Kawasaki Ki-93

Kawasaki · Japan · first flew 1945 · fighter

The Kawasaki Ki-93 was a Japanese twin-engine heavy fighter and anti-shipping attack aircraft, the sole prototype of which made its first flight on 8 April 1945, very late in the Second World War.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Long fuselage with fighter-style framed canopy
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin radial engines on a mid-mounted straight-tapered wing
Heavy cannon armament in the nose and wing roots
Long fuselage with fighter-style framed canopy

Distinguished by its large twin-radial-engine mid-wing layout and heavy nose armament typical of Japanese ground-attack conversions of the period; the long fuselage and fighter-style cockpit set it apart from conventional bombers.

Specifications

The Kawasaki Ki-93 has a length of 14.22 m (47 ft).
It has a wingspan of 19 m (62 ft).
Its maximum speed is 624 km/h (388 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by the Army Aerotechnical Research Institute to counter Allied bombers and shipping, the Ki-93 was a large, powerfully armed twin-engine design. The prototype was damaged during its maiden flight and destroyed by American bombing before further testing could be conducted, leaving its true potential unevaluated.

Variants

Only a single prototype was completed; no production variants were built.

Where you'll see it

The Ki-93 never reached operational service; the destruction of the sole prototype and Japan's deteriorating war situation ended the programme entirely.

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