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The Mitsubishi A5M a Japanese carrier based fighter aircraft. It was the world's first monoplane shipboard fighter and the direct ancestor of the famous Mitsubishi A6M 'Zero'. The Allied code-name was Claude; the Japanese Navy designation was "Type 96 carrier-based fighter" (九六式艦上戦闘機).

In 1934, the Imperial Japanese Navy prepared a specification for an advanced fighter, requiring a maximum speed of 350 km/h (217 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft) and able to climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 6.5 minutes. This 9-shi (1934) specification produced designs from both Mitsubishi and Nakajima.

The aircraft entered service in early 1937, soon seeing action in pitched aerial battles at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, including air-to-air battles with the Chinese Air Force's Boeing P-26C Model 281 "Peashooters" in what was the world's first-ever aerial dogfighting and kills between monoplane fighters built of mostly metal.[citation needed]

There, they proved themselves the better of every aircraft they encountered, though the Mitsubishi team continued to improve the A5M, working through versions until the final A5M5, which added a ventral drop-tank for extended range.

A trainer version, the A5M4-K was also built (103 examples). This had twin cockpits and continued in use for fighter training long after the regular A5M left front-line service.

Almost all A5Ms had open cockpits; a closed cockpit was tried, but found little favor among Navy aviators. All had fixed, non-retractable undercarriage with (except for the trainers) wheel spats (fairings).

Some A5Ms were still in service at the beginning of World War II. United States intelligence sources believed the A5M was still the primary Navy fighter, but they had already been replaced by the A6M 'Zero' on first-line aircraft carriers and with the Tainan Air Group. Other Japanese carriers and air groups continued to use the A5M until production of the 'Zero' caught up with demand. The last combat actions with the A5M as a fighter took place at the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 May 1942, when two A5Ms and four A6Ms of the Japanese carrier Shōhō fought against the US planes that sunk their carrier.
Most remaining airframes were used for kamikaze attacks in the closing months of the war.

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 7.55 m (24 ft 9¼ in)
• Wingspan: 11.0 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 17.8 m² (191.6 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,216 kg (2,681 lb)
• Loaded weight: 1,705 kg (3,759 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,822 kg (4,017 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Kotobuki 41 9-cylinder radial engine, 585 kW (785 hp) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 440 km/h (237 knots, 273 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
• Range: 1,200 km (649 NM, 746 mi)
• Service ceiling 9,800 m (32,150 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/s (ft/min)
• Wing loading: 95.8.7 kg/m² (19.6 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.34 kW/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

• Guns: 2 × 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns(0.303 in) fuselage-mounted machine guns

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The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a lightweight fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) from 1940 to 1945. The origin of its official designation was that "A" signified a carrier-based fighter, "6" for the sixth such model built for the Imperial Navy, and "M" for the manufacturer, Mitsubishi. The A6M was usually referred to by the Allies as the "Zero"—a name that was frequently misapplied to other Japanese fighters, such as the Nakajima Ki-43—as well as other codenames and nicknames, including "Zeke", "Hamp" and "Hap".

Its history mirrored that of the Empire of Japan in World War II. When it was introduced, the Zero was the best carrier-based fighter in the world and it was greatly feared by Allied pilots. The IJNAS also frequently used the type as a land-based fighter. A combination of excellent maneuverability and very long range made it one of the finest fighters of its era. In early combat operations, the Zero gained a legendary reputation, outclassing its contemporaries. Later, design weaknesses and the increasing scarcity of more powerful aircraft engines meant that the Zero became less effective against newer fighters. By 1942, due to the evolution of new tactics and techniques, Allied pilots were able to engage the Zero on more equal terms. By 1943, American and British manufacturers were producing fighters with greater firepower, armor, and speed, and approaching the Zero's maneuverability. The Mitsubishi A6M was outdated by 1944, but remained in production. During the final years of the War in the Pacific, the Zero was utilized in kamikaze operations.

