Nakajima Ki-84

(Redirected from Ki-84)

The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (疾風, "Hurricane") was a single-seat fighter used by the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II. It was the last in Nakajima's line of classic fighters and considered one the best-performing craft from any country. The Allied codename was "Frank"; the Army designation was "Type 4 Fighter" (四式戦闘機).

The Ki-84 first flew in March 1943. While the design was solid, a shortage of fuel and construction materials, poor production quality, and lack of skilled pilots kept it from reaching its potential. After the war, a captured example was tested by the U.S. Army using high-octane fuel and achieved a speed of 689 km/h. A total of 3,449 were produced.

The Ki-84 was the only army fighter with a four-bladed propeller; this was chosen to reduce the diameter and provide ground clearance. Several interesting experimental variants of the Ki-84 were produced: the wooden Ki-103, the steel (rather than duralumin) Ki-113, and the Ki-116, with the Nakajima Ha-45 engine replaced by a Mitsubishi Ha-112-II.

Service history

The Ki-84 was designed to replace the Ki-43 Hayabusa and Nakajima Ki-44. It participed in combat for first time from the base in Hankow during 1944, equipped 10 sentais in the Philippines, and served in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Okinawa, as well as local defense of Japan. After World War II it was used by the Chinese Communist Air Force until the 1950s.

Versions

Ki-84 (prototype)
Ki-84 (evaluation model)
Ki-84 (pre-production model)
Ki-84 Ia Hayate fgther Type 4 of Army (Mark Ia)
Ki-84 Ib (Mark Ib) -four cannons Ho-5 of 20mm
Ki-84 Ic (Mark Ic) -Version against Bombers,with two cannos Ho-5 of 20mm and Ho-105 of 30mm in wings
Ki-84 Ia(Manshu Type) -Manufactured in Manchukuo for Mansyu by Nakajima License.
Ki-84 II (Army designation Ki-84 Ia,Ib,Ic) -similar to models mentioned above
Ki-84 N/P/R -higth altitude versions
Ki-106 -Prototypes in total wood construction
Ki-113 -Prototype similar at Ki-84 Ib in Steel
Ki-116 -evaluation model, equipped with Mitsubishi 62(Ha-33), 1,500 Hp
Ki-117 -Redesigning of Ki-84 N.

Specifications (Ki-84-Ia)

General Characteristics

Crew: one, pilot
Length: 9.93 m (32 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 11.23 m (36 ft 10 in)
Height: 3.38 m (11 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 21 m² (226 ft²)
Empty: 2,665 kg (5,864 lb)
Loaded: 3,616 kg (7,955 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 3,898 kg (8,576 lb)
Powerplant: 1x Nakajima Ha-45-21 18-cylinder radial, 1,485 kW (1,990 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 627 km/h (392 mph)
Range: 2,155 km (1,347 miles)
Service ceiling: 10,500 m (34,450 ft)
Rate of climb: 833 m/min (2,734 ft/min)
Wing loading: 172 kg/m² (35 lb/ft²)
Power/Mass: 0.41 kW/kg (0.25 hp/lb)

Armament

2x 12.7 mm Type 1 machine guns in fuselage
2x 20 mm Ho-5 cannon in wings
2x 250 kg (551 lb) bombs

Production

Total production: 3,514 examples
- 3,288 by Nakajima
- 94 by Mansyu