Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (Nick)

History

By 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army was so interested in twin-engine fighter jets that there was a request for Japan's first. Kawasaki successfully entered the fray and introduced the Ki-45 series shortly after.

The Ki-45 Toryu (meaning "Dragon Slayer" or "Dragon Slayer", as the Allies called it "Nick") would be successful on many different levels, but more importantly, it would provide the Imperial Army with much-needed The Ki-45 KAIc dedicated night fighter platform (detailed elsewhere on this page) and challenged the Allied night bombing campaign for control of the Pacific theater.

The design of the Ki-45 followed the common twin-engine fighter design of the time. The engines were mounted on low-wing monoplanes, each on either side of the streamlined fuselage. Accommodation includes two seats in a separate glass canopy.

A single fin forms the standard fin assembly, giving the Ki-45 a recognizable Bf 110 appearance. The armament of the Ki-45 KAIa base consists of a forward-firing 20mm cannon, two nose-mounted 12.7mm (.50) caliber machine guns and a 7.92mm self-defense machine gun located in the rear cockpit position. The system becomes an extremely formidable opponent.

It is also intended to hold up to two 551-pound bombs under the wings. The Ki-45 KAIB model line appeared early enough and was designed as a dedicated ground attack/anti-ship variant.

The system features a 20mm system cannon in the nose, a 37mm fuselage cannon, and a standard 7.92mm machine gun in the rear cockpit, the system also retains the bomb rack of its predecessor. The large-caliber (75mm) gun-fit system was also tested for counter-shipping.

The Ki-45 was originally scheduled to fly in the air in prototype form in 1939, although a development setback delayed production until mid-to-late September 1941. The system was quickly deployed against U.S. Army Air Force bomber formations and was particularly successful against the B-24 Liberator type. The Ki-45 system is a reliable and capable platform that excels against such slow-moving targets.

The Ki-45 has been converted into a dedicated night fighter in the Ki-45 KAIc model family with a 37mm cannon and advanced search radar. The C model became the final Ki-45.

However, as an excellent system established by Japan, the Ki-45 was relegated to home defense as the Allied advance in the Pacific continued to hinder Japanese offensive operations.

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