A6M3 Type 0 Model 32 (零式艦上戦闘機三二型, Type 0 Model 32)

General characteristics (A6M3 Type 0 Model 32 (零式艦上戦闘機三二型, Type 0 Model 32))

• Crew: 1
• Length: 9.06 m (29 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 12.0 m (39 ft 4 in)
• Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 22.44 m² (241.5 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,680 kg (3,704 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,410 kg (5,313 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: kg (lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Sakae 21 radial engine, 1,130 hp(840kW. Nakajima's Sakae 栄, "Prosperity") was a two-row, 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine used in Japanese aircraft during World War II. It was designed by Nakajima after acquiring a license for the French Gnome-Rhone 14K. "Sakae" was the navy designation; the army called the first of the series the Ha-25 (ハ25) and later versions were designated Ha105, Ha115. Navy designations were NK1 Sakae 10, 20 and 30 series.

  A total of 21,166 were made by Nakajima; 9,067 were manufactured by other firms.

• Aspect ratio: 6.4

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 660 km/h (356 knots, 410 mph)
• Maximum speed: 533 km/h (287 knots, 331 mph) at 4,550 m (14,930 ft)
• Range: 3,105 km (1,675 nm, 1,929 mi)
• Service ceiling 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 15.7 m/s (3,100 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 107.4 kg/m² (22.0 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 294 W/kg (0.18 hp/lb)

Armament

• Guns:
   
  • 2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 97 machine guns in the engine cowling ,with 500 rounds per gun,the machineguns for 30 seconds.
  • 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) Type 99 cannons in the wings,with 60 rounds per gun.The cannon had ammunition for 7 seconds.
     
• Bombs:
   
  • 2× 60 kg (132 lb) bombs or
  • 2× fixed 250 kg bombs for kamikaze attacks

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The Mitsubishi A7M Reppū (烈風, "Strong Gale") was designed as the successor to the Imperial Japanese Navy's A6M Zero, with development beginning in 1942. Performance objectives were to achieve superior speed, climb, diving, and armament over the Zero, as well as better maneuverability. As a result, the wing area and overall size were significantly greater, on par with the American P-47 Thunderbolt.

Development of the Zero successor was delayed due to Jiro Horikoshi's work on the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden, a land-based interceptor built to counter high-altitude bombers. However, high attrition rates of Zero fighter planes to the U.S. Navy's F4U Corsair and F6F Hellcat put a high priority on the Navy to bring about a successor. The development team, headed by Jiro Horikoshi, initially intended to develop a new engine, the Ha-43, for the airframe, but was instructed to use the Nakajima Homare. The resulting A7M1, which first flew on 6 May 1944 demonstrated excellent handling and maneuverability, but was underpowered, and with a top speed barely exceeding that of the Zero, it was a disappointment.^[1] The navy ordered development to stop on 30 July 1944, but Mitsubishi obtained permission for development to continue using the Ha-43 engine, flying with the completed Ha-43 on 13 October 1944. The A7M2 achieved a top speed of 628 km/h, while climb and other areas of performance surpassed the Zero, leading the Navy to change its mind and adopt the craft. The A7M2 was also equipped with automatic combat flaps, used earlier on the Kawanishi N1K-J, significantly improving maneuverability.

The A7M's allied codename was Sam. While it was hoped that the A7M would replace the A6M, production was disrupted by an earthquake in December 1944 in the Nagoya region, and by Allied bombing, with only eight aircraft completed by the end of the war, with the type never seeing combat.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 10.99 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 14.00 m (45 ft 11 in)
• Height: 4.28 m (14 ft 0½ in.)
• Wing area: 332.2 ft² (30.86 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,226 kg (7,112 lb)
• Loaded weight: 4,720 kg (10,406 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Mitsubishi Ha-43, 2,200 hp (1,640 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 630 km/h (339 knots, 390 mph) at 6,600 m (21,660 ft)
• Cruise speed: 417 km/h (225 knots, 259 mph)
• Service ceiling 10,900 m (35,760 ft)
• Endurance: 2.5 hr cruise + 30 min combat
• Climb to 6,000 m (13,100 ft): 6 min 7 sec

