[Leo Etgen]

Hi guys

What little information I have been able to find would suggest that the Japanese developed this on their own. According to Imperial Japanese Navy Aces, 1937-45 by Henry Sakaida, in the spring of 1943, Commander Yasuna Kozono, the Commanding Officer of the 251st Kokutai based at Rabaul suggested that the J1N1-C would make an effective night fighter against the USAAF B-17 four-engined bombers based at Port Moresby that were constantly raiding Japanese installations in the East Indies. Despite considerable opposition from Naval Headquarters to the idea, the plan went ahead as ground crews removed all the equipment from the observer's cockpit and faired over most of the transparency that covered his position. In place of the observer they mounted two fixed 20-mm cannon firing obliquely upward at an angle of 30 degrees above the forward direction. Two similar cannon were installed in the ventral fuselage behind the wing firing 30 degrees downward. The observer was no longer needed since his position was now occupied with guns so the crew was reduced to two. The modified aircraft was designated J1N1-C KAI and arrived at Rabual on 10 May 1943. Pilot PO1/c Shigetoshi Kudo (8 confirmed and 2 probable victories) and observer Lt(jg) Akira Sugawara claimed its initial victories over two B-17 four-engined bombers on 21 May 1943. The bombers were B-17E (41-9244) flown by Major Paul Williams, claimed at 3:20, and B-17E (41-9011) flown by Captain Joseph Geddes, claimed at 4:28, both of the 46th BS, 43rd BG, USAAF. I hope this information is useful.

Horrido!

Leo