Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu "Nick"
Kawasaki Aerospace Systems · Japan · first flew 1941 · fighter
The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu ('Dragon Slayer') was a twin-engine heavy fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, effective as a night fighter and anti-bomber interceptor, especially against US B-29 Superfortresses. Allied reporting name was 'Nick'.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engine heavy fighter / night fighter
- Allied reporting name 'Nick'
- Oblique upward-firing cannon in later variants
Slim twin-engine mid-wing monoplane with a long tapered fuselage, conventional tail, and two radial engines on straight-taper wing panels; resembles a scaled-down twin-engine fighter.
Specifications
- The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu has a length of 11 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.02 m (49 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 540 km/h (336 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Development began in 1937 for a twin-engine escort fighter; after a difficult gestation the Ki-45 finally entered service in 1942. Later variants were fitted with oblique upward-firing 37 mm or 20 mm cannon for attacking bombers from below.
Variants
Ki-45 KAI-a was the initial service variant; KAI-b/c added heavier cannon armament; KAI-d was optimised for night fighting with radar and upward-firing guns. All were used as kamikaze aircraft in 1945.
Where you'll see it
Served with JAAF units across China, South-East Asia, the Philippines, and the Japanese home islands; among the most effective Japanese night fighters against B-29 raids.
Related aircraft
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