Hello comrades!

Today I'm creating a fictional airplane based on one or more real-world airplanes. And this is my airplane for this Challenge.

Mayohara MY-1 was a single-engine fighter aircraft developed and operated by the Imperial Tsudamori Air Force during the Tsudamori Civil War (1935–1947). The aircraft emerged from an urgent need for a high-speed combat platform capable of rapidly responding to aerial threats across the empire’s vast, mountainous territories, which often lacked adequate air defense infrastructure.

Background of Development

In the early 1930s, Imperial Tsudamori air doctrine still emphasized multirole fighters that prioritized durability, range, and ease of maintenance. Mayohara Aircraft Works took a sharply different approach. They designed the MY-1 as a speed- and response-oriented aircraft, based on the assumption that survival in modern aerial combat was determined not by how much damage an aircraft could endure, but by how quickly it could seize and dominate the initiative.

This design philosophy made the MY-1 controversial from the outset. Many senior officers considered it too fragile and operationally expensive. Conversely, test pilots and elite squadrons saw enormous potential in its extreme performance characteristics.

Design and Structure

The MY-1 featured a sleek silhouette with a narrow fuselage and straight, medium-aspect-ratio wings. Its structure relied on lightweight alloys with a strong emphasis on weight reduction. Armor protection was almost nonexistent, and most vital components were only minimally shielded.

The aircraft had an empty weight of approximately 1.2 tons and a maximum takeoff weight of around 1.7 tons. These figures made the *MY-1 exceptionally light for a large-engine fighter of its era. Its high power-to-weight ratio formed the foundation of its outstanding performance, while also being the source of many structural compromises made by its designers.

A distinctive feature of the MY-1 was its large-diameter four-bladed propeller. This configuration was intended to maximize engine power utilization across a wide range of altitudes and to deliver strong thrust during initial acceleration.

Engine and Performance

The MY-1 was powered by the Y-VII-5 engine, a high-output powerplant considered extremely ambitious for its time. With this engine, the MY-1 could reach a maximum speed of approximately 600 km/h, and more importantly, maintain that speed relatively consistently across different operational altitudes.

Its service ceiling reached 10,000 meters, making it highly effective as an interceptor. The aircraft’s high climb rate allowed it to respond quickly to air raid alerts and intercept enemy bombers before they could reach strategic targets.

In close-range aerial combat, the MY-1 was known for exceptional agility. Its light weight and sharp control response gave it a decisive advantage in dogfights, particularly against heavier and less responsive aircraft.

The aircraft was also designed to take off at low speeds, enabling operations from short or improvised runways. However, this characteristic also imposed a hard limit on payload development.

Armament

In its standard configuration, the MY-1 was equipped with:

• 4 × 9 mm machine guns, two mounted in each wing
• 2 × 20 mm automatic cannons mounted in the nose, aligned with the pilot’s line of sight

This combination provided high burst firepower, well suited to the aircraft’s “fast and lethal strike” doctrine.

For light ground-attack missions, the MY-1 could carry two 20 kg Type-255 bombs, allowing it to strike tactical targets such as convoys, artillery positions, or lightly fortified installations.

Several theories and technical reports suggest that the MY-1 was technically capable of carrying additional armament beyond its standard configuration. However, the added weight would significantly complicate takeoff. Since the aircraft was optimized for peak performance at a specific weight and relied on low takeoff speed, excess payload risked negating its primary advantages and increasing the likelihood of accidents, especially at bases with limited runway length.

Weaknesses and Operational Issues

The MY-1’s primary weakness lay in its low durability and survivability. Its lightweight structure made it highly vulnerable to damage. Many combat reports noted that one or two hits to vital areas were often enough to cause loss of control.

Limited ammunition capacity also forced pilots to fight with strict discipline. Minor errors in weapon usage frequently led to dangerous situations when the aircraft ran out of ammunition before the engagement ended.

The Y-VII-5 engine was demanding in terms of maintenance. In cold conditions, it was prone to malfunctions if left inactive for too long. To maintain reliability, the MY-1 had to be flown at least once every six hours, even when no combat missions were scheduled. This requirement significantly increased operational costs and complicated deployment at remote bases.

Reputation and Legacy

Officially, the MY-1 never became the backbone of the Imperial Tsudamori Air Force. Production was limited, and it was often deprioritized in favor of aircraft that were more rugged and cheaper to operate.

Among pilots, however, its reputation was markedly different. The MY-1 was known as a fast, sharp, and “honest” aircraft. It did not forgive mistakes, but in the hands of a well-trained pilot, it became an extremely lethal weapon.

In Tsudamori military history, the Mayohara MY-1 is remembered as an aircraft that arrived too early for its time. Too extreme for official doctrine, too fragile for prolonged warfare, yet a legend to those who flew it and survived.

Inspired by :

Whole body : Sukhoi Su-1

Wing : Yakovlev Yak-1

Camo : Mitsubishi A5M

Vert-Stabilizer : Mitsubishi A6M