 Kawasaki Ki-45 "Nick" 

Mottle camo version for Flying Tigers and Pacific theatres
in Ju88C and 110C slots, original files by Capt Kurt 
and Claudio Wilches

cheers
Ade Kelly 'flying tiger'
mar 2005

"Nick" history courtesy of Captain Kurt

The Ki-45 became operational with the Japanaese Imperial Army Air Force in 1941 but suffered a protracted development while various modifications were carried out. It was intended as a long range esort similar in concept to Germany's Me110, but it was never used in that role. By 1942 it was in operational use in all theters of war that the Jap Army Air Force was deployed to. It was used for ground attack originally. The ultimate development was the kai versions depicted by this model. By 1944, it was pressed into service as an intercepter to combat the U.S. bomber formations attacking the Philippines and Japan proper. It enjoyed it biggest successes ove Japan against the B-29s, operating mostly at night. It carried no radar but the bombers could be seen by the light of fires consuming the Japanese cities. It was also used for daylight ramming attacks against the B-29's. It was also used for kamikaze attacks against shipping.

Top speed 340mph / 540km/h
Service ceiling 32,800ft / 10,000m
Range 1,200 miles / 2,000km
Armament: two 12.7mm machine guns plus either one 20mm or 37mm cannon in the nose and two flexible mounted 7.7mm machine guns in the rear cockpit for defense. Bomb load two underwing 250kg bombs.

Night fighter specific adaptations: augmented the nose mounted guns with two oblique firing 12.7mm machine guns mounted behind the cockpit, similar to the German "schrage musik" night fighter armament. Rear armament and crew man were eliminated in these versions.

