Aichi B7A Ryusei (Grace)
The Aichi-produced B7A Ryusei (translated to "Shooting Star" and nicknamed "Grace" by the Allies) was a limited-production torpedo bomber in service with the Empire of Japan during the latter years of World War Two. Unfortuna...

Aichi D3A (Val)
The D3A series of aircraft (dubbed "Val" by the Allies) were thought to be all but extinct when the war in the Pacific began. The rude awakening came in the form of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii - home to the ...

Aichi E13A (Jake)
Based on number alone, the Aichi production E13A series of floatplanes (dubbed "Jake" by the Allies) was the most important such aircraft type for the Japanese Navy during the Second World War. The system was fielded in quant...

Aichi E16A Zuiun (Paul)
The E16A Zuiun (translated into "Auspicious Cloud" and codenamed "Paul" by the Allies) was a dedicated reconnaissance floatplane and part-time dive-bomber for the Empire of Japan in World War Two. The system was an excellent ...

Aichi M6A Seiran
This oft-forgotten Aichi design was classified as an attack floatplane that was designed to be carried aboard the Japanese Navy I-400 class submarines. The aircraft was held in water-tight containers until implemented into fl...

Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (Stork)
The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (translated to "Stork") was a medium bomber in service with the Italian Air Force in the late inter-war years and early years of World War Two. Much like other inter-war designs however, the Cicogna was...

Kawanishi H6K (Mavis)
Though looking very much the part of a German-produced Dornier series flying boat, the Kawanishi brand H6K series (codenamed "Mavis" by the Allies) had more in common with Western flying boat designs if anything. Interestingl...

Kawanishi H8K (Emily)
The Empire of Japan seemed to be producing its best aircraft designs of the war towards the end of the conflict. The Kawanishi H8K (codenamed "Emily" by the Allies) was such an example. Bred to take the reigns of the similar ...

Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden (George)
Despite some early setbacks in design, the Kawanishi N1K1-J "Shiden" (or "violet lightning" - codenamed "George" by the Allies), was an exemplary fighter that was capable of going head-to-head with even the fabled American F6...

Kawasaki Ki-100
Despite being produced in severely limited numbers (thanks in large part to the Allied bombing campaigns in the Pacific), the Kawasaki Ki-100 is often regarded as one of the best Japanese production fighters available in the ...

Kawasaki Ki-45 KAIc Toryu (Nick)
Despite serving in limited numbers, fielded with no search-finding radar and appearing as the only Imperial Japanese Army night-fighter of the Second World War, the Kawasaki-brand Ki-45 KAIc night-fighter platform proved a su...

Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (Nick)
By 1937, interest in a twin-engine fighter had peaked for the Imperial Japanese Army so much so that a requirement was put forth for the nation's first. Kawasaki entered into the fray successfully and presented the Ki-45 seri...

Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Tony)
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (meaning "Swallow" and codenamed "Tony" by the Allies) was another of the oft-forgotten yet impressive Japanese-brand fighter designs of the Second World War, joining the equally impressive Kawanishi N...

Kyushu J7W Shinden (Magnificent Lightning)
The unorthodox Kyushu J7W Shinden ("Magnificent Lightning") was a "wonder-weapon" of the Empire of Japan in the closing months of World War 2. It utilized a "canard configuration" and was intended as a high-speed, high-agil...

Kyushu K11W Shiragiku (White Chrysanthemum)
Oft-forgotten, but no less important to the Japanese war effort of World War 2, was the Kyushu K11W Shiragiku ("White Chrysanthemum") advanced bomber crew trainer. The aircraft served as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...

Kyushu Q1W Tokai (Eastern Sea) / (Lorna)
The Kyushu Q1W "Tokai" (translating to "Eastern Sea" and codenamed "Lorna" by the Allies) was an anti-submarine bomber utilized by the Empire of Japan in the last year of World War 2. The type was produced in limited numbers ...

