-5s were built,

2673-493: The "mercury in glass envelope" switch got its start with patent 1598874 (filed on January 19, 1922 by Louis Phelan), which evolved into a more modern mercury switch with a straight tubular glass envelope via patent 2232626 (filed on October 7, 1937 by Harold Olson of Honeywell ). Mercury switches have one or more sets of electrical contacts in a sealed glass envelope that contains a small quantity of mercury. The envelope may also contain hydrogen at pressure, an inert gas , or

2754-465: The 18-cylinder 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) Pratt and Whitney R-2800-18W two-stage supercharged radial engine with water injection and driving a Hamilton-Standard four-bladed propeller. The XF6F-6s were the fastest version of the Hellcat series with a top speed of 417 mph (671 km/h), but the war ended before this variant could be mass-produced. The last Hellcat rolled out in November 1945,

2835-561: The 343rd squadron who disappeared that day. Photographs of the six—including Takashi Oshibuchi , commander of the 701 Hikōtai , and Kaneyoshi Muto —are displayed under the aircraft engine. In 2019, the aircraft was restored to non-flying condition. N1K1 Kyōfū (s/n 514) is in storage at the National Air and Space Museum 's Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland, Maryland . N1K1 Kyōfū (s/n 562)

2916-526: The A6M Zero and help secure air superiority over the Pacific theater . In total, 12,275 were built in just over two years. Hellcats were credited with destroying a total of 5,223 enemy aircraft while in service with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA). This was more than any other Allied naval aircraft. After the war, Hellcats were phased out of front-line service in

2997-539: The AN/APS-4; about 200 F6F-3Ns were built. Hellcat night fighters claimed their first victories in November 1943. In total, 4,402 F6F-3s were built through until April 1944, when production was changed to the F6F-5. The F6F-5 featured several improvements, including a more powerful R-2800-10W engine employing a water-injection system and housed in a slightly more streamlined engine cowling, spring-loaded control tabs on

3078-607: The Corsair and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, the F6F was an entirely new design, but it still resembled the Wildcat in many ways. Some military observers tagged the Hellcat as the "Wildcat's big brother". The F6F made its combat debut in September 1943. It subsequently established itself as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter, which was able to outperform

3159-656: The F6F airframe to incorporate the 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) R-2800-10, driving a three-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller. With this combination, Grumman estimated the XF6F-3s performance would increase by 25% over that of the XF6F-1. The Cyclone-powered XF6F-1 (02981) first flew on 26 June 1942, followed by the first Double Wasp-equipped aircraft, the XF6F-3 (02982), which first flew on 30 July 1942. The first production F6F-3, powered by an R-2800-10, flew on 3 October 1942, with

3240-650: The F6F-5P, receiving the designation Hellcat FR Mk. II. The Pacific War being primarily a naval war, the FAA Hellcats primarily faced land-based aircraft in the European and Mediterranean theaters, so experienced far fewer opportunities for air-to-air combat than their USN/Marines counterparts; nevertheless, they claimed a total of 52 enemy aircraft kills during 18 aerial combats from May 1944 to July 1945. 1844 Naval Air Squadron , on board HMS  Indomitable of

3321-547: The Hellcat was succeeded by the F8F Bearcat , which was smaller, more powerful (powered by uprated Double Wasp radials) and more maneuverable, but entered service too late to see combat in World War II. The Hellcat was used for second-line USN duties, including training and Naval Reserve squadrons, and a handful were converted to target drones . In late 1952, Guided Missile Unit 90 used F6F-5K drones, each carrying

Kawanishi N1K - Misplaced Pages Continue

3402-411: The Hellcat. He once described the F6F as "... an outstanding fighter plane. It performed well, was easy to fly, and was a stable gun platform, but what I really remember most was that it was rugged and easy to maintain." During the course of World War II, 2,462 F6F Hellcats were lost to all causes – 270 in aerial combat, 553 to antiaircraft ground and shipboard fire, and 341 due to operational causes. Of

3483-616: The Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero , it was the United States Navy 's dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War . In gaining that role, it prevailed over its faster competitor, the Vought F4U Corsair , which initially had problems with visibility and carrier landings. Powered by a 2,000  hp (1,500 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp , the same powerplant used for both

3564-684: The Pacific Theater of Operations. On 22 April 1942, Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare toured the Grumman Aircraft company and spoke with Grumman engineers, analyzing the performance of the F4F Wildcat against the Mitsubishi A6M Zero in aerial combat. Buaer's Lt Cdr A. M. Jackson directed Grumman's designers to mount the cockpit higher in the fuselage. In addition, the forward fuselage sloped down slightly to

3645-592: The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, which started in 1943). In addition to its good flight qualities, the Hellcat was easy to maintain and had an airframe tough enough to withstand the rigors of routine carrier operations. Like the Wildcat, the Hellcat was designed for ease of manufacturing and ability to withstand significant damage. The Hellcat first saw action against the Japanese on 1 September 1943, when fighters off USS  Independence shot down