Armament

• 2 × 20 mm Type 99 cannons
• 2 × 13.2 mm Type 3 machine guns

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The Nakajima Ki-27 (九七式戦闘機 , Kyūnana-shiki sentōki)^?) was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force up until 1940. Its Allied code name was Nate, although it was also called Abdul in the China Burma India Theater of World War II.

In 1935, the Imperial Japanese Army held a competition between Nakajima, Mitsubishi, and Kawasaki to design a low-wing monoplane to replace the Kawasaki Ki-10 (Army Type 95 Fighter) biplane.

The results were Nakajima Ki-27, Kawasaki Ki-28, and Mitsubishi Ki-33 (a modification of the Mitsubishi A5M carrier-based fighter). The Nakajima design was based on its earlier Ki-11 monoplane fighter which lost to the Ki-10 in the Type 95 Fighter competition. When the follow-up Nakajima Ki-12 proposal with a liquid-cooled engine and retractable landing gear was deemed too complex by the Japanese officials, the Ki-27 was designed by Koyama Yasushi to have an air-cooled radial engine and fixed landing gear. The aircraft had the Nakajima trademark wing with a straight leading edge and tapered trailing edge which would reappear again on the K-43, Ki-44, and Ki-84.

The Ki-27 made its first flight on 15 October 1936. Although it had a slower top speed and worse climb performance than its competitors, the Army chose the Nakajima design for its outstanding turning ability granted by its remarkably low wing loading. The Army ordered ten pre-production samples (Ki-27a) for further testing, which featured an enclosed cockpit with sliding canopy and larger wings.

The type was officially accepted into service in 1937 as the Army type 97 fighter. In addition to Nakajima, the Ki-27 was also manufactured by Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd and Manshukoku Hikoki Seizo KK, with a total of 3,368 built before production ended in 1942.

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 7.53 m (24 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
• Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 18.61 m² (200.3 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,174 kg (2,588 lb)
• Loaded weight: 1,598 kg (3,523 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,790 kg (3,946 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Ha-1 Otsu air-cooled radial engine, 485 kW (650 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 444 km/h (275 mph)
• Cruise speed: 350 km/h (218 mph)
• Range: 630 km (390 mi)
• Service ceiling 10,040 m (32,940 ft)
• Rate of climb: 15.3 m/s (3,010 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 86 kg/m² (18 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.30 kW/kg (0.18 hp/lb)
• Armament: 2 × 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns, 500 rounds/gun or
• 1 x 12.7mm machine gun and 1 x 7.7 machine gun on later models
• External bomb load: 220 pounds

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The Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" (雷電, "Thunderbolt") was a single-engine, land-based fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The Allied codename was "Jack".

The J2M was designed by Jiro Horikoshi, creator of the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero". It was strictly a local-defense interceptor intended to counter the threat of high-altitude bomber raids, and thus relied on speed, climb performance, and armament at the expense of maneuverability. The J2M was a sleek but stubby craft with its over-sized Mitsubishi Kasei engine buried behind a long cowling, cooled by an intake fan and connected to the propeller with a long extension shaft. Pilot visibility was poor.

The first few produced J2M2 were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but severe problems were encountered with the engines. Trials and improvements took almost a year and the first batch of the serial built J2M2 Model 11 was delivered to 381st Kokutai in December 1943. Parallel with the J2M2, production of the J2M3 Raiden Model 21 started. The first J2M3 appeared in October 1943 but deliveries to combat units started at the beginning of February 1944.

The Raiden made its combat debut in June 1944 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Several J2Ms operated from Guam and Saipan and a small number of aircraft were deployed to the Philippines.

