Question about plane "Prefixes"

[Rino]

I just happened to notice, going through one of my books, a
curious anomality about Japanese prefixes of aircraft designators.
Specifically, what the heck does KI- stand for?

    For example, at least three manufacturers, Kawanishi,
Mitsubishi and Nakajima made KI-s.  The roles of the aircraft were
also very different, from single seat fighters to ground attackers
to bombers.

     Admittedly the US had it's share of confusing designations, like
the US Navy's pair of F-4s and the USAAC's two B-26s, but this
KI- thing has me baffled.

     Anyone know what the KI- means?

[vorticon]

ill take a wild guess and say its the equivilent of the american P- designation, indicating a army plane, rather than a navy plane.

[MiloMorai]

Originally posted by Rino
I just happened to notice, going through one of my books, a
curious anomality about Japanese prefixes of aircraft designators.
Specifically, what the heck does KI- stand for?

    For example, at least three manufacturers, Kawanishi,
Mitsubishi and Nakajima made KI-s.  The roles of the aircraft were
also very different, from single seat fighters to ground attackers
to bombers.

     Admittedly the US had it's share of confusing designations, like
the US Navy's pair of F-4s and the USAAC's two B-26s, but this
KI- thing has me baffled.

     Anyone know what the KI- means?

here you go, http://users.skynet.be/Emmanuel.Gustin/faq/designts.html

[Rino]

Thanks, that site was very helpful

[StarOfAfrica2]

Originally posted by vorticon
ill take a wild guess and say its the equivilent of the american P- designation, indicating a army plane, rather than a navy plane.

Aye, the Ki-xx planes were IJA, the Letter-Number-Letter-Number set are IJN.

Ki-43, Ki-44, Ki-45, Ki-46..............all IJA

A6M2, A6M5, N1K2.............all IJN