3726-517: The Shiden-Kai offered pilots an agile aircraft with a roll rate of 82°/sec at 386 km/h (240 mph), backing four powerful 20 mm cannons in the wings. As a bomber interceptor , the N1K2-J fared less well, hampered by a poor rate of climb and a reduced engine performance at high altitude. The N1K2-J Shiden-Kai offered a formidable, if demanding, aircraft in limited quantities. As

3807-489: The U.S. for examination, or wartime assembly or repair from parts obtained from three different aircraft. Serial number 5312 was found in the most locations, and is the number now cited. This N1K2-Ja is painted as an aircraft in the Yokosuka Kōkūtai , an evaluation and test unit. This is indicated by the tail code (Yo)ヨ-105. The third example (s/n 5341, tail code A343-35) is owned by the National Air and Space Museum but

3888-610: The U.S. squadrons 63. The losses were 15 Shidens and 13 pilots, a "Myrt", its three-person crew, and nine other Japanese fighters. The U.S. also took heavy losses: 14 fighters and seven pilots, plus 11 attack aircraft. Five days later, an unofficial award was sent to 343rd Kōkūtai for the bravery shown on 19 March. On 12 April 1945, another fierce battle involved the 343rd during the mass kamikaze attack on Kikusui N.2. The Japanese recorded several kills but suffered 12 losses out of 34 aircraft. On 4 May, another 24 Shidens were sent to Kikusui N.5. In every encounter with enemy fighters,

3969-601: The US, but radar-equipped F6F-5Ns remained in service as late as 1954 as night fighters . Grumman had been working on a successor to the F4F Wildcat since 1938, and the contract for the prototype XF6F-1 was signed on 30 June 1941. The aircraft was originally designed to use the Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone two-row, 14-cylinder radial engine of 1,700 hp (1,300 kW) (the same engine used with Grumman's then- new torpedo bomber under development ), driving

4050-553: The United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the disposition and release of mercury. Individual states and localities may enact further regulations on the use or disposition of mercury. Grumman F6F Hellcat The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II . Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter

4131-618: The battle the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" . The F6F accounted for 75% of all aerial victories recorded by the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. Radar -equipped Hellcat night-fighter squadrons appeared in early 1944. A formidable opponent for the Hellcat was the Kawanishi N1K , but it was produced too late and in insufficient numbers to affect the outcome of the war. U.S. Navy and Marine F6F pilots flew 66,530 combat sorties and claimed 5,163 kills (56% of all U.S. Navy/Marine air victories of

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4212-482: The center-section hard point, late-model F6F-3s could carry a total bomb load in excess of 2,000 lb (910 kg). Six 5 in (127 mm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets (HVARs) could be carried – three under each wing on "zero-length" launchers. Two night-fighter subvariants of the F6F-3 were developed; the 18 F6F-3Es were converted from standard-3s and featured the AN/APS-4 10 GHz frequency radar in

4293-514: The cessation of hostilities, the squadron (which included pilot William Stevenson ) was disbanded and the Hellcats dumped off the Scottish coast (the fate of many lend-lease aircraft that survived the war, which under the terms of the agreement were to be returned to the United States or paid for, while there was no requirement to refund the cost of aircraft that had been lost). After the war,

4374-407: The controls. The Nakajima Homare was powerful, but had been rushed into production before it was sufficiently developed, and proved troublesome. Another problem was landing gear failure due to poor heat treatment of the wheels. Apart from engine problems and the landing gear, the flight test program showed that the aircraft was promising. Prototypes were evaluated by the Navy, and since the aircraft

4455-443: The earlier F4F, with a folded stowage position parallel to the fuselage with the leading edges pointing diagonally down. Throughout early 1942, Leroy Grumman , along with his chief designers Jake Swirbul and Bill Schwendler, worked closely with the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) and experienced F4F pilots, to develop the new fighter in such a way that it could counter the Zero's strengths and help gain air dominance in

4536-433: The engine cowling, giving the Hellcat's pilot good visibility. Based on combat accounts of encounters between the F4F Wildcat and A6M Zero, on 26 April 1942, BuAer directed Grumman to install the more-powerful, 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine – which was already in use with Chance Vought's Corsair since 1940 – in the second XF6F-1 prototype. Grumman complied by redesigning and strengthening

4617-655: The environment if these switches are not properly removed. Since 2003, new American-built cars no longer use mercury switches. While doing more researches in the 1950s, Austrian bellfounder from Vienna , Josef Pfundner jr., decided to develop a newer way to electrify church bells. Austria was already full of motors from German factory from Herford, which used motors with brakes and gearbox for changing direction of rotation and maintaining optimal swinging angle, and by that, to change swinging direction of bell. This option wasn't affordable so Pfundner decided to experiment something different. Option of motor with brake and mercury switch

