The Nick interceptor had the same Cannons as the faster Dinah had on theirs but in reverse, which was unsuccessful. Too bad the Ki 46 didn't just followed what worked on the Ki 45 so well.
Hiroyuki Takeuchi, e-mail, 23.03.2012 10:40
Although the Schräge Musik, and the Japanese oblique cannons share the concept, it seems to have been born out of necessity to fight against the tough US bombers and unrelated to each other in origin.
PeoriaGuy, e-mail, 16.12.2011 07:33
I wish that someone still made this model. I have built Nichimo models before and their quality was very good, especially considering it was 25 years ago the last one was made! Will be looking for this model. Gotta have it-it was a good plane, just lesser known one.
Angela, 20.06.2011 10:52
All the pilots in the squadron wanted to fly it but the powers that be refused permission. I did take a couple of pictures of it. There were also a couple of Bettys on the strip but they were damaged beyond repair.
Ken K., e-mail, 14.04.2011 23:38
Neat plane. I find it particularly interesting that the night fighter variant employed the German jazz music concept, the upward angled guns for use against bombers.
Ian, e-mail, 08.10.2010 23:51
Paul, I agree with you on that. The majority of Japanese planes do look very similar at first glance. They seem to be one of the least documented too. This site is a treasure trove of info for aircraft anoraks like me.
paul scott, e-mail, 10.09.2009 23:41
If it's not considered a joke, a lot of Japanese aircraft do look the same, however, on closer inspection, they are all unique. This one was a neat little 'plane too!
Mick Dunne, e-mail, 23.11.2008 08:21
Incidentally, much is made of the performance of US aircraft vis a vis Japanese types during WWII... To put things into perspective, air combat is not the same thing as Pylon Racing! Anyone that ACTUALLY flew Corsairs and Hellcats against Japanese facilities in Japan and its occupied territories soon realised that even at attack speeds of 400mph, a bunch of Nicks and Tojos joining combat from all angles at 350mph caused a whole bunch of trouble for the attackers! Engagements could be measured in seconds!
Mick Dunne, e-mail, 23.11.2008 08:10
Interesting observations Carl! Pity you guys didn't get to fly one...I know some ex RAAF pilots that got to fly Tachikawa Ki54 Hickory comunications aircraft as Squadron Hacks. They LOVED the plane! Very reluctant to give them up...
Sgt.KAR98, 04.04.2008 03:48
This plane looks great as Bf-110,althought the Zerstorer looks to have more firepower and the Ki-45,more agility
Mick Dunne, e-mail, 29.12.2007 04:27
Interesting comment about the build quality of the Nick! Historians seem to love rubbishing this plane...in fact, it was a very good design, it was well built and used most capably by its pilots. In the end it was NUMBERS rather than fighting qualities that proved to be its nemesis!
wilfredo alvarado, e-mail, 23.12.2007 18:09
I am a Giant scale R/C freak, and I wopuld like to build one KI 45.
But I need three views with cutaway sections, whera can I find them?
regards
Wilfredo
Carl Michels, e-mail, 08.06.2007 18:09
I was a Navy pilot in WWII and first saw a Nick fighter in a hangar at NAS Alameda before I left for the Pacific area. My impression of the aircraft was that it was lovingly constructed and must have taken lots of personal handiwork in its construction. I compared it to an F6F which was hangared next to the Nick, which looked like it had been put together in a great hurry, which was true since we turned out thousands of them in a relatively short time. Later, I was able to see another Nick up close which was left on the strip in perfect condition on the island of Palawan in the Philippines. All the pilots in the squadron wanted to fly it but the powers that be refused permission. I did take a couple of pictures of it. There were also a couple of Bettys on the strip but they were damaged beyond repair.
