Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki "Tojo"

Nakajima · Japan · first flew 1940 · fighter

The Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki ('Demon') was a Japanese Army interceptor fighter designed for speed and climb rate, departing from the manoeuvrability-first doctrine that governed most Japanese fighter design. Allied pilots reported it as 'Tojo'.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Stubby fuselage with large-diameter radial and small wing
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Stubby fuselage with large-diameter radial and small wing
High wing loading — designed for speed over manoeuvrability
Short span tapered wing with rounded tips

Distinguished by its unusually short wingspan relative to its fuselage length, a very large-diameter radial engine cowling, and a stubby overall appearance compared to the contemporary Ki-43.

Specifications

The Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki has a length of 8.75 m (29 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.45 m (31 ft).
Its maximum speed is 605 km/h (376 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

The Ki-44 first flew in August 1940 and entered service in 1942, seeing initial combat in Malaya and Singapore before becoming the primary home-defence interceptor over Japan against American bombers. Japanese pilots initially disliked its high landing speed compared to the Ki-43, but it proved highly effective against B-29s.

Variants

The Ki-44-I was the pre-production series; the Ki-44-IIa and IIb differed in armament fits; the Ki-44-IIc carried four 12.7 mm heavy machine guns and was the most common variant.

Where you'll see it

Served with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in South-East Asia, China, and the Japanese home islands; never exported.

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