A Japanese Navy fighter family that evolved from the N1K float fighter into the land-based N1K-J Shiden and Shiden-Kai.
Development
Kawanishi N1K / N1K-J Shiden family was developed by Kawanishi Aircraft Company in Empire of Japan as a fighter. The family first flew in 1942 and entered service in 1943. Its recorded airframe configuration is fixed wing, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, Kawanishi N1K / N1K-J Shiden family is represented primarily in the fighter role. The sourced variant records include service with Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Its documented combat-history coverage includes World War II. Role tags attached to the family include air superiority.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include N1K1 Kyōfū and N1K2-J Shiden-Kai.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1K1 Kyōfū | Production | Fighter | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |
| N1K2-J Shiden-Kai | Production | Fighter | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
N1K2-J Shiden-Kai — C012 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 1
Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Homare radial
Armament: Four 20 mm Type 99 cannon.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War — Putnam · Tier 3