World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Kikka prototype jet aircraft were the firsts of the type for Japan. Although the effort to embark on a design for jet fighters was indeed inspired by the German firm Messerschmitt's successes with the Me 262 fighters, the Kikka design was created by Kazuo Ohno and Kenichi Matsumura from the ground up without German assistance, the only exception being the Ishikawajima Ne-20 powerplant which was based on the German BMW 003 axial flow turbojet engine. The prototype conducted its first ground test on 30 Jun 1945, and in Jul 1945 it was disassembled for transport to Kisarazu Naval Airfield. On 7 Aug, it flew for the first time with Lieutenant Commander Susumu Takaoka in the cockpit. On 11 Aug, a second test flight was scheduled, but it came to a sudden end when rocket assisted take off (RATO) equipment caused the aircraft to crash into a drainage ditch. At this point, the second prototype was close to completion, while between 18 and 25 more examples were under construction. The Kikka aircraft were designed to be high speed interceptors, but in the final weeks of the war, Japanese Navy leadership seriously considered to use them as special attack, ie. suicide, weapons despite of their high production cost. As the war ended within days of the takeoff accident, none would see combat action. At least 3 of the under-construction Kikka aircraft were taken by the United States for further studies, and they were likely taken apart to form the partial frame currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, United States. Two Ne-20 jet engines were given to the Chrysler Corporation in 1946 for further studies; this fact was not revealed until 2005 (by lead engineer W. I. Chapman).

J9N-1/J9Y Kikka Timeline

SPECIFICATIONS

Kikka

Machinery	Two Ishikawajima Ne-20 turbojet engines rated at 4.66 kN (475 kgf) each
Armament	2x30mm Type 5 cannon, 1x500kg or 1x800kg bomb
Crew	1
Span	10.00 m
Length	9.25 m
Height	2.95 m
Wing Area	13.21 m²
Weight, Empty	2,300 kg
Weight, Loaded	3,950 kg
Weight, Maximum	4,088 kg
Speed, Maximum	696 km/h
Service Ceiling	12,303 m
Range, Maximum	1,778 km

Photographs