The Nakajima Ki-201 was a Japanese jet fighter/attack aircraft project designed during the final stages of World War II and remained unbuilt.

The development of the Karyū was heavily influenced by Nazi Germany's Messerschmitt Me 262, the first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Unlike the more compact Nakajima Kikka, which was requested by the Imperial Japanese Navy, the design of the Karyū was considerably larger, slightly more so than the Me 262 itself, and shared a closer resemblance to the German aircraft overall. The proposal was met with an order from the Imperial Japanese Army during late 1944; it was stipulated that the Karyū should be capable of attaining , an altitude of , and at least range. Basic drawings for the entire aircraft were completed in June 1945; the first prototype Karyū was at one point set to be completed by December 1945 as well as 18 pre-production aircraft by March 1946. However, the programme was terminated following the Surrender of Japan in August 1945.

Development

The origins of the Karyū can be traced back to the development of the world's first jet-powered fighter aircraft, the Messerschmitt Me 262. Trials of the Me 262 conducted in 1942 had been witnessed by a Japanese military attaché in Nazi Germany and enthusiastically reported back to the Japanese government.

In September 1944, the Imperial Japanese Navy issued a request to Nakajima to develop a similar aircraft that would be suitable for use as a fast attack aircraft; this resulted in the Nakajima Kikka, an aircraft that was meant to be effectively an equivalent to the Me 262, however, the similarities between the two aircraft were very limited. In contrast, the Kikka was not only considerably smaller but also unrelated to the Ki-201 Karyū, which was designed by a team headed by the aeronautical engineer Iwao Shibuya, who opted to base it considerably closely to the German aircraft, being eight percent larger.

During late 1944, the Karyū proposal received an order from the Imperial Japanese Army. The stipulated performance requirements included a maximum speed of , a maximum altitude of , and a range of . Development proceeded, by June 1945, basic drawings of the aircraft had been completed. Nakajima anticipated the completion of the first prototype Karyū by December 1945, while the first 18 pre-production aircraft were predicted to be built by March 1946.

Specifications (planned specification)

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • (new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, .)
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  • The Nakajima Ki-201 Karyu – j-aircraft.org