As designed from the Ju 90, the Ki-90 heavy bomber proposal for the IJA would have retained much of the form-and-function of the original: the fuselage was to be of a unique square shape (when viewed from the forward profile) with rounded edges for streamlining. The mainplanes were low-mounted under the fuselage and positioned ahead of midships with each wing housing a pair of air-cooled radial piston engines - the inner-most nacelles home to the single-wheeled main landing gear legs from the "tail dragger" undercarriage configuration. The flight deck was to be of stepped configuration with the nose glazed over for the bombardier and navigator positions. The tail unit was to incorporate a twin vertical plane arrangement with individual horizontal planes attaching to the sides of the tapering empennage.
In terms of defensive armament, Ki-91 would have been equipped with the usual mix of IJA weaponry to help defend the various quadrants about the aircraft from intercepting enemy fighters. There would be a gun position at the nose and a possible emplacement at the tail with a turret featured along the dorsal fuselage spine line (aft of midships). Completing the defensive network were staggered side (waist/beam) positions. Offensively, the bombload was unknown but the entire collection of drop ordnance would have been held internally.
Based on the structure of the Ju 90A-1, the Ki-90 was to have a wingspan of 114.1 feet, a length of 86.4 feet, and a height of 24.7 feet. Empty weight reached 43,500lb against an MTOW of 74,300lb. Performance included a maximum speed of 217 miles-per-hour with a range out to 775 miles and an operational service ceiling just under 20,000 feet. At least eight crewmen would be featured (two pilots, bombardier, navigator, tail gunner, fuselage gunners).
Power would have been derived from the IJA equivalent of the German BMW 132 air-cooled radial piston engines driving three-bladed propeller units.
At any rate, the Ki-90 was stillborn and for the duration of World War 2, the IJA and IJN fought without a true heavy bomber component - instead relying on a broad mix of medium-types and limited attacker platforms. Conversely, its greatest enemy of the Pacific Theater - the United States - fielded excellent bombers in the Consolidated B-24 and Boeing B-17, ultimately leading up to the war-winning Boeing B-29 Superfortress.
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