The Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki was an Imperial Japanese Army fighter used during World War II. Also known as 'Tojo' by the Allied forces in the Pacific, it first flew as a prototype in August 1940, entering service in 1942. It was massively built in two versions, Model 1 and Model 2, with a total of 1,225 aircraft having been produced by 1945.
The Nakajima Ki-44 was reported to have seen combat action in Papua New Guinea, especially in the area near Rabaul, fighting against British and American combat aircraft. It also took part in dogfights in the skies over the Philippines in October 1944. Although it shot down a number of British naval fighters, such as the slow Fairey Fulmar and Firefly, the Tojo was not a match for the American Grumman F4U Corsair and the F6F Hellcat, with which it got engaged in combat in the skies over the Pacific.
Technical Charasteristics
The Nakajima Ki-44 was a single-seat, single-engine, low-wing monoplane. It was maneuverable and stable, being the smallest Japanese fighter ever designed by the Nakajima Company. The fuselage was of all-metal construction, with the control surfaces being covered by fabric.
The aircraft was fitted with dihedral, cantilever wings and it had retractable landing gear, with the wheels folding up medially (inwardly). The Model 1 of the Shoki featured a comfortable cockpit, with a canopy that slid backward to let the pilot in and out. Model 2 had a longer cockpit cover.
Specifications (Model 2)
Type: fighter aircraft
Length: 8.84 m (29 feet)
Wingspan: 9.45 m (31 feet)
Wing Area: 15 sq. m (160 sq. feet)
Height: 3.25 m (10 feet, 8 inches)
Weight: 2,106 kg (4,643 pounds)
Powerplant: one 1,450-HP, Nakajima Type 2, 14-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine.
Maximum Speed: 612 km/h (380 mph)
Range: 775 miles
Armament: 4 machine guns; two 12.7mm and two 7.7mm-caliber.
Below, the ventral side profile view of the Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki.
Below, the Shoki at a Japanese military base in 1944 before taking off.
Unique footage of the Ki-44 Tojo in WW2 (video)
