FLYING THE “GEORGE”

y 1944, the tide of the Pacific War had begun to turn. Instead of advancing, the Japanese were now on the retreat. Faced with several major defeats and an increasing number of new, advanced Allied fighters such as the P-38 Lightning and the Corsair, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force needed a new tool with which to wage war. Its solution was the Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden Kai (Violet Lightning). The Allies’ code name for the aircraft was “George.” The first variant of the aircraft, the model 21, was fitted with a powerful Nakajima NK9H Homare 21 radial engine (1,990hp), automatic combat flaps and pilot armor. Armament consisted of two fuselage-mounted 7.7mm machine guns, two