Kawanishi N1K
The Kawanishi N1K was an Imperial Japanese Navy fighter aircraft, developed in two forms: the N1K Kyōfū (強風, "Strong Wind", Allied reporting name "Rex"), a floatplane designed to support forward offensive operations where no airstrips were available, and the N1K-J Shiden (紫電, "Violet Lightning", reporting name "George"), a land-based version of the N1K. The N1K-J was considered by both its pilots and opponents to be one of the finest land-based fighters flown by the Japanese during World War II.
| N1K/N1K-J | |
|---|---|
| Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai | |
| Role | Fighter |
| National origin | Japan |
| Manufacturer | Kawanishi Aircraft Company |
| First flight | N1K1: 6 May 1942 N1K1-J: 27 December 1942 N1K2-J: 31 December 1943 |
| Introduction | 1943 |
| Retired | 1945 |
| Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |
| Number built | 1,532 |
An improved variant, the N1K2-J "Shiden-Kai" (紫電改) first flew on 1 January 1944. The Shiden Kai possessed heavy armament, as well as surprisingly good maneuverability, due to a mercury switch that automatically extended the flaps during turns. These "combat" flaps created more lift, thereby allowing tighter turns. Unlike the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Shiden Kai could compete against the best late-war Allied fighters, such as the F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, and P-51 Mustang.