4698-443: The formation shot down four Hellcats with no loss to themselves. After the action, Japanese propagandists fabricated a story in which Muto was the sole airman facing 12 enemy aircraft. (A leading Japanese ace, Saburō Sakai , later asserted in his autobiography that Muto had done this feat at an earlier stage of the war – albeit at the controls of a Zero fighter.) The N1K1-J aircraft were used very effectively over Formosa (Taiwan) ,

4779-544: The less powerful MK4C Kasei 13 of the N1K-1. The aircraft retained the mid-mounted wing of the floatplane; combined with the large propeller, this necessitated a long, stalky main landing gear . A unique feature was the aircraft's combat flaps that automatically adjusted in response to acceleration, freeing up the pilot's concentration and reducing the chance of stalling in combat. The N1K did have temperamental flight characteristics, however, that required an experienced touch at

4860-460: The machine to make it vend a product or affect a play outcome. A tilt switch can trigger a bomb. Mercury tilt switches can be found in some bomb and landmine fuzes , typically in the form of anti-handling devices , for example, a variant of the VS-50 mine . Since mercury is a toxic heavy metal , devices containing mercury switches must be treated as hazardous waste for disposal. Because it

4941-532: The movable mercury drop provided some hysteresis by a degree of over-center action . The bimetal spring had to move further to overcome the weight of the mercury, tending to hold it in the open or closed position. The mercury also provided positive on-off switching, and could withstand millions of cycles without contact degradation. Some old doorbells, for example, the Soviet ZM-1U4, use mercury switches as current interrupters. Some pressure switches use

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5022-576: The other state when tilted the other direction. This is what older style thermostats used to turn a heater or air conditioner on or off. The mercury displacement switch uses a 'plunger' that dips into a pool of mercury, raising the level in the container to contact at least one electrode. This design is used in relays in industrial applications that need to switch high current loads frequently. These relays use electromagnetic coils to pull steel sleeves inside hermetically sealed containers. From around 1905 to 1910 various mercury switches were invented, but

5103-426: The planes were scrapped. No Shidens were lost to Corsairs in that aerial battle. Losses for the Japanese N1K pilots occurred in a related action. However, two Shidens were shot down upon return for landing by Hellcats of Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9). At the same time, many more Shidens were destroyed by American fighters over another airfield where low on fuel, their pilots tried to land. The 343rd claimed 52 kills, and

5184-405: The rare Japanese aircraft that offered pilots an even chance against late-war American designs, such as the F6F Hellcat and the F4U Corsair , and could be a formidable weapon in the hands of an ace. In February 1945, Ensign Kaneyoshi Muto , flying an N1K2-J as part of a mixed formation of at least 10 Japanese aircraft, faced seven U.S. Navy Hellcat pilots from squadron VF-82 in the sky over Japan;

5265-418: The sake of simplicity, the Royal Navy at that time adopting the use of the existing American naval names for all the U.S.-made aircraft supplied to it, with the F6F-3 being designated Hellcat F Mk. I, the F6F-5, the Hellcat F Mk. II and the F6F-5N, the Hellcat NF Mk. II. They saw action off Norway, in the Mediterranean, and in the Far East. Several were fitted with photographic reconnaissance equipment similar to

5346-518: The small windows behind the main canopy were deleted. The F6F-5N night-fighter variant was fitted with an AN/APS-6 radar in a fairing on the outer-starboard wing. A few standard F6F-5s were also fitted with camera equipment for reconnaissance duties as the F6F-5P. While all F6F-5s were capable of carrying an armament mix of one 20-mm (.79-in) M2 cannon in each of the inboard gun bays (220 rounds per gun), along with two pairs of .50-in (12.7-mm) machine guns (each with 400 rounds per gun), this configuration

5427-436: The struts that covered the entire strut and the upper half of the main wheel when retracted, and twisted with the main gear struts through 90° during retraction. The wing was mounted lower on the fuselage and was able to be hydraulically or manually folded, with each panel outboard of the undercarriage bay folding backwards from pivoting on a specially oriented, Grumman-patented " Sto-Wing " diagonal axis pivoting system much like

5508-424: The total figure, 1,298 were destroyed in training and ferry operations, normally outside of the combat zones. Hamilton McWhorter III , a Navy aviator and a flying ace of World War II, was credited with shooting down 12 Japanese aircraft. He was the first U.S. Navy aviator to become an ace while flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the first Navy carrier pilot to achieve double ace status. Arthur Van Haren, Jr. ,

5589-433: The total production being 12,275, of which 11,000 had been built in just two years. This high production rate was credited to the sound original design, which required little modification once production was under way. The U.S. Navy much preferred the more docile flight qualities of the F6F compared with the Vought F4U Corsair, despite the Corsair's superior speed. This preference was especially noted during carrier landings,

