The Kawasaki Ki-100 Otsu was a low-wing fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of World War II. It was developed from the Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien in a hurry at the end of 1944 as an urgent need to supply the Army with an effective fighter-interceptor to cope with the new American threat; the Boeing B-29 bomber, which was leveling and burning Japanese cities.
The prototype made its maiden flight on February 1, 1945. It was a success as the Kawasaki's engineers discovered that they had now a first class fighter. Thus, 275 Ki-61-II aircraft would be developed into the Kawasaki Ki-100, by installing a more powerful engine, a Mitsubishi Ha-112-11, 14-cylinder, radial piston engine, which produced 1,500 HP. Also, the rear fuselage of the Ki-61 had been cut down to produce the new fighter as the forward portion of airframe and fuselage had been enlarged in order to be able to fit in a bigger engine. By August 1945, when the war ended, a total of 374 Ki-100 fighters had been built.
Specifications
Type: single-seat, fighter/interceptor
Length: 8.80 m (28 feet, 10 inches)
Wing Span: 12 m (39 feet, 4 inches)
Wing Area: 20 m2 (215.2 square feet)
Height: 3.75 m (12 feet, 4 inches)
Powerplant: 1,500-HP, Mitsubishi Ha-112-11, 14-cylinder engine.
Maximum Speed: 610 km/h (379 mph)
Range: 2,000 km (1,243 miles)
Armament: two 20-mm cannons, mounted in wing; two 12.7-mm Type 1 machine guns mounted in fuselage; plus two 250-kg bombs.
Below, the Kawasaki Ki-100 Otsu. Photo taken after the war and one of the few available.
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