The Tale of the Nakajima Kikka: Japan’s First Jet Fighter

The Nakajima Kikka, meaning “Orange Blossom”, was born from the desire of Imperial Japan to rival the jet technology being developed in Europe during World War II. Conceptualized in 1944 under the influence of Germany’s trailblazing Messerschmitt Me 262, the Kikka aimed to provide Japan with a jet-powered edge. The design revolved around a unique, locally-developed Ne-20 turbojet engine, which was a smaller and simpler version of the German BMW 003 engine.