Nakajima Aircraft Company facts for kids
| Successor | Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru Corporation) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1918 |
| Founder | Chikuhei Nakajima |
| Defunct | 1945 |
| Headquarters |
,
Japan
|
The Nakajima Aircraft Company (中島飛行機株式会社 (Nakajima Hikōki Kabushiki Kaisha)) was a very important Japanese company. It built many airplanes and airplane engines during World War II. After the war, the company changed and is now known as Subaru, which makes cars and other vehicles.
A Look Back: Nakajima's History
Nakajima Aircraft was Japan's first airplane maker. It was started in 1918 by Chikuhei Nakajima, who was a naval engineer. He teamed up with Seibei Kawanishi, who made textiles. They first called their company Nippon Aircraft.
In 1919, the two founders went their separate ways. Nakajima bought the factory with some help from the Imperial Japanese Army. That same year, the company was renamed Nakajima Aircraft Company.
Nakajima had several factories where they built their planes:
- Tokyo plant
- Musashino plant
- Donryu plant
- Ota plant: This factory was visited by Emperor Shōwa in 1934. It was badly damaged by American bombs in 1945. Today, it's a Subaru Corporation plant that makes small trucks.
- Koizumi plant: This factory was also badly damaged by American bombs in 1945. Now, it's a Sanyo plant.
After World War II
After Japan lost World War II, the company had to stop making airplanes. The winners of the war, led by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, said that Japan could not produce or research aircraft.
This was a big problem for Nakajima. It was one of Japan's two largest airplane makers. The other big one was Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Unlike MHI, Nakajima didn't make other things like ships or machines. So, it had to break up into many smaller companies.
These new companies were started by Nakajima's former managers, engineers, and workers. Because of this, talented airplane engineers like Ryoichi Nakagawa helped Japan's car industry grow.
In 1953, the company was reborn as Fuji Heavy Industries. This company made Fuji Rabbit scooters and later Subaru cars. Another part became Fuji Precision Industries, which later joined Nissan. Fuji started making aircraft again in the mid-1950s. They built training planes and helicopters for the Japan Self-Defense Forces. In 2017, Fuji Heavy Industries officially changed its name to Subaru Corporation.
What Nakajima Built
Nakajima made many different types of aircraft for both the Navy and the Army.
These planes were built for the Japanese Navy.
Fighter Planes
- A1N (Type 3 Carrier Fighter): A fighter plane from 1927.
- A2N (Type 90 Carrier Fighter): A biplane fighter from 1930.
- A4N (Type 95 Carrier Fighter): A carrier-based fighter from 1935.
- A6M2-N (Type 2 Float Fighter 'Rufe'): A floatplane version of the famous Mitsubishi A6M Zero from 1941.
- J1N (Moonlight 'Irving'): A night fighter used from land in 1941.
- J5N (Heavenly/Divine Thunder): A fast interceptor prototype from 1944.
- Kikka (Orange Blossom): Japan's first jet aircraft prototype from 1945.
Trainer Planes
- A3N (Type 90 Two-seat Training Fighter): A two-seat trainer developed from the A2N in 1936.
Torpedo Bombers
- B5N (Type 97 Carrier Attacker 'Kate'): A very important torpedo bomber from 1937.
- B6N (Heavenly Mountain 'Jill'): Another torpedo bomber from 1941.
Scout and Reconnaissance Planes
These planes were used to find out what the enemy was doing.
- C6N (Rainbow Cloud 'Myrt'): A fast reconnaissance plane for aircraft carriers from 1943.
- E8N (Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplane 'Dave'): A reconnaissance seaplane from 1935.
Dive Bombers
- D3N: A prototype dive bomber from 1936.
Heavy Bombers
- G5N (Mountain Recess 'Liz'): A large, four-engine heavy bomber from 1941.
- G8N (Mountain Range 'Rita'): Another heavy, four-engine bomber from 1945.
- G10N (Mount Fuji): A huge six-engine bomber that was planned but not built.
Transport Planes
- L2D (Type 0 Transport): A transport plane from 1939, based on the American Douglas DC-3.
Army Aircraft
These planes were built for the Japanese Army.
Fighter Planes
- Type 91 Fighter: A unique monoplane fighter from 1931.
- Ki-27 (Type 97 Fighter): An early monoplane fighter from 1936.
- Ki-43 (Type 1 Fighter 'Oscar' or Peregrine Falcon): A very famous Army fighter from 1939.
- Ki-44 (Type 2 Single-seat fighter 'Tojo' or Devil-Queller): A powerful Army fighter from 1940.
- Ki-84 (Type 4 Fighter 'Frank' or Gale): One of the best Japanese fighters of the war, from 1943.
- Ki-201 (Fire Dragon): A planned jet fighter from 1945, similar to a German jet.
Bombers
- Ki-49 (Type 100 Heavy Bomber 'Helen' or Storm Dragon): A medium bomber from 1941.
Reconnaissance Planes
- Ki-4 (Type 94 Reconnaissance aircraft): A reconnaissance biplane from 1933.
Transport Planes
- Ki-34 (Type 97 Transport 'Thora'): An Army transport plane from 1937.
Trainer Planes
- Ko 2 (甲2): A trainer plane, based on a French design.
Kamikaze Aircraft
- Ki-115 (Sword): A special plane designed for kamikaze attacks in 1945.
Civil Aircraft
Nakajima also made planes for regular travel and mail.
- Nakajima-Douglas DC-2: A passenger plane built under license from Douglas.
- Super Universal: An airliner from 1930.
- AT-2: A passenger transport plane from 1936.
- Nakajima P-1: A mail plane from 1933.
Aircraft Engines
Nakajima also designed and built many of the engines that powered their planes.
- Kotobuki (寿, Longevity): An early engine, based on a British design.
- Sakae (栄, Prosperity): A very important engine that powered famous planes like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero and Nakajima's own Nakajima Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters.
- Homare (誉, Honor): A powerful 18-cylinder engine.
See also
- List of aircraft manufacturers
