Kawanashi N1K2-J, 5312, ヨ-105
History
The Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai (Allied code name: "George") serial number 5312 is a notable example of Japan's late-war naval fighter aircraft. This aircraft, a fighter-bomber variant, was built at the Kawanishi factory in Naruo during 1944 and delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as N1K2-Ja Shiden-Kai manufacture number 5312. It featured under-wing mounts capable of carrying either four 30 kg or four 60 kg bombs, or two 250 kg bombs, enhancing its versatility in combat operations .
In early September 1945, as Japan faced imminent defeat, aircraft like serial number 5312 were surrendered to American occupation forces. In November 1945, this particular Shiden-Kai was embarked aboard the USS Barnes (CVE-20) as part of a group of 145 captured Japanese aircraft. These aircraft were transported to the United States for technical evaluation, marking a significant moment in post-war military aviation history .p
The aircraft was transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Initially, the museum misidentified the aircraft's manufacture number as 62387 and restored it with tail code 343-A-11, incorrectly representing a Shiden-Kai assigned to the 343rd Kōkūtai. Between 2007 and 2008, the aircraft underwent a re-restoration and repainting, adopting the correct tail code ヨ-105, with a yellow horizontal stripe above, representing a Shiden-Kai assigned to the Yokosuka Kōkūtai.
Today, serial number 5312 is displayed in the World War II Pacific War Aircraft Collection at the NMUSAF