Mitsubishi A5M (Claude)
The Mitsubishi A5M (code-named "Claude" by the Allies) became the world's first shipborne monoplane fighter aircraft when it was inducted into service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1937. The system served in some capacit...

Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (Zeke / Zero)
With a design history beginning as early as 1937, the A6M series (commonly referred to as the "Zero" or by the Allied codename of "Zeke") became the first carrierborne fighter aircraft to supercede all other land-based counte...

Mitsubishi G4M (Betty)
Like most of Imperial Japan's aircraft in the early stages of World War 2, the Mitsubishi G4M (codenamed "Betty" by the Allies) was a potent performer in operation as a land-based naval bomber. The system was of a strong desi...

Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Jack)
The J2M Raiden (meaning "Thunderbolt" and codenamed "Jack" by the Allies) was primarily used as a local defense fighter by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The system was designed to combat the growing threat of the high-flying Bo...

Mitsubishi Ki-109
The Mitsubishi Ki-109 was a specialized derivative of the Mitsubishi Ki-67 heavy bomber. The Ki-109 was designed specifically to deal with the growing threat posed by the high-attitude American Boeing B-29 Superfortress over ...

Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Sally)
The Mitsubishi Ki-21 (codenamed "Sally" by the Allies) was a successful medium bomber in service with the Japanese Air Force since 1939, seeing combat action up until 1945 despite the fact that the aircraft was already outcla...

Mitsubishi Ki-46-III (Dinah)
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Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu (Peggy)
The Mitsubishi-designed Ki-67 Hiryu (translated to "flying dragon" and dubbed "Peggy" by the Allies) is oft-regarded as the best bomber fielded by Japan in the Second World War. The system was of a twin-engine design, armed w...

Nakajima B5N (Kate)
By 1941, the B5N series of torpedo bombers were considered the best of their type anywhere in the world. The system was initially designed from 1935 onwards and was in full operational use at the outbreak of the Second World ...

Nakajima B6N Tenzan (Jill)
The Nakajima B6N Tenzan (translating to "heavenly mountain") series was a capable torpedo bomber fielded by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the Second World War. The system performed capably and would stay in operational ...

Nakajima G8N Renzan (Rita)
The Nakajima G8N Renzan (or "Mountain Range" - codenamed "Rita" by the Allies) was a heavy bomber design put forth by the Nakajima Aircraft Company in the latter stages of World War 2. The system saw a severely limited produc...

Nakajima J1N1-S
The Nakajima J1N1-S series was a dedicated nightfighting aircraft based on the J1N1 Gekko ("moonlight") reconnaissance aircraft platform also of the Nakajima brand. The system found success for a time, particularly against th...

Nakajima Ki-27 (Nate / Abdul)
The Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" (known early on as "Abdul") was a successful low-monoplane, all-metal with stressed skin fighter design employed by the Empire of Japan throughout the Second World War. Initially conceived of as a pr...

Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Helen)
The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (meaning "storm dragon" and codenamed "Helen" by the Allies) heavy bomber was intended as a replacement for the out-classed Mitsubishi Ki-21 series of medium bomber. In reality, the newer Ki-49 desig...

Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank)
Out of the many fine fighters available to the Japanese Army in the closing months of World War 2, none were of greater import than the arrival of the Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (meaning "gale" and known as "Frank" to the Allies. ...

Yokosuka D4Y Suisei (Judy)
The Yokosuka D4Y Suisei (translating to "Comet" and nicknamed "Judy" by the Allies) was a capable dive bomber serving the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War. The system saw some reliability issues in early pre...

Yokosuka MXY7-K1 Ohka (Cherry Blossom)
The Yokosuka MXY7-K1 Ohka (translated to "Cherry Blossom") was a single-seat pilot-guided suicide fighter proposed and produced by the Imperial Japanese Navy in a new attempt to thwart the ever-increasing advances by Allied f...