Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Fighters

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Fighters



 Nakajima Ki-27



A lightweight fighter which entered service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in 1938. While considered obsolete by 1942 it remained in service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until the last examples withdrawn from service in 1945.



 Kawasaki Ki-28



An experimental fighter aircraft designed for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and meant as a replacement for the Kawasaki Ki-10. It flew in 1936, but was never produced for actual use as the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service chooses the Nakajima Ki-27.



 Mitsubishi Ki-33



An experimental fighter derived from Mitsubishi A5M carrier fighter which development was abandoned in favor of the Nakajima Ki-27.



 Nakajima Ki-37



<p class="MsoNormal">An experimental twin-engine fighter which development was abandoned in favor of the Kawasaki Ki-45

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-43

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<p class="MsoNormal">A fighter which entered service it entered service in 1941 and quickly became one of the most feared of Japanese fighters operating over China. Production ended in 1944 and last aircraft withdrawn from service by 1946.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-44

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<p class="MsoNormal">An interceptor intended for defense of the Japanese homeland it was later deployed in China for protection of cities occupied by Japanese forces. Production ended 1944, last aircraft withdrawn from service in 1946.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawasaki Ki-45

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<p class="MsoNormal">A twin-engine fighter it entered service in 1941 as a long-range fighter and ground-attack aircraft, it was used throughout the war in China and remained in service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until the early 1950s. Many Ki-45s where transferred to the Republic of China-Nanking Air force and the Manchukuo Imperial Air Force who operated them into the 1960s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawasaki Ki-46

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<p class="MsoNormal">The success of the Kawasaki Ki-45 led Kawasaki to start development of an evolved version. The Kawasaki Ki-46 had larger and more powerful engines then the Kawasaki Ki-45. It first flew in 1943 and entered into service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in 1944. The Kawasaki Ki-46 remained in service until the late 1950s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawasaki Ki-61

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<p class="MsoNormal">The first Japanese monoplane fighter equipped with a liquid-cooled engine. The Kawasaki Ki-61 remained in service until replaced by Kawasaki Ki-100 in 1945.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-62

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<p class="MsoNormal">An experimental fighter which was developed from the Kawasaki Ki-61, it had a 10% greater wing area and a slightly different airfoil. The prototype was first flown in December 1943 but flight trials showed that the new wing was unsatisfactory and only eight Ki-62s were built.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Mitsubishi Ki-83

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Ki-83 was developed as a response to a 1943 specification for a new heavy fighter with great range. The first of four prototypes flew in November 1944 and proved to have remarkable maneuverability for aircraft of their size. The Ki-83 entered in service in 1946 and remained in service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until 1955. Several Ki-83 reconnaissance versions aircraft were supplied to the Republic of China-Nanking Air Force where they saw action when conducting reconnaissance missions over the divided province of Sichuan in the early 1960s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-84

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Nakajima Ki-84 is regarded as being the best of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service single piston-engine fighters, the first Ki-84s entered service in 1944 as a replacement for both the Ki-43 and the Ki-44. The first examples where used by the Imperial Japanese Army for the defense of the Japanese homeland. By 1947 the Ki-84 was the most numerous fighters and remained in service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until 1948 but was quickly phased out in favor of jet fighter that were entering in o service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. Ki-84s were sold or transferred to Greater East Asia alliance nations like the State of Manchuria, Empire of Vietnam, kingdom of Cambodia and the republic of China-Nanking.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-87

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<p class="MsoNormal">The first fighter to operate at a service ceiling in excess of 40,000 feet and being capable of sustained flight at 42,000 feet ,it first flew in February 1945 and by early 1946 had entered into production. In 1946 the Ki-87-II, powered by a stronger engine and with a turbo-supercharger was introduced. The Ki-87-II remained in service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until 1953.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Tachikawa Ki-94

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<p class="MsoNormal">Developed for Imperial Japanese Army Air Service along the same requirements as the Nakajima Ki-87, which had been the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service fall-back design for the Tachikawa Ki-94.The Ki-94 proved to have a better high altitude performance than the Ki-87 and thus more where produced. The Ki-94 remained in service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until 1954.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawasaki Ki-100

