Project Z (bomber project)
Military project of the Empire of Japan
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Project Z (also called the "Z Bombers Project") was a military project of the Empire of Japan, similar to the Nazi German Amerikabomber project, to design an intercontinental bomber capable of reaching North America.
Kawasaki Ki-91
Kawanishi H8K conversion
| Project Z | |
|---|---|
 The G5N Shinzan, one of the aircraft built to meet the project's requirements | |
| General information | |
| Project for | Long-range strategic bomber |
| Service | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Proposals | Nakajima Fugaku Kawasaki Ki-91 Kawanishi H8K conversion |
| Prototypes | Nakajima G5N Shinzan |
The planned aircraft
The Project Z aircraft was to have six 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) engines; the Nakajima Aircraft Company quickly began developing engines, proposing twinned Nakajima Ha-44 engines (the most powerful aircraft engine available in Japan at the time).[1]
Designs were presented to the Imperial Japanese Army, including the
- Nakajima G5N Shinzan, with 6 prototypes built;
- Conversion of the Kawanishi H8K (sometime wrongly designated G9K Gunzan), concept only;
- Nakajima Fugaku (sometime wrongly designated G10N), project only;
- Kawasaki Ki-91, scale model only.
None, save for the G5N, developed beyond prototypes or wind tunnel models. Late in the war, Project Z and other heavy bomber projects were cancelled.