Nakajima Kikka

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Tanaka
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Nakajima Kikka

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Encouraged by enthusiastic reports of the ME262 from the Japanese air attache in Berlin, the Japanese naval staff instructed Nakajima to develop a single-seat attack bomber based on the ME262, capable of a speed of 430mph and able to carry a small bombload. Design started in September of 1944 under the direction of Kazuo Ohno and Kenichi Matsumur, and the resulting aircraft resembled the German design although somewhat smaller owing to the very low power available from the early Japanese jet engines. Initially the first prototype Kikka (orange blossom) was fitted with a pair of 200-kg thrust TSU-11 ducted-flow engines, but these were quickly replaced by340-kg thrust Ne-12 turbojets. These also proved inadequate and for the first flight two 475-kg thrust Ne-20 axial-flow turbojets were fitted; however, t was still necessary to employ an auxiallary rocket for assisted take off. The kikka was first flown on 7 August at Kisarazu Naval air base by Lt Commander Sasumu Tanaoka; the second flight ended in damage when Tanaoka abandoned the take off owing to the ATO rockets being incorrectly mounted. A second prototype was then nearing completion and manufacture of 18 further aircraft had started when, on 15 August the entire programme was abandoned. Production, which included versions for training, reconnaissance and air combat, had also been planned.

The Kikka was not the only advanced plane being developed by the Japanese in secret at the end of the war, from Rocket and Jet powered bombers and fighters, including a copy of the German Komet with a twin engine design there were also heavy lift helicopters being developed. The Allies knew the Germans had sold the Japanese a jet engine and the blue prints for the engines so that they could develope there own range of Jets, but the Allies knew they had sunk the German sub carrying the precious cargo and made the mistake of thinking the Japanese would be unable to develope the jet without the help from Germany.

But if the Allies would of had to invade the Japanese home islands in 1946 they would have been met by a deadly force of Japanese jet fighters capable of taking down the mighty B-29 bombers, heavy Jet bombers capable of sinking the invasion forces ships at anchor and super fast rocket powered Kamikaze flying bombs which would have been impossible to shoot down.

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