Mitsubishi 2MR - Development and Design

Development and Design

In 1921, the Imperial Japanese Navy placed an order with the newly-established aircraft subsidiary of Mitsubishi for three types of carrier-based aircraft, consisting of a fighter, reconnaissance aircraft and torpedo bomber. Mitsubishi hired a team of British engineers led by Herbert Smith, formerly of Sopwith Aviation Company to design these aircraft. Smith's design for a reconnaissance aircraft, designated by Mitsubishi the 2MR, first flew on 12 January 1922.

The 2MR was of similar layout to the contemporary 1MF fighter (i.e. a single-bay wooden biplane), but scaled up to accommodate a two-man crew, and was powered by a similar license-built Hispano-Suiza engine. After successful testing, the 2MR was adopted by the Japanese Navy as the Navy Type 10 Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft (Type 10 referring to the year of ordering of 1921, the tenth year of the Taishō period), with production continuing until 1930, a total of 159 being built.

In 1930, Mitsubishi developed two aircraft to meet an Imperial Japanese Army Air Force requirement for a short-range reconnaissance aircraft, the 2MR7, a biplane developed from the 2MR and the B2M torpedo bomber and the 2MR8 parasol monoplane, with the 2MR8 being successful and ordered into service as the Type 92 Reconnaissance Aircraft. This aircraft was unrelated to the Navy 2MR aircraft.