We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 23
210
KAWANISHI NIK KYOFU/‘REX’ & SHIDEN/‘GEORGE’ Heavily retouched photograph of the first Kawanishi NIKI prototype ftted with the original contrarrotating propellers.
Kawanishi Kyofu,
(Photo! National Archives)
Shiden and Shiden Kai Variants
René J. Francillon, Ph.D.
WHILE examples of the successful modification of
land-based aircraft into floatplanes are numerous (e.g.
Nakajima A6M2-N “Rufe”, Supermarine Spitfire VB
and IX tloatplanes, Fiat 1.C.R.42 and Grumman FaF-38
Wildcat), the Kawanishi NIK1-J Shiden (Violet
Lightning) is unique in the annals of military aviation
for being the only land-based fighter aircraft derived
froma floatplane fighter.
Despite its rather unusual origin and the initial lack of |
interest with which i€ was received by the Imperial
Japanese Nays
by the Kawanishi Kokuki Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawanishi
Aircraft Co. Ltd.)—the Shiden, and more especially so
its derivative the NIK2-J Shiden Kai (Violet Li
Modified), was without question the best fighter
craft operated by that Service during the closing months
of World War Il.
‘The development of the Kawanishi series of float-
plane and landplane fighters was initiated by the
Imperial Japanese Navy in September 1940 to meet the
special needs which the impending war against
American forces in the Pacific created. At that time the
Imperial Japanese Navy had just begun to take delivery
of its first Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisens (Zero Fighters)*
* See Profile No. 129: Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero-Sen (and No.
190: A6M3), “Reisen” is nickname derived from “Rei
Sentoki” or Zero Fighter—thus, also, “Zero-Sen”.
Which, for its time, had a remarkable maximum range
of 1,930 miles when carrying a 72-6 Imperial gallon
drop tank beneath the fuselage. This compared
favourably with the contemporary Supermarine §}
fire I and Curtiss P-40E Warhawk which, respece
tively, had maximum ranges of 500 and 850 miles,
Yet, despite a ferry range of almost 2,000 miles, the
AGM2 Reisen possessed a practical combat radius of
action of no more than $50 miles. Exceptional as this
performance was, it was clear to the Air Staff of the
Imperial Japanese Navy thateven the Mitsubishi A6M2
‘would have insufficient radius of action to provide air
support for amphibious operations in the islands
scattered throughout the vast expanses of the Pacific
here available airfields were few and far between. The
reader should remember, for example, that no airfield
existed in the southern Solomon Islands until the com-
pletion by Japanese construction battalionsand Korean
labourers of an airfield on the island of Guadalcanal.
Even so, the Japanese did not have an opportunity to
use this airfield as it was captured by the Marine Corps
in early August 1942, a week prior to becoming
operational.
To supplement the inadequate range of land-based
‘AGM2 fighters, the Imperial Japanese Navy planned
oon using carrier-based aircraft to provide the necessary
air support for their amphibious forces. Attractive as
this solution appeared it had its limitations, namely the
45