The primary duty of the Raiden-equipped units was intercepting the B-29 Superfortress flying over the Japanese home islands. Its armament and good performance made it a good opponent to the B-29s. However, insufficient numbers and the American switch to night bombing in spring 1945 limited its effectiveness.

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 9.95 m (32 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
• Height: 3.94 m (13 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 20 m² (216 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,839 kg (6,259 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,482 kg (7,676 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Mitsubishi MK4U-4 Kasei 26a 14-cylinder radial engine, 1,358 kW (1,820 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 615 km/h (382 mph)
• Range: 560 km (348 miles)
• Service ceiling 11,250 m (36,910 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,170 m/min (3,838 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 174 kg/m² (35 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.39 kW/kg (0.24 hp/lb)

Armament

• 4 × 20 mm Type 99-2 cannon in the wings, two in each wing, approx 200 rpg.
• 2 × 60 kg (132 lb) bombs or 2 × 200 litre drop tanks.

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The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (隼, "Peregrine Falcon") was a single-engined land-based fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The army designation was "Type 1 Fighter" (一式戦闘機); the Allied codename was Oscar.

The Oscar was designed to a set of similar specifications as those of the Mitsubishi Zero, but it was more lightweight and was even less rugged than its naval counterpart. Known for its nimble handling and legendary for its performance in East Asia in the early years of the war, the Ki-43 was designed by Hideo Itokawa, who would later become famous as a pioneer of Japanese rocketry. Although the maneuverability of the prototype was quite good, some Japanese pilots complained that it was less maneuverable than the Ki-27 "Nate". This was remedied by Itokawa's addition of a unique 'butterfly' maneuvering aileron in the wings, which helped performance in tight turns, although some pilots still complained. The initial production version was given the designation Ki-43-I. In addition to outstanding maneuverability, the Ki-43-I had a very impressive rate of climb due to its light weight, with a top speed of 308 mph (495 km/h) at 13,160 feet (4000 m).

The Ki-43 was equipped with two cowling machine guns in various configurations, with either two 7.7 mm machine guns, one 12.7 mm Ho-103 heavy machine gun (machine cannon) and one 7.7 mm gun, or two Ho-103 12.7 mm guns; the aircraft was given various sub-designations to reflect these differences. However, the configuration that appears to have been most prevalent at the outset of the war was the latter configuration with two Ho-103 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, sometimes given the official designation Ki-43-I (Mark Ic).^[1] The Ho-103 was often loaded with explosive ammunition to increase target effect; its penetrative effect against later Allied aircraft armour appears to have been marginal.^[2]

Total production of the Ki-43 was 5,919 aircraft.

The Ki-43 was the most widely-used Army fighter, and equipped 30 sentai (groups) and 12 chutais (squadrons). The first version, Mark I, entered service in 1941, the Mark II in December 1942, the II-Kai in June 1943, and the Mark IIIa in summer 1944.

Like the Zero, the Ki-43 initially enjoyed air superiority in the skies of Malaya, Netherlands East Indies, Burma and New Guinea. This was partly to do with the better performance of the Oscar^[3] and partly due to the relatively small numbers of combat-ready Allied fighters, mostly the P-36, P-40, Brewster Buffalo, Hawker Hurricane and Curtiss-Wright CW-21 in Asia and the Pacific during the first months of the war. However, as the war progressed, the fighter suffered from the same weaknesses as the Ki-27 and the Mitsubishi Zero; light armor and less-than-effective self-sealing tanks, which caused high casualties in combat. Its armament of two machine guns also proved inadequate against the more heavily armoured Allied aircraft. As newer Allied aircraft were introduced, such as the Vought Corsair, Hellcat and Seafire Mk III, the Japanese were forced into a defensive war and most aircraft were flown by inexperienced pilots.