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Ki-100 was the last piston-engine single-seat fighter to enter large-scale Japanese service. Lighter, faster and more maneuverable than the Ki-61 it was an instant success, being considered more reliable and easier to fly than the Ki-84. A later version, the Ki-100-II had a turbocharged engine that allowed it to reach 40,000 feet. Although not considered a high-altitude fighter like the Nakajima Ki-87, the Ki-100-II was a good all-round performer and remained in service until 1957.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawasaki Ki-102

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<p class="MsoNormal">A long-range heavy fighter developed to replace the Kawasaki Ki-45 and which proved to be a highly successful fighter. Its combination of heavy armament, speed and agility made it a popular aircraft and it quickly replaced the Ki-83 on the production lines. In 1949, the Ki-108 High-altitude fighter with pressurized cabin was introduced. The Ki-102-II was used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service for use in the defense of the Japanese homeland until the late-1950s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Kawasaki Ki-108

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Ki-108 was a development of the Ki-102 in having a pressurized cabin fitted to it in order to allow it to cruise at high altitude. It was used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in the defense of the Japanese homeland until the mid-1950s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Mitsubishi Ki-200

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<p class="MsoNormal">A Japanese licenses version of the German Messerschmitt Me 163 used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service as the J8M. The Ki-200 was the first rocket powered aircraft to operate with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and both were extensively deployed as point defenses around Japanese cities and army and naval bases. The Ki-200 remained in service until 1954.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-201

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Nakajima Ki-201 together with the naval version the J10N was designed using intelligence, blueprints and photographs of the Messerschmitt Me 262 obtain by the Japanese military attaché in 1944. The Nakajima company manged to reverse-engineered the Me-262 for Japanese production. The aircraft entered service in 1947 and by the early 1950 had replaced most of the piston-engine fighters in use with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. The Ki-201 remained in service until it was replaced by the Ki-202 from late 1950s onwards.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Nakajima Ki-202

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Nakajima Ki-202 is a redesign of the Nakajima Ki-201 in use by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Nakajima J10N in use with the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service; having a 35% swept wings and wing root engines and entirely new fuselage. It was first introduced in 1952 replacing the Ki-201. In 1957 the Ki-202-II was introduced which was a upgraded conversion of the Nakajima Ki-202 with new electronics, revised cockpit layout, and uprated engine, this version remain in use with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service until the late 1970s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Mitsubishi Ki-203

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<p class="MsoNormal">A redesign of the Nakajima Ki-200 in use by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Nakajima J8N in use with the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, the Ki-203 like its naval version the J9M featured a throttlable rocket engine, much enlarged fuel tanks an entirely new fuselage with a bubble cockpit. It had a maximum speed of 880 km/h at 14,000 m, a powered endurance of 15 minutes at 11,000 m. The first aircraft entered into service in 1947 and remained in service until the mid-1960s.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Tachikawa Ki-205

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<p class="MsoNormal">When Tachikawa Aircraft Company seeing Mitsubishi and Nakajima building jet aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service they decided to hire outside help when they invited the German Kurt Tank to work for the company. Tank using his knowledge on swept-wing design and turbojet technology began to work on a design from 1957 onwards which led to the Ki-205 who first flew in 1961 and entered into production in 1963. Capable of reaching a speed of Mach 2 the Ki-205 proved to be a multi-role aircraft suitable for both high-altitude interception and low-level ground attack. In 1971 an improved version of the Ki-205 called the Ki-205–II with a lengthened wing cord giving it greater wing area and hence greater lift, numerous cockpit changes and a sophisticated gun sight, started entering into service whit the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. The Ki-205-II together with the Ki-206 is of 1982 the main fighter aircraft in use whit the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service.

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Mitsubishi Ki-206

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<p class="MsoNormal">In the mid-1960s, a joint Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service project resulted in the Mitsubishi Ki-206 for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Mitsubishi J14M kyoufuu single-seat close air support and ground-attack fighter aircraft for the land based squadrons of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. The Ki-206 together with the Ki-205–II is of 1982 the main fighter aircraft in use whit the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service.