Ki-45 Toryu Heavy Fighter

Ki-45 Toryu

Country	Japan
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Aircraft Industries
Primary Role	Heavy Fighter
Maiden Flight	1 January 1939

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Ki-45 Toryu ("Dragon Slayer") fighters were results of a Japanese Army request for a two-seat, twin-engined fighters in Dec 1937. The first prototype flew in Jan 1939 and received a rejection from the Army for wielding an underpowered engine, but Kawasaki received a second chance to continue the development that was eventually accepted. The resulting aircraft was designated Type 2 Two-Seat Fighter by the Japanese Army in Feb 1942, while the Allies codenamed them "Nick". They were first used in Guilin, China, in Jun 1942 with little success, outmaneuvered by P-40 Tomahawk fighters piloted by the Flying Tigers. A Sep 1942 match up against P-40s in Hanoi, Vietnam yielded similar results. The realization of their weakness against nimbler single-engined fighters led to the change of their primary roles to be anti-bomber and anti-ship. Armed heavy weapons, they excelled in their new roles. Though their performance suffered visibly at the altitude of 10,000m, they still scored several kills on American bombers later on in the war.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Aug 2006

SPECIFICATIONS

Ki-45 Kai Ko
Machinery Two Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder radial engines rated at 975hp each
Armament 1x37mm, 2x12.7mm, 2x7.92mm
Crew 2
Span 15.02 m
Length 11.00 m
Height 3.70 m
Wing Area 32.00 m²
Weight, Empty 4,000 kg
Weight, Loaded 5,500 kg
Speed, Maximum 540 km/h
Rate of Climb 11.70 m/s
Service Ceiling 10,000 m
Range, Normal 2,000 km

Ki-45 Kai Hei
Machinery Two Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder radial engines rated at 975hp each
Armament 1x37mm, 1x20mm, 1x7.92mm
Crew 2
Span 15.02 m
Length 11.00 m
Height 3.70 m
Wing Area 32.00 m²
Weight, Empty 4,000 kg
Weight, Loaded 5,500 kg
Speed, Maximum 540 km/h
Rate of Climb 11.70 m/s
Service Ceiling 10,000 m
Range, Normal 2,000 km

Ki-45 Kai Cho
Machinery Two Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder radial engines rated at 975hp each
Armament 1x37mm, 2x20mm
Crew 2
Span 15.02 m
Length 11.00 m
Height 3.70 m
Wing Area 32.00 m²
Weight, Empty 4,000 kg
Weight, Loaded 5,500 kg
Speed, Maximum 540 km/h
Rate of Climb 11.70 m/s
Service Ceiling 10,000 m
Range, Normal 2,000 km

Photographs

Camouflaged Ki-45 aircraft at rest, circa 1940s

Camouflaged Ki-45 aircraft in flight, circa 1940s

See all 12 photographs of Ki-45 Toryu Heavy Fighter

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
6 Dec 2012 06:52:27 AM

Uh you forgot that the KAI Had a 20mm Cannon along with its 2x12.7s and 1x37mm

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Machinery	Two Mitsubishi Ha-102 14-cylinder radial engines rated at 975hp each
Armament	1x37mm, 2x12.7mm, 2x7.92mm
Crew	2
Span	15.02 m
Length	11.00 m
Height	3.70 m
Wing Area	32.00 m²
Weight, Empty	4,000 kg
Weight, Loaded	5,500 kg
Speed, Maximum	540 km/h
Rate of Climb	11.70 m/s
Service Ceiling	10,000 m
Range, Normal	2,000 km

World War II Database

Ki-45 Toryu