Nakajima Army Type 4 Fighter Hayate / Ki-84 (Frank)
Technical Information

Background
Designed by Nakajima Hikoki K.K for the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) as the Type 4 Fighter Hayate / Ki-84 (Frank). In Japanese, Hayate means gale. Allied code name Frank. In early 1942, designed to meet a Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) requirement for a fighter that was maneuverable and heavily armed to match the latest Allied fighters and would become a replacement for the Ki-43 Oscar. Two prototypes completed in March and April 1943 with the first flight in March 1943 and production commencing in April 1943 at Ota.

Wartime History
At the end of 1944, the Frank entered combat during the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines and were used across the Pacific in China, Philippines and home defense of Japan. On April 15, 1945, eleven Ki-84's made a fighter bomber strike on U.S. airfields on Okinawa and succeeded in destroying many parked planes.

Postwar
U.S. flight testing showed the Ki-84 to be faster at 20,000' than either the P-51 Mustang or the P-47 Thunderbolt. Ki-84s were captured by in China by the Communists and Nationalist. Indonesian guerrillas captured several and used them against the Dutch in the Indonesian National Revolution.

Production
A total of 3,514 aircraft were built.
The majority 3,413 were built by Nakajima Hikoki K.K in Ota and Utsunomiya in Japan.
A total of 94 Ki-84-I Ko were assembled by Mansyu Hikoki Seizo K.K. in Harbin.

Technical Details (Ki-84-I Ko)
Crew  One (Pilot)
Engine  1 x Nakajima Ha-45 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine driving a four bladed propeller
Span  36' 10 7/16"
Length  32' 6 9/16"
Height  11' 1 1/4"
Maximum Speed  392 mph at 20,080'
Range  1,053 miles
Armament  (nose) 2 x 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns with 350 rounds each (wings) 2 x 20mm Ho-5 cannons with 150 rounds each
External  2 x 250kg bombs or 2 x 44gal drop tanks