DEATH DAGGER > N1K2-J Shiden Kai
The Kawanishi N1K Kyofu (??"strong wind", Allied reporting name"Rex") was an Imperial Japanese Navy floatplane fighter. The Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden (??"Violet Lightning") was an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service land-based version of the N1K. Assigned the Allied codename"George", the N1K-J was considered by both its pilots and opponents to be one of the finest land-based fighters flown by the Japanese during World War II.
The N1K possessed a heavy armament and, unusual for a Japanese fighter, could absorb considerable battle damage. The N1K-J evenly matched the F6F Hellcat and was a better match than the A6M Zero for such aircraft as the F4U Corsair and P-51 Mustang. Despite such capability, it was produced too late and in insufficient numbers to affect the outcome of the war.
