Warplanes of Japan: Kawanishi N1K2-Ja Shiden Kai fighter, National Museum of the USAF, Dayton, Ohio

Kawanishi N1K2-Ja Shiden Kai fighter, National Museum of the USAF, Dayton, Ohio

(USAAF Photo)

Kawanishi N1K Shiden, allied codename George (probably N1K4-J Shiden Kai Model 32 - only two prototypes were built).

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 the Second World War.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. (Wikipedia)

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi N1K1 Shiden / N1K2-J Shiden Kai (George).

(USAAF Photo)

Captured Kawanishi N1K2-Js having their Homare engines run up by former IJNAS groundcrew.

(IJN Photo)

Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi N1K1 Shiden / N1K2-J Shiden Kai (George).

(IJN Photo)

Kawanishi N1K2-J “343 A-15” of 301st Fighter Squadron/343rd Kokutai (343rd Naval Air Group), Matsuyama air base, 10 April 1945.

343rd Kokutai pilot Warrant Officer Kinsuke Muto engaged US Navy pilots with his N1K2-Ja Shiden Kai in February 1945. Alone, he flew into a formation of twelve Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters and in the aerial dogfight that followed, he shot down four of the Hellcats and forced the rest to break off contact.

(NMUSAF Photos)

Kawanishi N1K2-Ja Shiden Kai (Serial No. 5312).  The NMUSAF's N1K2-Ja is a fighter-bomber variant of the Shiden Kai equipped with wing mounts to carry bombs.  It is painted as an aircraft in the Yokosuka Kokutai, an evaluation and test unit similar in function to the USAAF's flight test unit at Wright Field.  As a result of Japanese forces being pushed back on the battlefront, by the spring of 1945 Yokosuka Kokutai test pilots entered combat in a desperate defence against overwhelming Allied air attacks.  This aircraft is one of only three surviving restored examples in the world.

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