The Ki-43 also served in an air defense role over Formosa, Okinawa and the Japanese home islands. Some examples were supplied to the pro-Japanese countries of Thailand, Manchukuo and Wang Jingwei Government as well. The Thai units sometimes fought against the USAAF in southern China.

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.92 m (29 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 10.84 m (35 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.27 m (10 ft 8in)
• Wing area: 21.40 m² (230.35 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,975 kg (4,355 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,590 kg (5,710 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Ha-115 radial engine, 1,130 hp (890 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 530 km/h (329 mph) at 4,000 m (13,125 ft)
• Range: 1,610 km (1,000 mi) combat () 2,575 km (1,600 mi) ferry
• Service ceiling 11,200 m (36,750 ft)
• Rate of climb: 19.8 m/s (3,900 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 121 kg/m² ()

Armament

• Guns: 2x 12.7-mm synchronized Ho-103 machine guns in the cowl with 250 rounds/gun (400 rpm rate each) or 1x 12.7 mm and 1x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun.
• Bombs: 2x 250 kg (550 lb) bombs

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The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (屠龍, "Dragon Slayer") was a two-seat, twin-engined fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The army gave it the designation "Type 2 two-seat fighter"; the Allied codename was Nick.

In response to the rapid emergence in Europe of twin-engine heavy fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf 110, the army ordered development of a twin-engine, two-seat fighter in 1937, and assigned the proposal by Kawasaki Shipbuilding the designation of Ki-38. This only went as far as a mock up, but by December of that year, the army ordered a working prototype as the Ki-45, which first flew in January 1939. Results from the test flights, however, did not meet the army's expectations. The Ha-20 Otsu engine was underpowered and failure-prone, while the airframe suffered from nacelle stall.

The Ki-45 did not enter use, but the army, insistent on having a working twin-engine fighter, ordered Kawasaki to continue development. Kawasaki responded by replacing the engines with the proven Nakajima Ha-25. Flight tests were promising.

In October 1940, the army ordered continued improvements such as switching to 805 kW (1,080 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-102 engines, and using the wings from the Ki-48 light bomber. This craft, designated Ki-45 Kai, was complete in September 1941 and was officially adopted for use by the army in February 1942 as the "Type 2 two-seat fighter".

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 15.02 m (49 ft 4 in)
• Height: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 32.0 m² (344 ft²)
• Empty weight: 4,000 kg (8,820 lb)
• Loaded weight: 5,500 kg (12,125 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder radial engines, 783 kW (1,050 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 540 km/h (292 knots, 336 mph)
• Range: 2,000 km (1,081 nm, 1,243 mi)
• Service ceiling 10,000 m (32,800 ft)
• Rate of climb: 11.7 m/s (2,300 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 171.9 kg/m² (35 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.26 kW/kg (0.16 hp/lb)

Armament

• Ko: 1x 20 mm, 2x 12.7 mm, 2x 7.92 mm
• Otsu: 1x 37 mm, 2x 12.7 mm, 1x 7.92 mm
• Hei: 1x 37 mm, 1x 20 mm, 1x 7.92 mm
• Tei: 1x 37 mm, 2x 20 mm
• Bo: 1x 40 mm

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The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (飛燕, roughly "flying swallow") was a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. The Allied code name assigned by the United States War Department was "Tony". The Japanese Army designation was "Army Type 3 Fighter" (三式戦闘機). It was the only mass-produced Japanese fighter of the war to use a liquid-cooled inline "V" engine.