5670-399: The type reaching operational readiness with VF-9 on USS  Essex in February 1943. The F6F series was designed to take damage and get the pilot safely back to base. A bullet-resistant windshield was used and a total of 212 lb (96 kg) of cockpit armor was fitted, along with armor around the oil tank and oil cooler. A 250 US gal (950 L) self-sealing fuel tank

5751-414: The war) at a recorded cost of 270 Hellcats in aerial combat (an overall kill-to-loss ratio of 19:1 based on claimed kills). Claimed victories were often highly exaggerated during the war. Even so, the aircraft performed well against the best Japanese opponents with a claimed 13:1 kill ratio against the A6M Zero, 9.5:1 against the Nakajima Ki-84 , and 3.7:1 against the Mitsubishi J2M during the last year of

5832-576: The war. The F6F became the prime ace-maker aircraft in the American inventory, with 305 Hellcat aces. The U.S. successes were not just attributed to superior aircraft; from 1942 onwards, they faced increasingly inexperienced Japanese aviators and had the advantage of increasing numerical superiority. In the ground-attack role, Hellcats dropped 6,503 tons (5,899 metric tonnes) of bombs. The U.S. Navy's all-time leading ace, Captain David McCampbell , scored all of his 34 victories in

5913-626: Was donated to the Museum through the cooperation of the San Diego Squadron of the Air Force Association . In October 2008 the aircraft was returned to display following an extensive eight year restoration. Many parts had to be reverse engineered by the Museum's restoration staff. Four different aircraft serial numbers were found on parts throughout the airframe, indicating reassembly from three different wrecks brought back to

5994-407: Was economically better solution, but much more sensitive. One mistake while setting this switch on yoke of bell could be fatal for bell, since bell can be cracked if one of switches was broken. This type of "gearbox" on yoke contained 4 mercury switches, what means 2 switches for each direction, and it was connected with wire which was attached to motor, in manner to change swinging direction while bell

6075-620: Was faster than the Zero and had a much longer range than the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden , it was ordered into production as the N1K1-J , the -J indicating a land-based fighter modification of the original floatplane fighter. Only four days after the Shiden ' s first test flight, a complete redesign began. The N1K2-J addressed the N1K1-J's major defects, primarily the mid-mounted wing and long landing gear. The wings were moved to

6156-418: Was fitted in the fuselage. Standard armament on the F6F-3 consisted of six .50 in (12.7 mm) M2/AN Browning air-cooled machine guns with 400 rounds per gun. A center-section hardpoint under the fuselage could carry a single 150 US gal (570 L) disposable drop tank , while later aircraft had single bomb racks installed under each wing, inboard of the undercarriage bays; with these and

6237-526: Was only used on later F6F-5N night fighters. The F6F-5 was the most common F6F variant, with 7,870 being built. Other prototypes in the F6F series included the XF6F-4 (02981, a conversion of the XF6F-1 powered by an R-2800-27 and armed with four 20-mm M2 cannon), which first flew on 3 October 1942 as the prototype for the projected F6F-4. This version never entered production and 02981 was converted to an F6F-3 production aircraft. Another experimental prototype

6318-524: Was preparing to depart from Scotland for the Far East (the squadron had been based at RAF Woodvale since its re-formation after VE Day , and practising carrier operations on HMS Trouncer before moving to HMS Ravager ), to replace 888 Squadron FAA, and intended to photograph Japanese beaches in anticipation of the planned invasion that was forestalled by the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . With

6399-562: Was restored by the Champlin Fighter Museum at Falcon Field , Mesa , Arizona , in return for the right to display the aircraft at Falcon Field for 10 years after restoration. It currently is on display at the National Air and Space Museum 's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center The fourth authentic Shiden-Kai is displayed in a local museum at Nanreku Misho Koen in Ehime Prefecture , Shikoku , Japan. This aircraft

6480-544: Was retained, even though reliability problems persisted, as no alternative was available. A prototype of the new version flew on 1 January 1944. After completing Navy trials in April, the N1K2-J was rushed into production. This variant was named the " Shiden-Kai " (紫電改), with Kai meaning modified . The N1K1-J Shiden entered service in early 1944. The N1K1-J and the N1K2 Shiden-Kai released later that year were among

6561-530: Was the XF6F-2 (66244), an F6F-3 converted to use a Wright R-2600-15, fitted with a Birman-manufactured mixed-flow turbocharger , which was later replaced by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-21, also fitted with a Birman turbocharger. The turbochargers proved to be unreliable on both engines, while performance improvements were marginal. As with the XF6F-4, 66244 was soon converted back to a standard F6F-3. Two XF6F-6s (70188 and 70913) were converted from F6F-5s and used

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