Kawasaki Ki-100
Kawasaki · Japan · first flew 1945 · fighter
The Kawasaki Ki-100 was a Japanese Army fighter created by mating the airframe of the inline-engined Ki-61 with a Mitsubishi Ha-112 radial engine when liquid-cooled engine supplies ran short. The result was one of the best Japanese fighters of World War II.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Bulged cowling contrasting with the original Ki-61 inline-engine fuselage lines |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Ki-61 airframe fitted with radial engine giving blunt nose profile
- Low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage
- Bulged cowling contrasting with the original Ki-61 inline-engine fuselage lines
The wide, blunt radial-engine cowling on the otherwise slender Ki-61 airframe is the primary recognition feature; the deep fuselage behind the cowling narrows more quickly than a purpose-designed radial-engine fighter.
Specifications
- The Kawasaki Ki-100 has a length of 8.82 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 580 km/h (360 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
With over 270 Ki-61 airframes awaiting engines after bomb damage to Kawasaki's engine factory, engineers fitted the radial Mitsubishi Ha-112 in early 1945. The first Ki-100 flew in February 1945 and immediately proved superior in handling and overall performance to most contemporary types, including the B-29 escort fighters it frequently engaged.
Variants
The Ki-100-I was the converted Ki-61 variant; the Ki-100-II was a purpose-built version with an uprated engine and cut-down rear fuselage for a bubble canopy, though only three were completed before the war ended.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in the final months of the Pacific War, primarily in the home-defence role against B-29 raids.
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- Kawasaki Ki-93
- Kawasaki Ki-60
- Kawasaki Ki-48
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