Kawasaki Ki-45

The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu, meaning Dragonslayer, was a two-seat, twin-engined heavy fighter flown by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second World War, adopted as the Type 2 Two-Seat Fighter and known to the Allies as Nick. The Army asked for it in 1937 after seeing twin-engined heavy fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf 110 appear in Europe. Early prototypes with underpowered, failure-prone engines did not satisfy the Army, so Kawasaki changed engines and the improved Ki-45 Kai entered service in 1942. Meant as a long-range escort fighter, it proved better as a day and night interceptor and strike aircraft, and 1,675 were built across all versions.