When one thinks of the advanced World War II wartime technology, Germany’s V-2 missiles and Me 262 aircraft, and other more familiar weapons come to mind. Japan, though, also had its own grandiose program—aircraft and missiles designed to reverse the fortunes of war in the Pacific. Though the majority never saw production, their stories demonstrate the desperation and hubris with which Japan’s final wartime technology was pursued.
Japan’s Final Gamble: Conquering the B-29 Superfortress
In 1945, Japan’s situation was desperate. American B-29 bombers were incinerating cities, the U.S. Navy dominated important seas, and the economy was on the brink of bankruptcy. Under these circumstances, Japanese engineers put all their effort into developing high-tech aircraft that could catch up to B-29s at high altitude. These high-speed interceptors were a final, last-ditch chance to stem the devastation raining down upon them.
Nakajima Ki-87 and Ki-94-II: High-Altitude Interceptors
To counter the B-29, Japan designed high-altitude interceptors. The most ambitious of these was the Nakajima Ki-87 with its 2,400-hp turbosupercharged engine. It was designed to give 440 mph at altitude, but constant problems with the engine meant that only one prototype ever flew. The Tachikawa Ki-94-II, with a top speed of 450 mph, was at the point of having its maiden flight when the war ended.
Kyushu J7W1 Shinden: Japan’s Canard-Configured B-29 Killer
The strangest of Japan’s wartime designs was the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden. With its rear-mounted engine and six-bladed pusher propeller, this canard fighter defied convention. On paper, it was projected to 466 mph, equal to its competitors. A jet variant, the J7W2, was even contemplated. Just two J7W1s were built when Japan’s defeat ended the project.
Modelled on Germany’s Me 262, the Nakajima Kikka was Japan’s first—and only—jet to fly during the war. Weighing less, with folding wings, it used the Ne-20 turbojet, reverse-engineered from photographs of the BMW 003 engine. The top speed of the Kikka was 435 mph, but its first flight, on August 7, 1945, came far too late to have any impact on the war.
Mitsubishi J8M and Ki-200: Japan’s Rocket Interceptors
Japan also tested rocket-powered aircraft modeled after the Me 163 Komet. The Army’s Ki-200 and the Mitsubishi J8M were to be used for high-speed climbs and hit-and-run attacks on bombers. But lost technical documents, rushed production, and an early crash test prevented them from being used.
Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka: Winged Kamikaze
When defeat was all but certain, Japan turned to man-controlled weapons. The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka was a manned flying bomb released from bombers and controlled by a pilot to crash into Allied ships at high speed.
While terrifying in concept, the bombers’ slowness rendered them less than ideal. Jet-powered variants were on the drawing board, but none made it onto the battlefield.
Why the Wonder Weapons Failed: Industrial Collapse
Despite brilliant designs, none of these aircraft was mass-produced or used to any extent. Japan’s production capacity was in shambles: fuel was scarce, plants had been bombed out, and there were not many veterans remaining as pilots. Even the most advanced aircraft could not take to the skies unless there were means to continue flying them.
Relics That Survived: What Was Left at the End
Few of the test models survived. Today, the sole Kyushu J7W1 Shinden, a Nakajima Kikka, and an Ohka Model 22 are on display in museums, memorials to Japan’s final, extravagant efforts at flight—efforts made too late to change the course of the war.
The Bigger Lesson: Innovation Alone Isn’t Enough
Japan’s experiments in warfare prove the impossibility of a war won by cleverness alone. Short of resources, industrial production, and a clear plan, the most advanced weaponry remains disadvantaged. As ultimately proved to be the case, Allied productive power, as much as battlefield strategy, determined the victor—a lesson that continues to impact military strategy today.