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.
General characteristics
Crew: One, pilot
Length: 8.55 m (28 ft 0⅝ in)
Wingspan: 8.60 m (28 ft 2½ in)
Height: 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 12.4 m² (133.47 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,640 kg (3,616 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,580 kg (5,688 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,880 kg (max overload with 800 kg bomb) (6,349 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Ha-35 Type 23 radial engine (provision for two rocket accelerators), 860 kW (1,150 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed: 550 km/h (297 kn, 342 mph) at 2,800 m (9,200 ft)
Cruise speed: 300 km/h (162 kn, 186 mph)
Range: 1,200 km (648 nmi, 746 mi)
Armament
Bombs: 1 × 250 kg (551 lb), 500 kg (1,102 lb), or 800 kg (1,764 lb) bomb