Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation
NAMC YS-33
The NAMC YS‑33, often called the Twin Jet, was Japan’s first domestically designed commercial transport aircraft. Developed in the early 1960s by the Nippon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (NAMC), a consortium of Japanese aerospace firms, the YS‑33 was intended to replace aging propeller‑driven airliners and to assert Japan’s post‑war industrial independence. Its maiden flight occurred on July 26, 1964, and a total of 45 units were produced before the programme ended in 1971. The twin‑engine, low‑wing monoplane featured two Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofan engines mounted on the rear fuselage, a pressurised cabin for up to 30 passengers, and a simple, robust airframe that could operate from short, unpaved runways. Advanced for its time, the YS‑33 incorporated a fully retractable under‑carriage, hydraulically‑actuated flight controls, and optional cargo conversion kits that extended its utility to freight and military transport roles. Although limited by economic constraints and competition from larger Western jets, the YS‑33 proved a milestone in Japanese aeronautics, demonstrating the nation’s capability to design, certify, and produce a modern jetliner. Its legacy lives on in subsequent projects such as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet, which trace their engineering heritage to the pioneering work of NAMC.
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