Nakajima Aircraft Company

The Nakajima Aircraft Company (Japanese:中島飛行機株式会社/Nakajima Hikōki Kabushiki Gaisha) was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II.

History

Japan's first aircraft manufacturer, it was founded in 1918 by a naval engineer, Chikuhei Nakajima, and a textile manufacturer, Kawanishi Seibi as Nihon Hikoki (Nippon Aircraft). In 1919 the two founders split and Nakajima bought out Nihon Aircraft's factory with tacit help from the Imperial Japanese Army. The company was renamed Nakajima Aircraft Company in 1919 .

Nakajima Aircraft Company's manufacturing facilities consisted of the following:

Tokyo plant
Musashino plant
Donryu plant
Ota plant, near Ōta Station. Visited by Emperor Hirohito on November 16, 1934. Critically damaged by American bombardment on February 10, 1945. Currently a Fuji Heavy Industries plant.
Koizumi plant, near Nishi-Koizumi station. Critically damaged by American bombardment on April 3, 1945. Currently a Sanyo plant.

After World War II

After Japan's defeat in World War II the company had to close down since production and research of aircraft was prohibited by the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers. This had a severe impact on Nakajima because it was one of the two largest aircraft manufacturers, together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Unlike MHI though, it was not diversified into shipbuilding and general machinery, and so, had to dissolve into a number of spin-off companies set up by former managers, engineers, and workers. As a result, leading aeronautical engineers from NAC, such as Nakagawa Ryoichi, helped transform Japan's automobile industry.

The company was reborn as Fuji Heavy Industries, maker of Fuji Rabbit scooters & Subaru automobiles.

Products

Piston-engined aircraft

Nakajima A2N 九〇式艦上戦闘機 - 1930 carrier biplane fighter
Nakajima Type 91 - 1931 parasol monoplane fighter
Nakajima A4N 九五式艦上戦闘機 - 1935 carrier-borne fighter
Nakajima E8N 九五式水上偵察機 - 1935 reconnaissance seaplane
Nakajima AT-2 九七式輸送機 - 1936 passenger transport
Nakajima Ki-19 キ19 航空機 - 1937 Army heavy bomber (prototypes only)
Nakajima Ki-27 九七式戦闘機 - Late 1936 Army monoplane fighter
Nakajima Ki-34 九七式輸送機 - 'Thora' 1937 Army transport aircraft version of AT-2
Nakajima B5N 九七式艦攻 Kyushichishiki-kanko (Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber) - 'Kate' 1937 Navy torpedo bomber
Nakajima Ki-43 隼 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - 'Oscar' 1939 Army fighter
Nakajima Ki-44 鍾馗 Shoki (Devil-Queller) - 'Tojo' 1940 Army fighter
Nakajima Ki-62 - 1941 prototype fighter, competed with Kawasaki Ki-61 design
Nakajima A6M2-N 二式水戦 Nishiki-suisen (Type 2 Float Fighter) - 'Rufe' 1941 floatplane version of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero
Nakajima G5N 深山 Shinzan (Mountain Recess) - 1941 heavy four-engined long-range bomber
Nakajima Ki-49 呑龍 Donryu (Storm Dragon) - 'Helen' 1941 Army medium bomber
Nakajima J1N 月光 Gekko (Moonlight) - 'Irving' 1941 Navy land-based night fighter
Nakajima Ki-84 疾風 Hayate (Gale) - 'Frank' 1943 Army fighter
Nakajima B6N 天山 Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain) - 'Jill' Navy torpedo bomber
Nakajima J5N 天雷 Tenrai (heavenly Thunder) - 1944 Navy land-based single-seat twin-engine interceptor
Nakajima C6N 彩雲 Saiun (Painted Cloud) - 1943 carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraft
Nakajima Ki-87 - 1945 high-altitude interceptor
Nakajima G8N 連山 Renzan (Mountain Range) - 1945 heavy four-engined long-range bomber
Nakajima Ki-115 剣 Tsurugi (Sabre) - 1945 special attack (suicide) aircraft
Nakajima G10N 富嶽 Fugaku (Mount Fuji) - 1945 projected six-engined long-range bomber

Jet prototypes

Nakajima J9Y Kikka 橘花 Kikka (Orange Blossom) 1945 Navy experimental land-based jet, two prototypes built
Nakajima Ki-201 火龍 Karyu (Fire Dragon) - 1945 Army jet with strong resemblance to the German Messerschmidt Me 262, project only

Aero-engines

Nakajima Hikari
Nakajima Homare
Nakajima Kotobuki
Nakajima Sakae

(Japanese) List of all Nakajima aircraft

Bibliography

Francillon, Ren� J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London, Putnam & Company, 1970,1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.

Nakajima Aircraft Company Pictures and Nakajima Aircraft Company for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia