Nakajima Ki-87
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The Nakajima Ki-87 was a Japanese prototype, high-altitude fighter-interceptor of World War II. It was a single seat, exhaust-driven turbo-supercharged engined, low-wing monoplane with a conventional undercarriage.
Design and development
The Ki-87 was developed in response to American B-29 Superfortress raids on the Home Islands. It followed up on earlier research by Nakajima and the Technical Division of Imperial Army Headquarters into boosting a large radial engine with an exhaust-driven turbo-supercharger, which had begun in 1942, well before the B-29 raids began.[1] The efforts of the Technical Division of Imperial Army Headquarters eventually culminated into the Tachikawa Ki-94-I, while the Ki-87 was developed as a fall-back project, using less stringent requirements.[2][3] Nakajima started in July 1943 with the construction of three prototypes, to be completed between November 1944 and January 1945, and seven pre-production aircraft, to be delivered by April 1945.[3] The Technical Division of Imperial Army Headquarters made itself felt during the development of the Ki-87 prototype when they insisted upon placing the turbo-supercharger in the rear-fuselage, and, from the sixth prototype, the Nakajima fighter was to have that arrangement.[4][5] The Ki-87 had a rearward folding undercarriage to accommodate the storage of ammunition for the cannons, which were mounted in the wing.[1][6]
Construction was delayed due to problems with the electrical undercarriage and the turbo-supercharger, and the first prototype was not completed until February 1945. It first flew in April, but only five test flights were completed, all with the undercarriage in the extended position.[6][7]
A further variant, the Ki-87-II, powered by a Template:Cvt Nakajima Ha-217 (Ha-46) engine and with the turbo-supercharger in the same position as the P-47 Thunderbolt, never went further than the drawing board.
Operational history
Production of five-hundred aircraft was planned, but the War ended before any more than the single prototype were built.
Aircraft markings
The sole completed prototype was in natural metal finish; some paintings show a black anti-glare area in front of the cockpit, but this is not seen on any of the known photographs of the plane.[1][8][9] However, James P. Gallagher took a photo of the Ki-87 at the abandoned Japanese Army fighter base at Chofu after Japan's surrender. The photo clearly shows a black anti-glare area from the cockpit forward to the tip of the nose.[10]
Specifications (Ki-87 prototype)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Blohm & Voss BV 155
- Curtiss XF14C
- Fisher P-75 Eagle
- Focke-Wulf Ta 152H
- Republic P-47N Thunderbolt
- Republic XP-72
- Tachikawa Ki-94-II
References
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- ↑ James P. Gallagher, With the Fifth Army Air Force: Photos From the Pacific Theater (2001; Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore)
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- Bibliography
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External links
Template:Nakajima aircraft Template:Japanese Army Aircraft Designation System