Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa
_brightened,_expanded.jpg) Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Nakajima |
|---|---|
| Model | Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa |
| Type | Fighter aircraft |
| Country |  Empire of Japan
|
| First flight | Early January 1939 |
| Built | 1939–1945 |
| Number built | 5,919 |
| Registered in the US | 1 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | One |
| Engine | Nakajima Ha-115, 1,300 hp |
| Cruise speed | 440 km/h (Ki-43-IIb)
|
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa ("Peregrine falcon") is a Japanese Army fighter of World War II. The Allies called it "Oscar", but American pilots often called it the "Army Zero" because it looked like the Navy's Mitsubishi A6M Zero.[1] It was the Japanese Army's first all-metal fighter with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear, and 5,919 were built.[1] In the U.S. there is 1 with a valid registration.[2]
History
Development began in December 1937 under engineer Hideo Itokawa, as a successor to the Ki-27. The first prototype flew in January 1939.[1] Test pilots felt it was not much better than the Ki-27, so Nakajima cut weight, slimmed the fuselage, redesigned the tail and canopy and added Fowler flaps, which helped it turn tightly. Production was ordered in November 1939.[1]
The Ki-43 entered service in October 1941, just before Japan entered World War II, and served on every front the Japanese Army fought on.[1] Like the Zero, it was light and fairly easy to fly.[1] China flew the type until 1952.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 1 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| KI-43-1B | 1 |
Specifications (Ki-43-IIb)
| Item | Ki-43-IIb |
|---|---|
| Crew | One |
| Length | 8.92 m |
| Wingspan | 10.84 m |
| Height | 3.27 m |
| Fuel | 120 impgal plus 2 × 200 L drop tanks |
| Engine | Nakajima Ha-115, 1,300 hp (14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine) |
| Propeller | metal constant-speed propeller |
| Maximum speed | 530 km/h |
| Cruise speed | 440 km/h |
| Range | 1,760 km |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
-
Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar flown by the Indonesian side in the War of Independence. Photo: Davidelit, Public domain -
Ki-43 Nakajima airplane from World War II. Photo: Stumanusa, CC BY 3.0 -
A Japanese Nakajima Ki-43-I Hayabusa aircraft in flight over Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) in 1943. Photo: Australian armed forces, Public domain -
Nakajima Ki43 II, P-5017, Chinese AF, China, c44-45 04340001 Jack D. Photo: SDASM Archives, Public domain -
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa. Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Public domain -
Ki-43 Hayabuya display outside Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots, Minamikyūshū, Kagoshima, Japan. Photo: Z3144228, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg)
_brightened,_expanded.jpg){kind=link}
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Wikipedia, "Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.