×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Kawasaki Ki-88


Fighter Aircraft Proposal


Imperial Japan | 1943



"The Kawasaki Ki-88 failed to impress during its mock-up stage that it was not ordered into production for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Kawasaki Ki-88 Fighter Aircraft Proposal.
1 x Kawasaki Ha-140 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine developing 1,500 horsepower and mounted in fuselage rear.
Propulsion
373 mph
600 kph | 324 kts
Max Speed
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Kawasaki Ki-88 Fighter Aircraft Proposal.
1
(MANNED)
Crew
33.5 ft
10.20 m
O/A Length
40.7 ft
(12.40 m)
O/A Width
8,598 lb
(3,900 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Kawasaki Ki-88 Fighter Aircraft Proposal .
PROPOSED:
1 x 37mm cannon firing through the propeller hub
2 x 20mm cannons in lower nose
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Kawasaki Ki-88 family line.
Ki-88 - Base Series Designation; only reached mock-up stage.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/05/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Concerned about the slow progress in getting the complex Kawasaki Ki-64 Heavy Fighter into the air (with its tandem engine arrangement), Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) authorities thought it best to allow development of an interim, or insurance-minded, fighter aircraft which became the Kawasaki "Ki-88" of simpler form and function. However, the aircraft only reached a mockup stage by which time its performance was estimated to be no better than existing Japanese service fighters so the Ki-88 was never officially adopted nor ordered for serial production.

Work began as soon as August 1942 and took no more a conventional design approach than the Ki-64 in that it utilized a rear-mounted engine driving a forward-mounted propeller. The engine was connected to the propeller unit by way of a drive shaft running under the cockpit floor - similar in concept to the classic American Bell P-39 "Airacobra" (detailed elsewhere on this site). In similar fashion, a 37mm cannon was fitted to fire through the propeller hub as the forward compartment of the fuselage lay empty thanks to the rear engine placement. The cockpit was seated aft of the cannon and wing mainplanes mounted low and ahead of midships. The tail was a conventional, single-finned unit being used while the undercarriage was made up of a "tail-dragger" configuration. Beyond its 37mm gun, the aircraft was also slated to carry 2 x 20mm cannons in the lower nose section, offering frontal battery against any and all enemy warplanes fielded across the Pacific Theater.

The end of the road for the Ki-88 came when the design was reviewed in its mock-up stage during 1943 and found that it would be no more faster than some of the fighters already in use or beginning to come online in number. Since nothing could be gained from the Ki-88 project, it was abandoned in favor of other, more promising ventures needed by the Japanese military going forward.

As designed, the Ki-88 featured a length of 33.5 feet and a wingspan of 40.7 feet. Gross weight was listed at 8,600 pounds. Power was to come from a Kawasaki Ha-140 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine developing 1,500 horsepower. Calculated maximum speed was 375 miles per hour and no other estimated performance specifications were offered.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Kawasaki Ki-88. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 0 Units

Contractor(s): Kawasaki - Imperial Japan
National flag of modern Japan

[ Imperial Japan (cancelled) ]
1 / 1
Image of the Kawasaki Ki-88
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Going Further...
The Kawasaki Ki-88 Fighter Aircraft Proposal appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
WWII AIRCRAFT
X-PLANE AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)