Nakajima Ki-201

The Nakajima Ki-201 Karyū was a Japanese jet fighter/attack aircraft project designed during the final stages of World War II but which was not built.

Development

The unrelated and much smaller Nakajima Kikka had been developed as a result of interest by the Navy in an equivalent to the German Messerschmitt Me 262, but the similarities to that aircraft were very limited. On the other hand, the design team led by Iwao Shibuya based the Karyū more closely on the German aircraft, but was over 8% larger.
The Ki-201 project was ordered by the Imperial Japanese Army in late 1944, with a performance requirement of an top speed, ceiling, and a range. The design was developed by Nakajima during 1945 and basic drawings were completed by June.
Nakajima anticipated the completion of the first prototype Karyū by December, and the first 18 pre-production aircraft by March 1946. Work on the first airframe had not started when Japan surrendered.