The Ki-61 which was designed by Takeo Doi and his deputy Shin Owada, was one of two parallel designs tendered for by Kawasaki to fulfill requirements framed by the Koku Hombu late in 1939 for two fighters. Each was to be built around the Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa, a derivative of which was to be manufactured as the Ha-40 by Kawasaki at its Akashi plant. The first design, known as the Kawasaki Ki-60, was for a heavily armed specialised interceptor, which would have a high wing-loading; the second, the Ki-61 was a more lightly loaded and armed general-purpose fighter to be used mainly in an offensive, air superiority role at low to medium altitudes. Both single-seat, single-engine fighters used the same basic construction being all metal alloys with semi-monocoque fuselages and three-spar wings with alloy framed, fabric covered ailerons, elevators and rudders. Priority was given to the Ki-60 which first flew in April 1941. Design of the Ki-61 did not begin until December 1940. Although the Ki-61 was broadly similar to the Ki-60 it featured several refinements using lessons learned from the disappointing flight characteristics of the earlier design.

The all metal, semi-monocoque fuselage was basically oval in cross-section, changing to a tapered, semi-triangular oval behind the cockpit, with a maximum depth of 1.35 m (4 feet 5 inches). An unusual feature of the Ki-61 was that the engine bearers were constructed as an integral part of the forward fuselage, with the cowling side panels being fixed. For servicing or replacement the top and bottom cowling panels only could be removed. A tapered rectangular supercharger air intake was located on the port-side cowling. Behind the engine bulkhead were the ammunition boxes feeding a pair of 12.7 mm caliber Ho-103 machine guns which were set in a "staggered" configuration (the port weapon slightly further forward than that to starboard) in a bay just above and behind the engine. The breeches partly projected into the cockpit, above the instrument panel. The Ho-103 was a light weapon for its caliber (around 23 kg) and fired a light shell, but this was compensated for by its rapid rate of fire. The ammunition capacity was limited, having only around 250 rounds for each weapon. A self-sealing fuel tank with a capacity of 165 l (36.2 Imp gallons) was located behind the pilot's seat. The windshield was armoured and there was a 13 mm armoured steel plate behind the pilot. The radiator and oil cooler for the liquid cooled engine were in a ventral location below the fuselage and wing trailing edge, covered by a rectangular section fairing with a large, adjustable exit flap.

The evenly tapered wings had an aspect ratio of 7.2 with a gross area of 20 m² (215.28 ft²) and featured three spars; a Warren truss main spar and two auxiliary spars. The rear spar carried the split flaps and long, narrow chord ailerons, while the front spar incorporated the undercarriage pivot points. The undercarriage track was relatively wide at 4 m (13 ft 1.5 in). Each wing had partially self-sealing 190 l (42 gallon) fuel tank behind the main spar, just outboard of the fuselage. A single weapon (initially a 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine gun) was able to be carried in a weapons bay located behind the main spar.

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.94 m (29 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 12.00 m (39 ft 4 in)
• Height: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 20.00 m² (215.28 ft²)
• Airfoil: NACA 2R 16 wing root, NACA 24009 tip

• Internal fuel capacity: 550 l (121 Imp gal)
• External fuel capacity: 2 x 200 l (44 Imp gal) drop tanks

• Empty weight: 2,630 kg (5,800 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,470 kg (7,650 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Kawasaki Ha-40 liquid-cooled inverted V-12, 875 kW (1,175 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 580 km/h (360 mph) at 5,000 m (16,405 ft)
• Range: 580 km (360 mi)
• Service ceiling 11,600 m (38,100 ft)
• Rate of climb: 15.2 m/s (2,983 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 173.5 kg/m² (35.5 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.25 kW/kg (0.15 hp/lb)

• Time to altitude: 7.0 min to 5,000 m (16,405 ft)

Armament

• 2x 20 mm Ho-5 cannon, 120 rounds/gun
• 2x 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns, 200 rounds/gun
• 2x 250 kg (550 lb) bombs

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The Kawasaki Ki-100 was a fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 5 Fighter".

The emergency measure of adapting a Ki-61-II-KAI fighter to carry a Mitsubishi radial engine resulted in an excellent interceptor fighter, one of the best used by the Army during the entire war. Missions began in March 1945; from the first engagements the Ki-100 showed its good qualities against the USAAF B-29 heavy bombers at high altitudes, and showed itself equally effective against U.S. Navy carrier fighters. A new variant, the Ki-100-Ib, was constructed during the last weeks of the conflict to equip five sentai for home defense.

