1/72 Hasegawa Nakajima Ki44-II Shoki [Tojo] 00132

The Shōki was developed as a heavy fighter emphasizing hit-and-run tactics, and it had the characteristics of a short-range interceptor. It was deployed in homeland air defense operations and became a key element in protecting the imperial capital. Units equipped with the Shōki included the 70th, 23rd, and 47th Flight Regiments around Tokyo, and the 246th Flight Regiment in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe area. These units demonstrated the aircraft’s full capabilities as an air defense fighter against incoming B-29 bombers.

The Army had previously found success with the Type 97 fighter, considered the ultimate light fighter, and its aerial combat doctrine had centered around light fighters. However, in fiscal year 1938, the Army Aviation Headquarters revised its weapons research policy and began developing the next-generation fighter. Alongside the light fighter (which became the Type 1 Hayabusa), they also initiated research into heavy fighters, which were becoming central in air forces around the world.

The Army’s requirements were demanding: a top speed of over 600 km/h, the ability to reach 5,000 meters altitude within five minutes, a combat radius of over 600 km, and armament consisting of two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 12.7 mm cannons. These were extremely harsh conditions by the standards of the time. However, since other countries already had heavy fighters nearing completion, Japan needed to develop a fighter that could surpass them for the effort to be meaningful—making these requirements inevitable.

Nakajima Aircraft was tasked with developing both the light and heavy fighters. The heavy fighter (later named Shōki) was Japan’s first of its kind, and development was led by young engineers with great enthusiasm. Nakajima’s unique design philosophy was heavily incorporated, resulting in a distinctive aircraft.

The biggest challenge was engine selection. Since there was no compact, high-output engine available, they adopted the Ha-41 bomber engine. This led to the Shōki’s characteristic large-nose design. The semi-monocoque fuselage tapered sharply from the rear of the cowling flaps to the cockpit area. In contrast to the Navy’s Raiden, which followed a similar development path, the Shōki had a very different design. To achieve high speed, the wingspan was shortened, and the main wings were built to withstand 12.6 G in a dive at 850 km/h. To maintain turning performance, Nakajima’s unique butterfly flaps, which also served as combat flaps, were adopted. The vertical stabilizer was placed behind the horizontal stabilizer to separate lateral and longitudinal stability, which proved to be quite effective.

Test results from the additional prototypes showed a top speed of 626 km/h (under conditions such as no armament). It was judged that “with minor modifications, it could be used as an interceptor against bombers”, and after small changes, it was officially adopted as the Type 2 Single-Seat Fighter.

The Ha-109 engine, which had been under testing, was put into practical use. After replacing the engine with the Ha-109 and improving the propeller, oil cooler layout, and armor protection, the aircraft was adopted as the Type 2 Model 2 Single-Seat Fighter. It achieved a top speed of 600 km/h and could reach 5,000 meters in 4 minutes and 15 seconds—an outstanding performance.

Model 2 had three armament variants: Ko, Otsu, and Hei.

• The Ko type had two 7.7 mm machine guns in the nose and two 12.7 mm cannons in the wings.
• The Otsu type had two 12.7 mm cannons in the nose and two 40 mm automatic cannons in the wings.
• The Hei type had two 12.7 mm cannons in both the nose and wings. A further improved Model 3 was produced, but production shifted to the Type 4 Fighter Hayate, and only a small number were made.

Army Air Force pilots accustomed to light fighters initially disliked the Shōki’s handling. However, once they became familiar with it, they were captivated by its rapid dive speed, straightforward handling, and stability during firing. It seems the aircraft wasn’t as difficult to fly as commonly believed.

The main production model was the Model II Hei, which was active in key air defense roles in Thailand, Burma, mainland China, and the Philippines. However, it was primarily used in homeland air defense against B-29 bombers.

The most famous combat unit equipped with the Shōki was the Independent 47th Flying Squadron. Initially deployed to Burma and Malaya as an experimental unit shortly after the war began, it had few opportunities to operate as an air defense fighter. However, following the shock of the first air raid on Tokyo, it was relocated to the homeland (Matsudo, Chōfu, Narimasu) to defend the imperial capital. It became a key unit in the capital’s air defense. Additionally, the 70th, 23rd, and 47th Flight Regiments operated around Tokyo, while the 246th Flight Regiment covered the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe area. These units flew the Shōki and fought valiantly against incoming B-29 bombers, demonstrating its full potential as an air defense fighter.