Nakajima Aircraft Company
Encyclopedia
The Nakajima Aircraft Company (Japanese
:中島飛行機株式会社/Nakajima Hikōki Kabushiki Gaisha) was a prominent Japan
ese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II
.
by a naval engineer, Chikuhei Nakajima, and a textile manufacturer, Kawanishi Seibi as Nihon Hikoki (Nippon Aircraft). In 1919 the two founders split and Nakajima bought out Nihon Aircraft's factory with tacit help from the Imperial Japanese Army
. The company was renamed Nakajima Aircraft Company in 1919
.
Nakajima Aircraft Company's manufacturing facilities consisted of the following:
the company had to close down since production and research of aircraft was prohibited by the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers. This had a severe impact on Nakajima because it was one of the two largest aircraft manufacturers, together with Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries (MHI). Unlike MHI though, it was not diversified into shipbuilding and general machinery, and so, had to dissolve into a number of spin-off companies set up by former managers, engineers, and workers. As a result, leading aeronautical engineers from NAC, such as Nakagawa Ryoichi, helped transform Japan's automobile industry.
The company was reborn as Fuji Heavy Industries
, maker of Fuji Rabbit
scooters & Subaru
automobiles.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
:中島飛行機株式会社/Nakajima Hikōki Kabushiki Gaisha) was a prominent Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
Japan's first aircraft manufacturer, it was founded in 19181918 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1918:- Events :*The Imperial Japanese Navy establishes its first lighter-than-air aviation unit.* The naval aviation branch of the Chilean Armys air corps receives its first aircraft....
by a naval engineer, Chikuhei Nakajima, and a textile manufacturer, Kawanishi Seibi as Nihon Hikoki (Nippon Aircraft). In 1919 the two founders split and Nakajima bought out Nihon Aircraft's factory with tacit help from the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. The company was renamed Nakajima Aircraft Company in 1919
1919 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1919:- Events :* Raymond Orteig offers the Orteig Prize for the first non-stop transatlantic flight between New York and Paris....
.
Nakajima Aircraft Company's manufacturing facilities consisted of the following:
- Tokyo plant
- Musashino plant
- Donryu plant
- Ota plant, near Ōta StationOta Station (Gunma)is a railway station in Ōta, Gunma, Japan, operated by Tobu Railway.-Lines:Ōta Station is served by the Tōbu Isesaki Line, Tōbu Kiryū Line, and Tōbu Koizumi Line, and is 94.7 km from the Tokyo terminus of the Isesaki Line at .-Station layout:...
. Visited by Emperor Hirohito on November 16, 1934. Critically damaged by American bombardment on February 10, 1945. Currently a Fuji Heavy Industries plant. - Koizumi plant, near Nishi-Koizumi stationNishi-Koizumi Stationis a passenger-service station of Koizumi Line, which is operated by Tobu Railway company, located in Ōizumi, Ōra District, Gunma Prefecture, Japan.- History :...
. Critically damaged by American bombardment on April 3, 1945. Currently a SanyoSanyois a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 230 Subsidiaries and Affiliates....
plant.
After World War II
After Japan's defeat in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the company had to close down since production and research of aircraft was prohibited by the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers. This had a severe impact on Nakajima because it was one of the two largest aircraft manufacturers, together with Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
Heavy Industries (MHI). Unlike MHI though, it was not diversified into shipbuilding and general machinery, and so, had to dissolve into a number of spin-off companies set up by former managers, engineers, and workers. As a result, leading aeronautical engineers from NAC, such as Nakagawa Ryoichi, helped transform Japan's automobile industry.
The company was reborn as Fuji Heavy Industries
Fuji Heavy Industries
, or FHI, is a Japanese transportation conglomerate most known for being the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles. It traces its roots to the Nakajima Aircraft Company, a leading supplier of airplanes to the Japanese government during World War II...
, maker of Fuji Rabbit
Fuji Rabbit
The Fuji Rabbit was a motor scooter produced in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries from 1946 through 1968.Production of the initial model, the S-1 began in 1946, some six months before the Vespa went into production and was largely inspired by scooters used by American servicemen during and after World...
scooters & Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
automobiles.
Piston-engined aircraft
- Nakajima A2NNakajima A2N|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
九〇式艦上戦闘機 - 1930 carrier biplane fighter - Nakajima Type 91 - 1931 parasol monoplane fighter
- Nakajima A4NNakajima A4N-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Mikesh, Robert C. and Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft, 1910–1941. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-840-2....
九五式艦上戦闘機 - 1935 carrier-borne fighter - Nakajima E8NNakajima E8N|-See also:-References:*Francillon, R.J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London:Putnam, 1970. ISBN 0 370 00033 1....
