Kawanishi N1K1 J (N1K2-J)"George"/"Shiden" Navy Interceptor Fighter ------------------------------------------------------------------- Numbers: -------- A total of 1435 Shidens and Shiden KAI's were built. *Kawanishi Kokuki K. K. at Naruo: - 9 N1K1-J prototypes (1942-43) - 530 N1K1-J production aircraft (1943-44) - 8 N1K2-J prototypes (1943-44) - 351 N1K2-J and N1K2-K production aircraft (1944-45) - 2 N1K4-J prototypes (1945) - 1 N1K4-A prototypes (1945) ------------------------------------------------------ - 901 in total *Kawanishi Kokuki K. K. at Himeji: - 486 N1K1-J production aircraft (1943-45) - 42 N1K2-J production aircraft (1945) - 2 N1K3-J prototypes (1943) ------------------------------------------- - 512 in total *Mitsubishi Yukogyo K. K. at Tsurashima: - 9 N1K2-J production aircraft (1945) *Aichi Kokuki K. K. at Eitoku: - 1 N1K2-J production aircraft (1945) *Showa Hikoki K. K. at Shinonoi: - 1 N1K2-J production aircraft (1945) *Dai-Juichi Kaigun Kokusho at Hiro: - 1 N1K2-J production aircraft (1945) *Omura Kaigun Kokusho at Omura: - 10 N1K2-J production aircraft (1945) *Koza Kaigun Kokusho at Koza: - ° N1K2-J production not realized Construction: ------------- 1 - N1K1-J Shiden In December 1941 the Kawanishi design team felt that the N1K1 Kyofu offered so much of a promise (it hadn't flown yet), that a land-based derivative was a good possibility. The result of this was the NiK1 Shiden (Violet Lightning), codenamed "George" by the Allied. The design was undertaken as a private venture, without any request or order to do so, so in order to save money the first design was to be an exact replica of the N1K1 Kyofu, but with a wide-track main landing gear and a tail wheel. In December 1942 the first prototype made it's maiden flight, and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force was very impressed. Eight more prototypes followed, resulting in a production order. Finally it entered service in July 1943 2 - N1K2-J Shiden The Shiden already was an excellent interceptor, but it had a couple of shortcomings. Initially the Kawanishi team wanted to improve on it in a minimal way, but in the end almost redesigned it. The wing was moved from the mid/low-set position to the low-set position, enabling the landing gear to become shorter and the visibility to improve. Furthermore the fuselage and tail contruction were revised. The result was a remarkable plane indeed Specs: ------ 1 - N1K1-J Shiden Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima NK9H Homare 21 radial, rated at 1990 hp (1483.52 kW) for take off, 1825 hp (1361.45 kW) at 1750 m and 1625 hp (1212.25 kW) at 6100 m, driving a four blade metal propeller. Role during war: *Fighter Length: 29 ft 1.75 inch (8.88 m) Height: 13 ft 3.85 inch (4.06 m) Empty weight: 6387 lb (2897 kg) Operational weight: 8598 lb (3900 kg) typical, 9526 lb (4321 kg) max Wing Span: 39 ft 4.5 inch (12m) Wing Aspect ratio: 6.13 Wing Area: 252.95 sq ft (23.5 m²) Wing loading: 166.0 kg/m² Service ceiling: 41010 ft (12500 m) Maximum speed: 361 mph at 19355 ft (583 km/h at 5899 m) Cruising speed: 230 mph at 6560 ft (370 km/h at 1999 m) Initial climb rate: Climb to 19,685 ft (6000 m) in 7 min 50 sec Range: 890 miles (1432 km) typical, 1581 miles (2544 km) max Fuel capacity internal: "unknown" Fuel capacity external: Up to 88 Imp gal (106 US gal / 400 liters) in 1 drop tank Machine guns: 2 × 0.303 inch (7.7 mm) Type 97 fixed forward-firing in the forward fuselage Cannons: 2 × 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 fixed forward-firing in the wing leading edges, 2 × 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 fixed forward-firing in underwing gondolas. (250 rds per inner gun and 200rds per outer gun) Bomb load: Up to 256 lb (120 kg) carried on two underwing hardpoints, rated at 132 lb (60 kg) each. General disposables load consisted of 2 × 132 lb (2 x 60 kg) bombs Torpedoes/rockets: - Crew: 1 Departmant: Army Air Force and Navy First flight (prototype): 27 December 1942 Operational Service: 1943 - 1945 Manufacturer: Kawanishi Kokuki K.K. Number produced: 998 this version 2 - N1K2-J Shiden Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima NK9H Homare 21 radial, rated at 1990 hp (1483.52 kW) for take off, 1825 hp (1361.45 kW) at 1750 m and 1625 hp (1212.25 kW) at 6100 m, driving a four blade metal propeller. Role during war: *Fighter *(Ground) Attack Fighter *Fighter-bomber *Advanced Trainer Length: 30 ft 8 inch (9.35 m) Height: 13 ft 0 inch (3.96 m) (according to http://www.ophetweb.nl/ww2w/ww2htmls/kanin1k2j.html - 12 ft 0 inch (3.66 m) Empty weight: 5858 lb (2657 kg) Operational weight: 8818 lb (4000 kg) typical, 10714 lb (4860 kg) max Wing Span: 39 ft 4.5 inch (12 m) Wing Aspect ratio: 6.13 Wing Area: 252.95 sq