Kawasaki Ki-60

The Kawasaki Ki-60 was an experimental Japanese fighter built just before the Pacific War around a licence-built Daimler-Benz DB 601 liquid-cooled engine, an unusual choice at a time when most Japanese aircraft used air-cooled radial engines. Takeo Doi and Shin Owada designed it from 1940 to meet an army call for a heavily armed, fast-climbing interceptor, and the first prototype appeared in March 1941. It was a compact all-metal monoplane with a very high wing loading, and flight tests showed a long take-off run, heavy controls, dangerous spinning and a top speed below what was promised. Two lighter prototypes did little better, and production plans were cancelled in late 1941 after three aircraft had been built. The lessons from its faults were used to improve the Ki-61.