Kawasaki Ki-64
| Ki-64 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki Kōkūki Kōgyō K.K. |
| First flight | December 1943 |
| Status | Cancelled 1944 |
| Primary user | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Number built | 1 |
The Kawasaki Ki-64 (Allied code name: Rob) was a one-off prototype of an experimental heavy, single seat, fighter. It had two unusual design features. First; it had two Kawasaki Ha-40 engines in tandem; one in the aircraft nose, the other behind the cockpit, both being connected by a drive shaft. This combination (called the Kawasaki Ha-201) drove two, three-bladed, contra-rotating propellors. The second feature was the use of the wing surface as a radiator for the water-cooled engines. The aircraft first flew in December 1943. During the fifth flight, the rear engine caught fire; and while the aircraft made an emergency landing, it was damaged. The aircraft was subsequently abandoned in mid-1944 in favour of more promising projects. The airframe survived the war, and parts of the unique cooling system were sent to Wright Field for examination.
Data from Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Three: Fighters;WW2 Aircraft Fact Files: Japanese Army Fighters, Part 1;Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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