The Nakajima Aircraft Company (中島飛行機株式会社, Nakajima Hikōki Kabushiki Kaisha) was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer and aviation engine manufacturer throughout World War II.
Japan's first aircraft manufacturer, it was founded in 1918 by a naval engineer, Chikuhei Nakajima, and a textile manufacturer, Seibei Kawanishi as Nihon Hikoki (Nippon Aircraft). In 1919, the two founders split and Nakajima bought out Nihon Aircraft's factory with tacit help from the Imperial Japanese Army. The company was renamed Nakajima Aircraft Company in 1919.
Nakajima Aircraft Company's manufacturing facilities consisted of the following:
Tokyo plantMusashino plantDonryu plantOta plant, near Ōta Station. Visited by Emperor Shōwa on November 16, 1934. Critically damaged by American bombardment on February 10, 1945. Currently a Fuji Heavy Industries plant.Koizumi plant, near Nishi-Koizumi station. Critically damaged by American bombardment on April 3, 1945. Currently a Sanyo plant.After Japan's defeat in World War II the company had to close down since production and research of aircraft was prohibited by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. This had a severe impact on Nakajima because it was one of the two largest aircraft manufacturers, together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Unlike MHI though, it was not diversified into shipbuilding and general machinery, and so had to dissolve into a number of spin-off companies set up by former managers, engineers, and workers. As a result, leading aeronautical engineers from NAC, such as Ryoichi Nakagawa, helped transform Japan's automobile industry.
The company was reborn as Fuji Heavy Industries, maker of Fuji Rabbit scooters and Subaru automobiles, and as Fuji Precision Industries (later renamed Prince Motor Company which merged with Nissan in August 1966), manufacturer of Prince Skyline and Prince Gloria automobiles. Fuji began aircraft production in the mid-1950s and has been producing military training aircraft for the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
Nakajima A1N - 1927 carrier-borne fighterNakajima E2N - 1927 reconnaissance aircraftNakajima Ki-4 - 1933 reconnaissance biplaneNakajima Ki-6 - 1930 transport, training aircraftNakajima A2N 九〇式艦上戦闘機 - 1930 carrier biplane fighterNakajima E4N - 1930 reconnaissance aircraftNakajima Type 91 九一式戦闘機 - 1931 parasol monoplane fighterNakajima B3N - 1933 Navy torpedo bomberNakajima Ki-8 - 1934 fighter prototypeNakajima Ki-11 - 1934 fighter prototypeNakajima A4N 九五式艦上戦闘機 - 1935 carrier-borne fighterNakajima E8N 九五式水上偵察機 - 1935 reconnaissance seaplaneNakajima Ki-12 - 1936 fighter prototypeNakajima AT-2 九七式輸送機 - 1936 passenger transportNakajima C3N - 1936 carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraftNakajima LB-2 - 1936 bomber aircraftNakajima Ki-19 キ19 航空機 - 1937 Army heavy bomber (prototypes only)Nakajima Ki-27 九七式戦闘機 - Late 1936 Army monoplane fighterNakajima Ki-34 九七式輸送機 - 'Thora' 1937 Army transport aircraft version of AT-2Nakajima B5N 九七式艦攻 Kyushichishiki-kanko (Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber) - 'Kate' 1937 Navy torpedo bomberNakajima Ki-43 隼 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - 'Oscar' 1939 Army fighterShowa/Nakajima L2D - 1939 airliner, transport aircraftNakajima Ki-44 鍾馗 Shoki (Devil-Queller) - 'Tojo' 1940 Army fighterNakajima Ki-62 - 1941 prototype fighter, competed with Kawasaki Ki-61 designNakajima A6M2-N 二式水戦 Nishiki-suisen (Type 2 Float Fighter) - 'Rufe' 1941 floatplane version of the Mitsubishi A6M ZeroNakajima G5N 深山 Shinzan (Mountain Recess) - 1941 heavy four-engined long-range bomberNakajima Ki-49 呑龍 Donryu (Storm Dragon) - 'Helen' 1941 Army medium bomberNakajima J1N 月光 Gekko (Moonlight) - 'Irving' 1941 Navy land-based night fighterNakajima Ki-84 疾風 Hayate (Gale) - 'Frank' 1943 Army fighterNakajima B6N 天山 Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain) - 'Jill' Navy torpedo bomberNakajima J5N 天雷 Tenrai (Heavenly Thunder) - 1944 Navy land-based single-seat twin-engine interceptorNakajima C6N 彩雲 Saiun (Rainbow Cloud) - 1943 carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraftNakajima Ki-87 - 1945 high-altitude interceptorNakajima G8N 連山 Renzan (Mountain Range) - 1945 heavy four-engined long-range bomberNakajima Ki-115 剣 Tsurugi (Sabre) - 1945 special attack (suicide) aircraftNakajima Ki-116 - 1945 single-seat fighter aircraftNakajima G10N 富嶽 Fugaku (Mount Fuji) - 1945 projected six-engined long-range bomberNakajima Kikka 橘花 Kikka (Orange Blossom) 1945 Navy experimental land-based jet, two prototypes builtNakajima Ki-201 火龍 Karyu (Fire Dragon) - 1945 Army jet with strong resemblance to the German Messerschmitt Me 262, project onlyNakajima HikariNakajima HomareNakajima KotobukiNakajima Sakae - powered both the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, and its own Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar fighters.