Air Enthusiast 2006-09
M.Huggins - Sea Eagle Rising /World war two/
A ‘war trophy' Kyofu in a line-up with a ‘Zero’ and an Me 262 in the USA. Although the aircraft has lost its IJNAF paint finish, it still retains the warning stripe and its original beaching trolley.
Paramount N1K2-J users were the elite 343rd Kokutai. This unit combined the finest remaining IJNAF fighter pilots with the most promising new air academy passes, together given the Navy’s latest and greatest fighter
"Сиден", брошенный японцами в 1944 году на одном из филиппинских аэродромов
A discarded Shiden of the 341st Kokutai at a satellite base close to Clark Field, Luzon, in the Philippines, early 1945. Just visible is the '3' pre-cursor to 'Yellow 23' (also painted on the undercarriage door). Note the overly-long undercarriage oleo that caused so many problems, particularly on airfields with rough grass deployment areas such as this.
The N1K1-J's standard main armament was 4 x 20mm cannon, two within the wings and a further two in underwing pods. These, plus twin 7.7mm machine-guns in the cowl, this gave early Shidens the hardest-hitting power of the entire series.
The N1K1-J Shiden was the first land-based derivative of the Kyofu seaplane, retaining the mid-wing. For some reason, this aircraft lacks the under-wing pair of 20mm cannon: it may be an early trials model.
Истребитель N1K2-J "Синден". На самолете такого типа летал Шиоки Сугита
The final - and best - variant of the series to see combat was the N1K2-J Shiden-Kai.
The photo shows an N1K2-J of an unknown Home Defence unit, possibly while under combat evaluation. The Japanese Navy did not use the white band marking used by its Army counterparts.
Fine-detail view is of a late variant N1K1-J Shiden. The four cannon on this model are all within the wings; hence this is almost a transitional model.
A Shiden-Kai is about to be flown to a collecting point in Japan to be transported to the USA for evaluation. The pilot and ground personnel are Japanese, but the fighter carries US insignia beneath its wing.
‘Yellow 15' was the personal mount of IJNAF ‘ace’ Lt Naoshi Kanno while serving as Commander of Hikotai 301 'Shinsen-Gumi' of the 343rd Kokutai. The number ‘15’ seen within the Hinomaru is believed to have been for temporary training purposes only. Kanno was lost just two weeks before the war ended.
Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai
Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden
A Kyofu of the Yokosuka Kokutai at the naval base of the same name. This view shows to good effect the beaching trolleys designed for the type, and the boarding ladder.
An N1K1 of an unknown unit somewhere at the South West Pacific front. Note the painted stripe around the central float; in red, this was designed to warn ground personnel of the danger from the propeller.
Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu