Kawasaki Ki-88
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Japan |
The Kawasaki Ki-88 was a conceptual Japanese World War II fighter aircraft developed for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. Its projected capabilities failed to meet expectations, resulting in only a full-scale mock-up being constructed.
Design and development
In 1942, as the Kawasaki Ki-64 fighter experienced development delays, the Imperial Japanese Army sought quicker alternatives to deploy. Kawasaki introduced the Ki-88, a concept influenced by the Bell P-39 Airacobra operated by the United States Army Air Forces.
Design work commenced in August 1942. The Ki-88 was planned to utilize a 1,117-kW (1,500-hp) Kawasaki Ha-140 powerplant positioned aft of the cockpit, which would drive a tractor propeller through a long extension shaft. Its weaponry was intended to include a 37-mm cannon firing through the propeller hub along with two 20-mm cannons mounted in the lower section of the nose.
Kawasaki produced a life-size mock-up that bore resemblance to the P-39. Performance projections suggested a top speed of 600 km/h (373 mph) at an altitude of 6,000 m (19,685 ft), offering only a slight improvement over the existing Ki-61 Hien. As a result, Kawasaki abandoned the Ki-88 program within one year.
Bibliography