As World War II approached its brutal conclusion, Japan was perched on the precipice of defeat. The Allies were closing in from every direction, bombing raids were destroying cities and industry, and conventional victory had all but faded into memory. In this atmosphere of desperation and urgency, Japanese military strategists and engineers resorted to outlandish means—deploying a wave of experimental planes and unconventional ordnance in a desperate bid to change the course of war.
Nakajima Ki-87 – The High-Altitude Dream That Never Took Flight
Initially, Japanese aviation industry designers tried to develop advanced fighters to match the quickly improving American air capabilities. One of their most effective wartime fighters, the Nakajima Ki-84—”Frank” to Allied forces—held its own against the legendary P-51D Mustang in air battles throughout China and the Philippines.
But with the growing threat from high-flying B-29 Superfortress bombers, pressure grew for the faster, higher-flying interceptors. Among the new types was the Nakajima Ki-87, a high-altitude fighter with a mighty 2,400-horsepower engine. Its potential never came to fruition because of engine issues, and only one prototype was produced.
Tachikawa Ki-94-II – A promising interceptor sidelined by war’s end
In a similar vein, the Tachikawa Ki-94-II had tremendous theoretical appeal, with a predicted top speed of 450 mph and a design specific to high-altitude intercept. Its first flight never came; however, planned shortly after Japan’s surrender. It was one of several instances of how timing, rather than innovation, doomed the final aircraft of Japan.
Kyushu J7W1 Shinden – The Canard-Configured Fighter of the Future
Perhaps the most dramatic design of the period was the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden. This aggressively styled canard interceptor was unlike anything else in the skies. Engine positioned in the back, and elevator surfaces at the front, it represented unorthodox thinking. Navy Captain Masaoki Tsuruno designed the Shinden as a counter to B-29s and even proposed jet power for future production. Even with estimated speeds of more than 460 mph, only two prototypes were finished before the unexpected end of the war.
Nakajima Kikka – Japan’s First Jet-Powered Aircraft
Japan’s engineers did not rest on their laurels to enhance piston-engined planes. Their greatest leap was the Nakajima Kikka—the first Japanese plane to take to the skies on jet power. Touched off by the German Me 262, the Kikka was shorter, had folding wings for camouflage, and was powered by Ne-20 turbojets reverse-engineered from BMW blueprints. Its first flight on August 7, 1945—days before the war’s end—came too late to have any effect, but it was a notable technological achievement.
Mitsubishi J8M (Ki-200) – The Rocket Interceptor That Never Took Off
Another bold venture was rocket-powered flight. Frightened by the inability of conventional fighters to climb to B-29 altitudes, Japanese troops tried to create a localized copy of Germany’s Me 163 Komet.
The products were the Mitsubishi J8M for the Navy and the Ki-200 for the Army. Although initial glider testing proceeded smoothly, the initial powered flight crashed, and Japan’s sudden collapse as a wartime power left the program in mid-air.
Yokosuka Ohka Model 11 – Kamikaze Rocket Plane
No Japanese late-war weapon is more notorious than the Ohka (“Cherry Blossom”) Model 11. A rocket-powered, manned suicide bomb, the Ohka was mounted under a Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” bomber and released toward Allied vessels.
The rocket would ignite on impact, inflicting a fatal blow. Unfortunately, the expendable Betty bombers were frequently shot down before they had a chance to deliver their payloads, so the weapon proved mostly ineffective.
Ohka Model 22 – Jet-Powered Improvement That Arrived Too Late
Japanese engineers created the Model 22 to boost the Ohka’s chances, using a primitive Tsu-11 turbojet and from quicker Yokosuka P1Y1 bombers. While 50 were constructed, they never entered combat.
Even more grandiose schemes for the Ohka Model 33—fitted with Ne-20 turbojets and carried on the enormous Nakajima G8N1 “Rita”—never progressed beyond planning phases.
Nakajima Tsurugi – The Mass-Produced Kamikaze Plane
One of Japan’s most desperate designs was the Nakajima Tsurugi, a dedicated suicide plane meant for mass production. Reduced to bare essentials and made with whatever materials were available, the Tsurugi was a testament to the bleak extent of Japan’s industrial capabilities. Few were constructed before the war’s conclusion, and one remains today as a grim reminder of how far Japan was prepared to go in defending its home country.
The Legacy of Japan’s Experimental Arsenal
Ultimately, Japan’s experimental wonder weapons proved powerless against the sheer force of the Allied drive. Bombing raids, supply shortages, and a disintegrating industrial base ensured that many of these innovations remained in the prototype phase. Still, these planes are a dramatic convergence of innovation, desperation, and military necessity.
Now, all that remains of these machines are artifacts in museums across the globe. From surviving Kyushu Shinden and Nakajima Kikka to the elusive Ohka Model 22 and Tsurugi, they narrate a poignant tale. As the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum emphasizes, it provides a glimpse into an era of history where technology was used as a last resort in a losing war.