九五式水上偵察機 - 1935 reconnaissance seaplane - Nakajima AT-2 九七式輸送機 - 1936 passenger transport
- Nakajima Ki-19Nakajima Ki-19|-See also:-External links:*...
キ19 航空機 - 1937 Army heavy bomber (prototypes only) - Nakajima Ki-27Nakajima Ki-27The was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force up until 1940. Its Allied nickname was "Nate", although it was called "Abdul" in the "China Burma India" theater by many post war sources; Allied Intelligence had reserved that name for the nonexistent Mitsubishi Navy...
九七式戦闘機 - Late 1936 Army monoplane fighter - Nakajima Ki-34 九七式輸送機 - 'Thora' 1937 Army transport aircraft version of AT-2
- Nakajima B5NNakajima B5N|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgwater, H.C. and Peter Scott. Combat Colours Number 4: Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Guideline Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9539040-6-7....
九七式艦攻 Kyushichishiki-kanko (Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber) - 'Kate' 1937 Navy torpedo bomber - Nakajima Ki-43Nakajima Ki-43The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II...
隼 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - 'Oscar' 1939 Army fighter - Nakajima Ki-44Nakajima Ki-44The Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The type first flew in August 1940 and entered service in 1942...
鍾馗 Shoki (Devil-Queller) - 'Tojo' 1940 Army fighter - Nakajima Ki-62Nakajima Ki-62|-See also:-Bibliography:* Francillon, René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1979. ISBN 0-87021-313-X....
- 1941 prototype fighter, competed with Kawasaki Ki-61 design - Nakajima A6M2-N 二式水戦 Nishiki-suisen (Type 2 Float Fighter) - 'Rufe' 1941 floatplane version of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero
- Nakajima G5NNakajima G5N|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Collier, Basil. Japanese Aircraft of World War II. New York: Mayflower Books, 1979. ISBN 0-8317-5137-1....
深山 Shinzan (Mountain Recess) - 1941 heavy four-engined long-range bomber - Nakajima Ki-49Nakajima Ki-49|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bueschel, Richard M. Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu in Japanese Army Air Force Service. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2004. ISBN 0-76430-344-9....
呑龍 Donryu (Dragon gulper) - 'Helen' 1941 Army medium bomber - Nakajima J1NNakajima J1N-See also:-Bibliography:* Francillon, Réne J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
月光 Gekko (Moonlight) - 'Irving' 1941 Navy land-based night fighter - Nakajima Ki-84Nakajima Ki-84The Nakajima Ki-84 was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Frank"; the Japanese Army designation was . Featuring excellent performance and high maneuverability, the Ki-84 was considered to be the best Japanese fighter...
疾風 Hayate (Gale) - 'Frank' 1943 Army fighter - Nakajima B6NNakajima B6NThe Nakajima B6N Tenzan was the Imperial Japanese Navy's standard carrier-borne torpedo bomber during the final years of World War II and the successor to the B5N "Kate"...
天山 Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain) - 'Jill' Navy torpedo bomber - Nakajima J5NNakajima J5N-Bibliography:* Francillon, Réne J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
天雷 Tenrai (Heavenly Thunder) - 1944 Navy land-based single-seat twin-engine interceptor - Nakajima C6NNakajima C6N-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00033-1 ....
彩雲 Saiun (Rainbow Cloud) - 1943 carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraft - Nakajima Ki-87Nakajima Ki-87|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography*Francillon, René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London, Putnam & Company, 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
- 1945 high-altitude interceptor - Nakajima G8NNakajima G8N|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Collier, Basil. Japanese Aircraft of World War II. New York: Mayflower Books, 1979. ISBN 0-8317-5137-1....
連山 Renzan (Mountain Range) - 1945 heavy four-engined long-range bomber - Nakajima Ki-115Nakajima Ki-115|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
剣 Tsurugi (Sabre) - 1945 special attack (suicide) aircraft - Nakajima G10N 富嶽 Fugaku (Mount Fuji) - 1945 projected six-engined long-range bomber
Jet prototypes
- Nakajima KikkaNakajima Kikka|-References:NotesBibliography* Famous Aircraft of the World no.76: Japanese Army Experimental Fighters . Tokyo: Bunrin-Do, August 1976....
橘花 Kikka (Orange Blossom) 1945 Navy experimental land-based jet, two prototypes built - Nakajima Ki-201Nakajima Ki-201-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London, Putnam & Company, 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
火龍 Karyu (Fire Dragon) - 1945 Army jet with strong resemblance to the German Messerschmidt Me 262, project only
Aero-engines
- Nakajima HikariNakajima Hikari|-See also:-References:*...
- Nakajima HomareNakajima Homare|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
- Nakajima KotobukiNakajima Kotobuki-References:...
- Nakajima SakaeNakajima Sakae|-See also:-Bibliography:*Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9*Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989...