Rejected By Japan For The Dumbest Reason: Kawasaki Ki-96

The Kawasaki Ki-96, a mid-WWII Japanese fighter, was rejected for an unexpected reason. Why was this promising design turned down?

The Ki-45

In 1937, the Imperial Japanese Military requested a new twin-engine heavy fighter. Kawasaki responded with a prototype that featured a top speed of 335 mph and a flight endurance of nearly five hours.

This initial model evolved into the Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu, which proved highly effective as a bomber interceptor, especially against B-24 Liberators. It also served as a ground attacker and anti-shipping aircraft.

By August 1942, as the Ki-45 entered service, Kawasaki began working on a successor. In December 1942, the Japanese military requested a design change, resulting in the Ki-45-II, a single-seat version.

This modification led to the creation of the Ki-96, a single-seat heavy fighter. The removal of the rear-facing 792 mm machine gun meant the Ki-96 had no rear defense, but its improved performance was expected to compensate for this loss.

Underrated Plane

The Ki-96’s first prototype was essentially a two-seat Ki-45-II with minor modifications. During testing, the Ki-96 achieved a top speed of 373 mph at approximately 20,000 feet.

The Ki-96 had the potential to rival Britain’s De Havilland Mosquito, but its performance was overlooked, and it did not advance beyond the prototype stage.

The Reason

The Japanese military rejected the Ki-96 without a rational explanation. Just before the Ki-96 was set to enter service in September 1943, the military unexpectedly decided to abandon the idea of a single-seat heavy fighter. Consequently, the Ki-96’s development ended prematurely.

From the Ki-96’s concept, Kawasaki developed two new aircraft: the Ki-102 and Ki-108. These designs retained the Ki-96’s dimensions and engines but were reconfigured as multi-role attackers, with a focus on ground attack capabilities.