By mid-1944, one of the best fighters of the IJAAF was the Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (" Flying Swallow", named "Tony" by the Allies). It was the only production Japanese fighter to have an inline powerplant (the Kawasaki Ha-40, a Japanese adaptation of the German Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine) during World War II, as well as the first one with factory-installed armor and self-sealing fuel tanks. It had also a respectable performance, more in line with contemporary American and European designs of the time, with a focus on speed and rate of climb instead of manoeuvrability and range. It was an effective design, but suffered from engine shortages and reliability problems.

These problems as well as the performance advantage of enemy fighters, especially the F6F Hellcat, lead to the development of an improved model, the Ki-61-II (later Ki-61-II-KAI), powered by the new 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) Kawasaki Ha-140 engine which was unfortunately heavier than the Ki-61-I-KAIc it replaced . Maximum speed increased from 590 km/h to 610 km/h (368 mph to 379 mph) and general performance (except rate of climb) improved as well. However, it was never able to perform as planned due to the continued degradation of quality of the engine's assembly line. Production of this model ended at the beginning of 1945, when a B-29 raid destroyed the engine's production plant, leaving some 280+ finished Ki-61s without a powerplant. At this point of the war, the IJAAF was in desperate need of effective interceptors to stop the enemy bomber raids over the Japanese mainland, so it was ordered that a 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-112-II (Kinsei [Venus] 60 series ), a 14-cylinder, two-row radial engine should be installed on those airframes.

The Mitsubishi Ha-112-II some 54 kg (120 lb) lighter than the Ha-140 and produced the same power more reliably. After the study of an imported Fw 190A, an example of an aircraft in which a wide radial engine had been successfully installed in an narrow airframe, three Ki-61-II-KAI airframes were modified to carry this engine and to serve as prototypes. Three engineers, Takeo Doi, chief engineer and head of project, his assistant Makato Owada and head of engine systems at Kawasaki Kagamigahara, Tomio Oguchi, worked through several concepts for redesigning the Ki-61 airframe to accept the new engine before, settling on a solution in which a second skin fairing was riveted to the fuselage, to smooth out the airflow behind the adjustable cooling flaps and multiple exhaust stubs of the new engine cowling. At first there were problems with the aircraft now being found to be very tail-heavy, but the removal of a large lead counterbalance, which had been placed in the rear fuselage of the Ki-61-II-KAI rear fuselage to balance the increasingly heavy Ha-140 engine, restored the centre of gravity (cg).

As a result, on 1 February 1945, the new model was flown for the first time. Without the need for the heavy coolant radiator and other fittings required for a liquid-cooled engine the Ki-100 was 329 kg (725 lb) lighter than the Ki-61-II, substantially reducing the wing loading from 189 kg/m² (38.8 lb/ft²) to 175 kg/m² (35.8 lb/ft²). This had an immediate positive affect on the flight characteristics, enhancing landing and take-off qualities as well as imparting increased maneuverability and a tighter turning circle

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 8.82 m (28 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 10.48 m (34 ft 4 in)
• Height: 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 20 m² (215 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2,525 kg (5,567 lb)
• Loaded weight: 3,495 kg (7,705 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Mitsubishi Ha 112-II radial engine, 1,119 kW (1,500 hp) at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 580 km/h (360 mph)
• Range: 2,200 km (1,367 mi)
• Service ceiling 36,090 feet (11,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 16.8 m/s (3,300 ft/min)
• Maximum dive speed: 850 km/h (528 mph)

Armament

• 2 × 20 mm wing-mounted Ho-5 cannons, 250 20x94 mm rounds/gun
• 2 × 12.7 mm fuselage-mounted Ho-103 machine guns, 250 12.7x81 mm rounds/gun