Official Nakajima C6N Myrt Painting Thread

[Dak21]

Here is a basic 1/200 Nakajima C6N Myrt reconnaissance aircraft. These were originally intended to be a carrier based plane, but by the time Nakajima had them ready for operations, the Imperial carrier fleet had been largely destroyed. As a result, they almost exclusively operated from land bases. Color options are very limited as the IJN did not get into all the crazy camo schemes like the IJA. This plane is from the 302nd Kokutai. Planes from this unit were also converted to the “Saiun” night fighter version which could sport two 20mm, or one 30mm Schrag Musik type oblique upward firing machine cannons.

The model is Shapeways, very low detail. All colors airbrushed using Mr Color, Nakajima Green upper and IJN Gray lower. Details painted with Vallejo Model Colors by brush. One thing of note is that I have started using “Sand Yellow” for all things yellow. It just goes on so nicely compared to all the other yellow variants I’ve tried. Nice high pigmentations and smooth application.

[Caveman]

Nice job Dave.

[flash]

Great job Dave and an interesting late war aircraft.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_C6N

[malachi]

nicely done as usual, Dave!

[Dak21]

Thanks guys. I’ll make cards for the recon and night fighter versions of this one.

[Aardvark1430]

Nicely done again
cheers,
Guus

[CAPTKIRK406]

Nice job. Beautiful air brush job.

[Flying Helmut]

Pretty!

I was intrigued by this plane when I acquired several boxes of Late War IJN aircraft for my 1/700 games, but I never painted any of them.

[milcoll73]

nice looking paintjob, though thats one unusual looking aircraft lol.

[Absurdbanipal]

Very nice!

[abovetheclouds]

Thanks guys. I’ll make cards for the recon and night fighter versions of this one.

Dave, have you made any progress on your recon and night fighter cards for this plane? I just purchased my first C6N Myrt model. I found a few discussion threads on the Aerodrome but no cards yet.

[OldGuy59]

Dave, have you made any progress on your recon and night fighter cards for this plane? I just purchased my first C6N Myrt model. I found a few discussion threads on the Aerodrome but no cards yet.

Hmmm...

[OldGuy59]

Had to Edit this card, as I misread the Stat Sheet.

The C6N-1 S is the night fighter version, with a Schräge Musik configuration on its armament. One crew was eliminated and upward oblique-firing guns installed. The rear MG was eliminated, as well. No performance change was incurred, as the gun and ammunition weighed the same as the removed crew member.

[abovetheclouds]

Oh, so nice. Thanks Mike! The card is perfect!

[OldGuy59]

Please note the previous posted card has been edited.

This card is the C6N-1 Reconnaissance version, with the single 7.92mm MG with the rear firing arc:



PS: Please note that although there are three crew in this plane, they could not change positions. So, technically, there is a free crew hit if using this plane. You should use the Multi-crew chits to assign hits, and hope for the best.

[abovetheclouds]

Thank you Mike. I was going to ask for some clarification on the rear gun on the original card, but you took care of it before I got a chance to ask. Both cards are greatly appreciated. Time to print them out, and put together a Q*+ deck to go with them.

Is it safe to assume that the crew member of the C6N-1 S had the responsibility of firing the upward firing cannon? Or was he just an observer, and the pilot actually fired the cannon?

[OldGuy59]

Thank you Mike. I was going to ask for some clarification on the rear gun on the original card, but you took care of it before I got a chance to ask. Both cards are greatly appreciated. Time to print them out, and put together a Q*+ deck to got with them.

Is it safe to assume that the crew member of the C6N-1 S had the responsibility of firing the upward firing cannon? Or was he just an observer, and the pilot actually fired the cannon?

Your welcome. I try to get this stuff right. As to who actually shoots? I don't know.

I don't know how the guns were configured as to ammunition, and whether they were belt fed, or used magazines. So, how many rounds of fire would be allowed with, or without, a crewman to manage the guns is a quandry. I will say that I think that the guns should be fired by the pilot, but that is a guess on my part, not based on research or references.

[Jager]

Is it safe to assume that the crew member of the C6N-1 S had the responsibility of firing the upward firing cannon? Or was he just an observer, and the pilot actually fired the cannon?

I'm making a few assumptions, with lack of citations, here:
Following the Luftwaffe NFs, I would assume that the pilot is doing the firing, as the guns are fixed, and he's flying the plane, and should have the gunsight.
Given the lack of a radar on this plane, the observer would be spotting for the pilot, as well as doing navigation, and radio work.
Since the guns are fixed, and this was a late-war plane, I would go with 125-250 round belt-fed feed system, as the drums were found limiting during the war, and ended up
being used in flexible mounts later in the war.
Karl

[Dak21]

Folks, I have been busy with other things for the last few months. Sorry I haven't completed the cards yet, but it looks like Mike has taken care of things already. Thanks Mike!

To answer your questions on the guns. The 20mm was a Navy Type 99 Mk II that fired the 20x101 Rebated Rim Oerlikon cartridge. This was a disintegrating belt fed gun that had a firing rate of 480 - 500 RPM. The 30mm gun was a Navy Type 5 that fired a 30 x 122 Rebated Rim cartridge withe a disintegrating belt fed gun. We have no surviving examples of the links, or gun, so we don't know the rate of fire. Source is "Japanese Aircraft Equipment, 1940 - 1945". The contributing author that wrote the chapter on Machine Guns, Ted Bradstreet was a good friend of mine. The observer was removed and the guns were fired by the pilot for the night fighter version. Source for this is Wikipedia.

[milcoll73]

Folks, I have been busy with other things for the last few months. Sorry I haven't completed the cards yet, but it looks like Mike has taken care of things already. Thanks Mike!

To answer your questions on the guns. The 20mm was a Navy Type 99 Mk II that fired the 20x101 Rebated Rim Oerlikon cartridge. This was a disintegrating belt fed gun that had a firing rate of 480 - 500 RPM. The 30mm gun was a Navy Type 5 that fired a 30 x 122 Rebated Rim cartridge withe a disintegrating belt fed gun. We have no surviving examples of the links, or gun, so we don't know the rate of fire. Source is "Japanese Aircraft Equipment, 1940 - 1945". The contributing author that wrote the chapter on Machine Guns, Ted Bradstreet was a good friend of mine. The observer was removed and the guns were fired by the pilot for the night fighter version. Source for this is Wikipedia.

was this the same 20mm used in the judy night fighter firing upwards and forwards and an oblique angle?

[Dak21]

The IJN only had two models of the 20mm aircraft machine cannon. As far as I know, all of the oblique mounted units were the Oerlikon Mark II 20X101RB.

[milcoll73]

The IJN only had two models of the 20mm aircraft machine cannon. As far as I know, all of the oblique mounted units were the Oerlikon Mark II 20X101RB.

ok thanks!