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The Nakajima L1N1 Navy Type AT-2 Transport was the designation given to a number of Army Ki-34 twin-engined transport aircraft that were handed over to the Japanese Navy.
The Nakajima Ki-34 began life in 1935 when the company began work on a smaller version of the Douglas DC-2. This aircraft was a civil transport aircraft, for use on smaller low-traffic routes, where a larger aircraft would be too expensive. The aircraft began life as the Nakajima AT-1 (Aerial Transport No.1), but by the time the design was complete in 1936 it had become the Nakajima AT-2 (Akegawa Transport No.2), named after its chief designer. After some teething problems were fixed the type entered production and 32 were built for civil use.
The type was then adopted by the Japanese Army, where it was given the designation Army Type 97 Transport, Ki-34. Nakajima built 19 Ki-34 and Tachikawa the remaining 299. Although most of these aircraft went to the Army, some were taken over by the Japanese Navy, where they were given the long designation Navy Type AT-2 Transport and the short designation Nakajima L1N1.
The L1N1 was a twin-engined aircraft of all metal construction apart from the fabric covers on the control surfaces. It was powered by two Nakajima Ha-1b nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, each providing 710hp at take off. It could carry a crew of three and eight passengers, so it was more useful as a staff transport and liaison aircraft than as a large-scale military transport.
Engine: Two Nakajima Ha-1b nine-cylinder air cooled radials
Power: 710hp
Crew: 3 plus 8 passengers
Span: 65ft 0 1/8in
Length: 50ft 2 3/8in
Height: 13ft 7 3/8in
Empty weight: 7,716lb
Loaded weight: 11,574lb
Max speed: 224mph at 11,025ft
Cruising speed: 193mph
Climb Rate: 6min 18sec to 9,840ft
Service ceiling: 22,965ft
Range: 745 miles