Easy to built,mantain and fly and above all expendable were the objetives of this Shimbu (suicide) aircraft. Designed to be built by semi-skilled labour using steel,wood and tin, the Tsurugi had the ability to accept any radial engine of 800Hp to 1300hp,and was equiped with simple and crude instruments.The production models were to be fitted with two solid-fuel rockets,one over each wing,to boost its speed during the terminal attack dive.The flight trials revealed poor ground handling and poor flying characteristics,and the modifications delayed somewhat its posible combat debut.Nakajima produced 104 and none of them,thankfully, were used in anger.
