Kawasaki C-2
When Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki developed the C-2 as replacement for the much smaller C-1, it clearly looked at the McDonnell-Douglas C-17 for inspiration. Both have high-mounted, swept wings with engines underneath, a wide fuselage with rear loading ramp and a T-tail. The nose of of the C-2 is slightly more pointed and the cockpit windows include eyebrow windows and feet windows. These windows are actually the same as for the Kawasaki P-1, except for the feet windows. The T-tail has the same appearance as that of the Globemaster: it seems to be wider at the top than at the base. The tail cone is quite blunt. The C-2 has two big turbofans under the wings and three sets of two wheel main landing gears on each side. They retract in streamline pods at the side of the fuselage. Finally, th C-2 has no winglets.
The vertical stabiliser of the C-2 is similar in shape as that of the C-17: it seems to be wider at the top than at the base.
How to recognise the different versions of the Kawasaki C-2
The different versions of the Kawasaki C-2 can be distinguished by looking at the presence of bulges on the nose and the side of the fuselage.
C-2
This is the standard transport version, without the bulges and antennas mentioned for the RC-2 below.
A full view of the standard transport version of the Kawasaki C-2.
RC-2
Apart from the standard transport version, the JASDF also has a single electronic intelligence (ELINT) version, designated as RC-2. It has multiple radomes on front, top, side and rear of the fuselage, as well as on top of the vertical stabiliser.
The Kawasaki RC-2 has multiple bulges for antennas on the nose, fuselage and tail to allow easy recognition. (photo: 防衛省/WikiMedia)
Similar aircraft
Some airplanes look so similar to the Kawasaki C-2 that you may confuse them. Below you can read how to distinguish them.
Differences Kawasaki C-2 & An-178
Like the C-2 the two big engines make the An-178 look small, and it actually is smaller than the C-2. Furthermore, the Antonov has no eyebrow nor feet cockpit windows and two tandem wheels on each main landing gear.
Differences Kawasaki C-2 & C-17 Globemaster III
Although there is one big difference - the C‑2 has only two engines - the similarities between the C-17 and C-2 are clear, especially when looking at the nose and tail. The C-17 has winglets though, a pointed tail cone and is bigger.