ft (23.5 m²) Wing loading: 170.2 kg/m² Service ceiling: 35300 ft (10759 m) Maximum speed: 369 mph at 18375 ft (594 km/h at 5601 m) Cruising speed: 230 mph at 9845 ft (370 km/h at 3001 m) Initial climb rate: Climb to 19,685 ft (6000 m) in 7 min 22 sec Range: 1066 miles (1716 km) typical, 1488 miles (2395 km) max Fuel capacity internal: (see "Fuel:" section in this document Fuel capacity external: Up to 88 Imp gal (106 US gal / 400 liters) in 1 drop tank Cannons: 4 × 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 fixed forward-firing in the wing leading edges Bomb load: Up to 1.102 lb (500 kg) carried on two underwing hardpoints, rated at 551 lb (250 kg) each. General disposables load consisted of 2 × 551 lb (2 x 250 kg) bombs Torpedoes/rockets: none Crew: 1 Department: Army Air Force First flight (prototype): 27 December 1942 Operational Service: 1943 - 1945 Manufacturer: Kawanishi Kokuki K.K. Number produced: 415 this version (N1K2-J) Subvariants: ------------ 1 - N1K1-J Shiden The Shiden (Violet Lightning), codenamed 'George', started as a landbased derivative of the N1K1 Kyofu (Mighty Wind), codenamed 'Rex'. The Shiden had the floats replaced with a landing gear with tailwheel, and the Mitsubishi Kasei was replaced with the Nakajima Homare. Trials proved it to perform well. 3 subvariants were derived from the base version *N1K1-Ja Shiden Same as the N1K1-J Shiden, but with it's machineguns removed *N1K1-Jb Shiden All four of the cannons moved to the wing leading edges, and each hardpoint was hardened to carry a 551 lb (250 kg) bomb *N1K1-Jc Shiden Underwing provisions to carry 4 × 551 lb (250 kg) bombs Navy Fighter Shiden Model 11: Other designation for the Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden 2 - N1K2-J Shiden Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai 'Kai' stands for 'Kaizo', which means 'modified'. This improved version of the Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden dealt with the under carriage problems, and took some extensive redesign. One subversion existed. *N1K2-Ja Shiden-Kai Fighter-bomber version of the Shiden-Kai. It could carry 4 × 551 lb (250 kg) bombs Kawanishi N1K2-K Shiden-Rensen This type was a two-seat advanced trainer. Actually it was a sub-version of the Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai Navy Fighter Shiden Model 21 The official designation for the N1K2-J Shiden-Kai of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force (IJNAF) Redesignated aircraft Strengths: ---------- 1 - N1K1-J Shiden *Good armament *Good performance *Good agility *Good versatility 2 - N1K2-J Shiden *Excellent performance *Excellent handling *Good reliability Weaknesses: ----------- 1 - N1K1-J Shiden *Weak undercarriage construction due to length *Restricted visibility for the pilot due to mid-wing configuration 2 - N1K2-J Shiden *None known Fuel: ----- The following data on the N1K2-J come from page 46 of 'IJN Interceptor Fighter Kawanishi "Shiden-Kai" (Gorge) [sic]' (Military Aircraft Special Issue series [unnumbered]; Delta Publishing [Japan], 1997; in Japanese; 150 pages): * internal wing tanks: 360 liters (180 liters in each wing) * internal fuselage tanks: 375 liters (210 liters in forward tank + 165 liters in aft tank) * external ventral tank: 400 liters Pictures: --------- 1 - N1K1-J Shiden *http://amd.ngworld.net/images/n1k1.gif *http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/n1k-jpic.gif *http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/n1k-jlat1.gif *http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/n1k1-j.gif 2 - N1K2-J Shiden *http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/n1k2-j.gif Notes: ------ 1 - N1K1-J Shiden Interesting to note how one of the sources I consulted claims the Shiden to excell at climb rate, speed and high speed handling, but that it is not especially good turning at low to medium speeds. In a performance comparisson this source analyses the Shiden as a plane with excellent speed, althought the Mustang and the Corsair both were faster (as was the Frank (Ki-84) at medium altitudes). The Shiden however had far better high speed handling than the Frank, and can compete with the Corsair in that regard, the Corsair and the Shiden are 'close'. At slow speed dogfights the Shiden is terrible however, it doesn't feel in his element with the Hellcat, Ki, Lightning and Zeke. Links: ------ Shiden fuel - http://www.j-aircraft.com/bbs/general_config.pl?read=7539 Shiden construction and specs - http://www.ophetweb.nl/ww2w/ww2htmls/kanin1k1j.html http://www.ophetweb.nl/ww2w/ww2htmls/kanin1k2j.html http://amd.ngworld.net/planes/n1k1.html http://www.nasm.edu/nasm/aero/aircraft/kawanish_n1k2.htm http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/n1k-j.htm